Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-05-16


The following description Of the mortar
practice is by correspondent Of the Cincin.
natl Commercial
I took a position on the shore near the
point and along the mortars to witness their
practice. The firing Of mortar Is the very
poetry of battle. A bag Of powder, weighing
from eighteen to twenty pounds, is dropped
in the bore Of the huge monster. The der
rick drops The shell In: the angle is calc,ilat.
ed a long cord is attached to the primer !;
the gunner steps out upon the platform and
the balance of tho crew upon the shore. The
Captain gives the word, the gunner gives the
cord jerk, a crash like thousand thundcrs
follows, tongue Of fame leaps from the
mouth of the mortar, and cloud Of smoke
rolls up in beautiful Aeecy spirals, developing
into rings Of exquisite proportions.
One can see the shell as it leaves the NOR
tar flying through the air, apparently no
larger than marble. The next you see of
the shell beautiful cloud of smoke bursts
into sight caused by the explosion. Imagine
ten Of these monsters laundering at once, the
air filed with smoke and clouds, the gun
boats belching out destruction, and complete
ly hidden from sight in whirls of smoke, the
shells screaming through the air with an un-
earthly sound, and the distant guns Of the
enemy sending their solid shot and shell
above and around us, dashing the water up
in glittering columns and jets Of spray, and
you have the sublime poetry Of war.
| TIE GALLANT IowANs-Iowa is a young
State, but it is the home of heroes. With the
present war she has begun war history tha,
yields in splcndor and honor to that of nc
other State in the Union, and no country on
the globe Her soil is the birthplace of a new
chivalry, and she has become the mother ol
new race of heroes. Her soldiers boast lit.
tie, and she has no industrious penny aliner
to boast for them. Her soldiers arc as mod
est as they are brave. They are not fierce
braggarts. They arc as gentle and tractable
as children.
| But when the storm of blood begins they
are the guiding and governing heroes of the
tempests. Where the harvest of death is tC
be rcaped, they are the foremost of the reap
ers. Where perilous assault is to be made
somehow or other there is always an Iowa
regiment, to lead it. 1t was so at Wilson's
Creek; it was so at Belmont; it was so a
Fort Doneson it was so ut Shiloh it vii
ever be so throughout the war.
All our Western troops have been heroes
but the Iowa troops have been heroes among
heroes. The Iowa First" "Iowa Second
Iowa Fourth" and Iowa Seventh" or,
bodies Of mcn who would have given an ad
ditlonal lustre even to ThermopylH, Mara
thon, Austcrlitz or Wagram. and all Amcri
cans may be proud of Iowa.-St. Louis Neacs
TIE REBEL CoNGREss.-This body ha
skcdaddled from Richmond, thinking it no
a safe place for legislators. The Richmon,
papers arc very sarcastic over the timidit,
of the honorable law-makers. Here is
specimen from tho Richmond Wig:
For fear of accidents on the railroad, tn
stampcdcd Congress left yesterday in a mum
Der of the strongest and newest canal boats
These boats arc drawn by mules of approve,
sweetness of temper. To protect the STAN
peders from the snakes and bull frogs tina
abound along the line of the canal, Gen
Winder has detailed regiment of ladies t.
march in advance Of the mules and clear tn
tow path of the pirates. The regiment /
armed with pop guns of the longest range
The ladies will accompany the stampeders t
a secluded cayc in the mountains of Hcpsi
dem, and leave them there in charge Of tn
children of the vicinagc, until Mcclellan
thinks proper to let them come forth. Tn
ladies return to the defense Of their country