Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-07-10
OUR ARMY CORRESPONDENCE.
CAMP l9Tn Iowa REAR OF VICKsBuRG,
June 25th, 1868.


June 25th, 1868.
EDITOR JOURNAL ON the Sd of June we
had orders at Salem, Missouri, to go to Rolla,
which place we reached the morning Of the
4th and took the cars for st. Louis, and after
a pleasant night ride we reached St. Louis
Just at dawn, and marched from the depot to
the wharf where we lay til o'clock Pm
While laying there Major T. II. Stanton, for
merly of our regiment, visited us. He was
looking finely. At o'clock we went aboard
the II. Chouteau and got under way for
Vicksburg. Like all journeys, there was the
same monotony till we reached Cairo, where
we met the 18th Iowa, which had been there
two months. As there had to be two thou
sand bushels of coal taken aboard some con-
trabands were hired to assist in loading, and
while loading little misunderstanding &C.
Cured, when the mate of the boat knocked
one of the darkies over and began heaping
Jumps of coal and pieces Of wood on him,
while the darky's face was covered with
blood, when Lieut.. Col. Kent drew his revol-
yer and told the mate to throao one more, but
he didn't throw.
On the 18th we hove in sight of Vicks-
burg. Our boat touched on Young's Point
at a landing where up and down and on every
side were ''contrabands' in tents, in sheds
in wagons and in the open air. We marched
across the Point to a landing below Vicks
burg, where were more ''darkies." There
we took a boat for Warrenton, and from War
renton was brought to our present position
which is the extreme left wing and about two
and half miles from the Court House. The
extreme right is resting on the river above
the town and is held by Steele's division, and
they sometimes throw clods at each other
The closest work that have yet heard Of is
in front of the 9th Iowa. There the oppor:ng
pickets got so close that they began to fire one
at the other beneath log, when a rebel
growing bold, essayed to cross the log, but
was killed by a dubbed musket--not much
neutral ground there!
So far, there have been but about dozen
killed in our brigade-mostly by shell. Last
night our pickets brought in seven privates
and one Lieutenant they had taken from a
rifle-pit. They had no appearance of "short
rations," and the Lieutenant's haversack had
plenty biscuit in it.
For some time our guards could be posted
by the town clock, but as it has not been
heard for two days I presume some of our
shells have interfered with its works. How
they dread the shell A contraband came
i through the lines day or two since and said
| ''de big mortar shell dey comes saying "whar
is ye!-whar is yer and dey hunt ye right
up" The noise of a large shell, passing
through the air, is terrific.
After ali, Vicksburg is pleasant place.
My seat is beneath Magnolia tree, whose
dark green, glossy leaves and large, fragrant,
white flowers form grateful canopy. In the
hollow opposite is a cane-break which fur
nishes good frame work for beds and seats,
while cotton from a neighboring gin makes
softer bed than soldiers are used to having.
So far the health of the regiment is good as
common, though many predict sickness as
the result of such change of water.
Iowa is represented here by thirty odd reg
iments, and they are doing as good work as
| the best. The closest regiments to the works
are ours. To all who fret at the apparent
slowness of the siege, l can recommend but
one cure, i. e., see the aoorks. They are such
that the mere act of climbing them is hard
ship, and to do so under their fire is sheer
madness.
Negro troops are being organized around
this place. The LIST Mississippi has some Of
the strongest men IN it ever saw. They are
proud of their new business, and we'll fitted
by their previous life to bear soldering.
We hope our Iowa friends will not forget
that letters written to us will reach their des-
tination safely. 1t is here the sanitary COM
mission is felt. The healthy nutritious food
| it furnishes has the best effect on the health
of the troops. Instead of sitting in grove
in the s'rear of Vicksburg," l. hope to sign
myself next time from the city itself
Yours, j. j. DUNCAN.