The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-03-07
From the 25th Iowa.
CAMP OF 25rH Iowa IHI'Y, BEFORE VlcKsBuRa,
Monday, February 18th, 1858.


Monday, February 10th, 1868.
EDITOR HAwK-EYE-Dear Sir:-Owing to .
severe attack of sickness, I have been unable to
keep you fully advised Of the movements OF the
Goth since the battle Of Arkansas Post, but
having partially recovered, am again ready to
furnish you with such items as may interest
your readers, concerning general movements
aud more particularly the movements OF our
own Regiment mass
No items Of interest can be gathered during
our passage on transports from the Arkansas
River to Youngs Point, opposite Vicksburg,
where we now lie encamped. The troops gen.
orally suffered very much from sickness during
the trip, and on our arrival here more than half
OF the 25th were on the sick list. Few of the
Companies reported more than twenty-five men
for duty, and even old regiments, enured to all
kinds of toll and hardships, we're Frustrated
with sickness, caused by living on crowded
transports for over month and subsisting al
most entirely on uncooked rations. Now, how
ever, since We have again gone into Camp, the
the sanitary condition Of the whole army is rapid.
ly improving. There is, however, q great def
cheney in necessary medicines, and large sup
ply is needed Immediately.
The 25th are encamped about mile from the
celebrated canal or cut of.-the ground is tol-
erably we'll drained by means of bitches, but
the whole bottom is damp, and water can be
found anywhere by digging two feet below the
surface The river is only prevented from over.
flowing our whole camp by strong and we'll
constructed levee. If the water shonld rise
much higher We may be compelled to remove
our quarters. a
In regard to the canal, can give you no in
formation of great value. The original ditch
has been widened few feet but it is yet barely
vide enough to admit the passage of common
sized steamboat, even it it was of sufficient
depth. Both ends Of the canal are now damned
up for the purpose of digging new channel at
the upper end so as to meet the current of the
river. About 500 negroes are at work daily on
the new channel and the work is progressing
slowly. 1t may succeed, but the general impress
sion seems to be, that the original intention to
thus create new channel for the Mississippi;
and make Vicksburg an inland city, will fail of
completion. It will never be anything more
than simple canal. The gun5oats can be
taken through, and the Rebel batteries opposite
which command the mouth of the canal, must
then be destroyed, ere unarmed transports can
be taken through. Allithis will take time aud
many days may intervene before any notable
results can be accomplished. Bissels Engineer
Regiment arrived here yesterday, and their
presence may assist matters greatly. Thus much
for the canal.
You have heard Of the daring exploit of the
ram "Queen of the West" commanded by Capt
EIlet, in running past the rebel batteries safely
running into the rebel boat, "City of vicks,.
burg" as she lay at the wharf, and finally get.
ting below and destroying number Of rebel
transports, engaged in carrying provisions from
below to the rebels in vicksburg. Captain FL
let has won immortal fame by bis daring and
brilliant exploit. he is son of the Colonel
Ellet who fought 90 pobly, at Memphis, and lost
his life from wounds received on board the same
Nyessel, "Queen of the West" with which his
On last Friday night, the 10Th inst, during a
lightning, one of the new "Hardshells.n "a the
boys call them, the iron-clad "Indianola" sue.
cessfully ran the blockade, taking with her two
barges Of coal. The rebels ''blazed. avayn At
her with their big guns, and for about twenty
minutes the thunder of heavens and earth;s
artillery blended in one terrible roar. fairlv
shaking the earth with the conclusion of sound
It was something long to be remembered. and
many weary soldier started from bis heavy
slumber, believing that the enemy was SURELY
attacking us with an overwhelming force. The
cannonading ceased, however, and soon the
clouds dispersed, the thunder and, lightning
ceased, seemingly sienced by the heavy thuue
dering below, and we awakened the next morn
ing to ascertain that our navy boys had again
shown their daring by successfully running past
the heavy rebel batteries. Several Burlington
men are officers on board the Indianola, viz !:
Wallace Hovey, lst Assistant Engineer, David
Hocksworth and Thomas Scholes, I'd Assistant
Engineers, none Of whom were injured. If the
rebel blockade can be run thus with inpunitv.
the canal project will prove of little real value
A large expedition started up the river from
here on Saturday last for the purpose of clean.
ing out the rebels along the river, who have
been erecting batteries at different places to in.
tercept our boats. We hope to hear of their
entire success, for the occasional capture of our
mail boats is an Inconvenience not to be borne
There is no near prospect of an engagement
General Grant, who now has command, evident.
" intending to get everything ready, necessary
to insure success, before attempting an attack
upon the rebels. In fact another attempt such
as that of Sherman, would be productive Of dire
results in more ways than one. I am entirelv
safe in saying that no fears Feed be entertained
of second repulse at Vicksburg. The place
wiR be taken and that too with as little loss AZ
possible. Nothing has yet been heard from
Banks or Farragut. Port Hudson may prove a
serious impediment in his way up the river, but
with the help Of the gunboats, which We can
end down to his assistance, the place will soon
be made too hot for the rebels.
A number of the officers of our Regiment have
resigned and gone home, from Sickness and other
causes. The following have been accepted, viz:
Captain Gilmore, Co. K; lst Surgeon Marsh; Let
Lieut. Orr, Co. I; LIST Lieut.. Williamson, Co. +:
I'd Lieut. Brush, Co. G; Captain Russell, Go. /,
A number of others have rendered their resg
nations, but no return has been made a. yet.
We heard yesterday of the death of Lieut.