, 1862-02-13
tsreeiA Correspondence of the Chicago Tribune
L1aE CREEK, osAuE R1vEn, Mo-, [


February 8, 1852.
Washington crossing the Delaware is being
rc.cnacted in real life before my window. The
Osagcriver, heavy, sombrc, sluggish, is bear
lug i'll eurly cddics, huge masses Of ice, which
tlunap against each other, crush each other,
and seem to grow angry in the cold Yet the
sun shines Oh them, glistening On their edges,
laughing at their jostlings, wranglings, and
seeming to wink at the General on one side,
and the Major On the other side of the river as
they look earnestly at the fiat, deep scow, in
which Quarterlnaster Peck battles with the
Quarrcling ice flakes. In the boat is four
mule team, with the two extra rats who com.
pose the inevitable "six-mule,'' tied behind
the wagon. Besides these, are q platoon Of
men, each armed with gun, knapsack, other
accoutrements, and q bundle of hay for their
bedding tonight on the SNOW. Four are pull
ing at the sweeps, ono steering, and four in
the bows Tending of the masses Of ice that
stop and endanger the boat. Look at any
picture Of the srenc which is alluded to at the
dawn Of my letter, and you have the view Of
the 31th Regiment Illinois Volunteers crossing
the Usage at Linn Greek.
But ! said I saw these from my window,
which involves the fact that an in a house,
and therein consists IN item Of deep interest,
us involving view Of Missouri life, md Of
Missouri patriotism. On the bank Of the
Usage, and some forty rods below the mouth
Of The Niaugua river, stands an ample, but
gh-looking log house, along the front Of
which q broad yerandah extends. It is Mr.
Torbcrt's house, and Mr, T. is pnrtner Of Col.
McClurg of the {Unionl Missouri Hilitia. But
rough as the external Of this house is, the in
teTnal economy is wondrous fne. I am sitting
on stuffed hair seat chair, and the Major i
just at present sitting in an ample and most
luxuriant arm chair a splendid woodward
d Brown" Boston piano stands under large
mirror, and pictures and engrnyings are hung
on the WALL Yet all arc Side by side with
rough logs, and are fastened to logs.
The "stOre" On the other side Of the street,
and further mp the river, is q hinge pile Of
wooden buildings, that has been supplying all
the smaller stores in the country with goods.
The. business has amounted to some half q
million. Yet, though with immense interests
at stake, these noble men adhere to the Union.
McClurg joins the Union army, and Torbert
breaches Union at home. Some four hundred
thousand dollars Of Indebtedness Of ttseceshn
is Unpaid and lost, and now Price has just
robbed them Of s140, 600 worth Of goods tnat
have been carted of What say patriots at
home to such as that! How many men in
Chicago would be reduced in property from
between $500, 600 to 5000, coo to comparative,
il not actual poverty, because they would not
give up our glorious old flag and their a1le-
glance to it?
. W. lAlst maIcutd uom OtGETFlue lcIe,
through roads that were, in one way and an
other, perfectly fearful, and are still to
march on. Our particular division consists
! Of Gen. Whites brigade, list of LIST div. viz:
S7th Illinois, 9th Missouri regiments, and
Dayidson's Peoria Light Artillery; and Gen.
Day{s's Brigade, l1st Of "a div VIZ: sth, 18th
Indiana Battery. Major Hubbard's Squadron
| Of cavalry is also here.
A forward movement at this season Of the
year Involves an immense amount both ol
means, labor and suffering. The mud anc1c.
deep to men, becomes hub-dcep to the heavy
("p1airie sehooners'') that brought up the rear
we're almost really schooners, sailing along
gently flowing river Of mud. For two days
| and the night Intervening everything we pos
sessed, aud We in connection, became saturat
cd with the rain that was poured down upon
us, and driven at US with the flashing
and booming Of heavens artillery AL thi;
| froze right away, and tents and tent occupants
| and furniture were like little land ice bergs
Our pantaloons, when VIC drew them on al
rcvellee were stiff With ice, 50 also were shirts
remedy, 60 we shiyered till our animal heat
thawed The ice, and wore wet clothes till they
dried upon us. This was with the mercury
endeayoring to court acquaintance with zero.
After passing the Big Grayois, which VIC die
about ten miles south Of Versailles, our roat
| LAY uosllJ OVER Lit ulnQ QtuIS tll1L 10akG ILL
part of the State almost mountainous. Herr
the scenery was grand, and in summer mus
be beautiful. Where the Usage river round!
off the upper part Of the State, that yor
viii discover, commencing a few mile!
| north Of Linn Greek, the mountain become!
high, narrow ridge, from which you can lool
far down on the Usage and the opposite bank
with its rich scenery Of vast rock-boulder
cropping out from huge forests, and here an:
there monster southern house, cleaning il
| its whiteness from among the trees.
Ha! ha! The Indiana boys have redeemed
the little "Silver Lake," scccsh steanlboa
that was left here in disabled condition, AMI
now, with whistle sounding and bell ring ring
she comes gliding up the river, pushing like
wedge through the masses Of ice. Trades o
every kind arc found in an army, and if the SC
ceesioDists suppose they outwit Uncle Sam b.
simply disabling their property, they are mis-
taken. The little craft has gone on up tn
Otagc for forage
We move On hence to Lebanon, bnt whcr
then do not know, and if did would not b
allowed to tell. We may stay there to garri
son tho place, but hope not, and so do II
all. We long to follow Price, who, We learn
has left Springfield and started South again
By lying still Price is doing us quite as muc
hurt as by fighting, for our army is really cor
ycrtcd into great guard for the State dca1
dear, if re could only be led after tho rebels
We all feel very badly in being kept here S
long and SO idle. E. 4.