The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-01-03
Army OoFfesp0n dence.
FRoH THE 34TH IOWA.
o Car At aELsHA, ARxAHsAs,(
nocomhar IA l4RQ H

s.su 4~ December 1871 1861.
EDITOR HAwK-EYE-At my last writing VIZ
were aboard the Ed. Walsh, above Cairo, wher.
We arrived on the I'd instant.
The 36th Iowa is.there on duty as Proves,
Guard Msjor OConnor told me in converse.
ton that they we're going to remain there unit
their arms were exchanged, which are Prussiar
Riaes; arms denounced as being worthless.
At our departure from Cairo We we're follow
ed by some accidental cannon ehots as we sur
missed, and proceeded on our way rejoicing, in
b'issful ignorance Of having violated any Law Of
the "powers that be-"
The battle field of Belmont bore no evidence
Of the terrific struggle enacted there.
As the colossal hills of Columbus, crowned
with superb breast works doomed upon us, We
were greeted with three cannon discharges, in
slow succession. the whizzing messenger play
ing its tune across our bow was cheered vocif-
erously by those who we're yet tyros in Soldier.
ing, thinking 10 courteous reception for the
"Star Regiment" They looked little dscom-
6ted upon rounding to and learning that the
next shot would have taken effect in some vital
part. A telegram having been received from
Cairo stating that "the s4th Regiment had pass.
ed, refusing to report" in compliance with an
order yet in embryo, to be Issued that day. This
is correct statement of the affair, dispatch to
the Chicago Times to the contrary notwith--
standing
Island No 10 present NO indication Of ever
being position OF thrilling interest.
New Madrid is a small unimportant place, nov
held by ak companies of the sand Iowa.
We touched at Memphis on the morning Of
the 3rd. That has been one of the finest cities of
the West, but is now desolated by war, and
marked by the hand of the incendisry. Jack
son Square, beautifully decorated With attrac-
tive scenery evincing great artistic skill, has not
been spared; some bastard traitors hand has
attempted to erase the words Federal Union, I"
of the on,iHous toast of that hero of former
times, "the Federal Union, II MUST be preserved"
which is inscribed on bold relief on his monu-
ment The same hand helped TO bury
our National flag there more than eighteen
months ago, and would exultingly bury forever
the lifeleas corpse of FREEDoM.
Upon our arrival here Col Clark received
orders from Gen. Steele commanding the Dis
trict of Eastern Arkansas, to disembark on this
(Arkansas) side of the river
The 'sbelter tents" which we received while
at your city, upon trial proved to be worthless,
both in style and quality of cloth. As substi.
tute we felled the beech and poplar grove in
which we were encamped, and soon were sup
Piled with comfortable houses winter quarter
style.
Imay add nothing to,,what you have already
heard of the expedition which left here the 9th
ultimo, under Gems Hovey aud WsshburDe, for
a flank movement on Grenada, and returned
here on tie 7th inst, having accomplished moth.
ing.
This is squalid miserable looking place, an
old river town, the scene of midnight crime and
situated on fat, murky, marsby
piece of ground.
saw communications from members of the
2Sth Infantry and 4th Cavalry Regiments, now
here, In your Issue of the 10th (your
dear Daily still finds its way to Us to comfort
and cheer in our lonely hours of deportation
from society and friends) giving an account of
the troops and country here. Many important
changes have taken place since that writing One
writer said the country around Helena was the
6uest in Arkansas. If such be the case nav
Ceres and Vesta never again be foully charged
with having honored it with their benign reiap,
and some inventive genius divine the object of
the Author of all things during the creation of
that part Of the earth called Arkansas.
Gen. German has replaced Steele, and divi-
stoned and brigaded the troops anew as follows
LIST, and and Srd divisions commanded respec-
lively by Generals Steele, A. P. Hovey and
Washburne. Each division is subdivided iuto
three brigades, commanded by the senior officer
of each brigade. We are placed in the second
brigade, lss division, with the s6th, 2Sth and
3Oth Iowa regiments, under Gen. John Il. Thay-
er, of N. T. The third brigade of our division
is also composed exclusively of Iowa troops, the
9th, Gath, 25tn and 3lst regiment, under Gen.
vandever, formerly Colonel of the 9th The
third division is composed of cavalry, embra-
cling all that arm of the service now in the dis
trict. .
A large expedition, of which we form a part
is to embark on transports to day, With fourteen
days ratous and forty rounds cartridges, With
an extra supply FOR each regiment; destination
unknown. Appearances indicate that before
the Hawk-Eye sees this we will meet the enemy
of Freedom on the bloody Marathon.
Gen. Sherman with 10000 men is to Join us
here at our embarkation. vicksburg is said, by
military men, to be our destination.
The steamer Mill Boy, just from above, re-
ported that it was fred upon opposite the town
of Commerce, Miss, 20 miles above here, BY
the rebels, and had three men killed. Genera!
German is now embarking Col Slack of the
47th Indiana and 1000 men, accompanied by
ggnboat. with orders to reduce Commerce to
ashes and burn every house for one hpndrsd