The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1863-12-08

cold, we were aroused BY the cry horse
overheard. 1t was on a smooth prairie
and the cars were going at full speed.
An effort was made to stop the train, but
TO no purpose, away went the old loco
motive, leaping across the prairie, and
stopped not until we had arrived at
Brownsville. When the cars Lad come
to a halt we discovered that surgeon
HASTINGS horse, in his frolics in the cold,
had jumped over the railing. We did
not learn Of his fate, but think that he
most certainly was killed. No other ac-
cident occurred that night although the
rear was but slightly guarded.
About A. NJ, Nov. 10th, we arrived
at the Bluff A part of our cars were at
once unloaded, and the others were left
! for two or three hours. The boys built
/ fires close BY the cars, and some OF them
lay down to sleep. When morning had
fully come, we were at work getting our
baggage aboard the boats. Companies
/ d and E go on the Des Moines, and the
rest of our regiment save company A,
yet at Little Rock, on the Rose Hamil-
ton. The 49th Illinois are here, and are
on board the Sallie List. Only two reg
iments are here Of our brigade, the 62d
Illinois and 5oth Indiana, and Sd Illinois
| Battery, having been left behind,
Duval's Bluff is no town, and would
be Of no Importance were it not that !hc
White River is navigable up this far and
way beyond. The fleet started about
A. NJ Down we glide through the
placid waters of the deep rolling White.
At 10 A. NJ our boat strikes a sunken
tree, aud soon begins to sink. The pi,
lot runs it ashore and it is tied to the
trees on tie bank. Then comes the rush
OF soldiers, some anxious TO get on shore,
others running backward and forward,
up stairs and down stairs, all eager to
learn the exact extent of damage done TO
tie boat The gunboat comes TO halt.
and sends life boat TO our relief, but
fortune favors the brave and we are all
right and again on our way without loss
Several times during the day we passed
The bGats, while they in turn as oFteE
passed us. We passed Clarendon about
. p. NJ. The scenery along the river
sides is as beautiful for 90 miles, as that
which have formerly described at Clar-
endon. At dark we had passed Aber-
deem. so small town that / failed to
discover it. We did not draw up TO the
shore as we had formerly done when
travelling on the Mississippi and and 9th,
or rivers, but anchored in the middle Of
the stream. Our boats are large and
o,,r accommodations better than they
hava ever been on any other steamers.
Wba, light come the boys early lay
down 10 rest. the sick in the cabin,
dbNu ~ iN1''
while others spl cad their blankets above
or below, AS was Jrst convenient.
Nov. l7ru-Mornin.g cool and very
foggy-so foggy that to run Is impossi-
ble. hence we were obliged to wait un''I
the fog had cleared away. which was ho'
until the sun had risen high up III The
heavens, and driven ii far back with It's
own cheering rays. The day is fair and
warm. The river banks are dreary and
desolate. At1l A. NJ, we passed the
little town Of st. Charles. Only three or
four houses are standing now. \ few
crumbling ruins are the only monuments
| OF this memorable back woods town.
Here too is the blockade formed by the
rebels Only enough of il is swept
away TO form a channel through which
boats may pass. Here lie too scattered
about, the remains OF the ill-fated Mound
City. As | look up the clay hill side. |
see in my Imagination, the enemy's guns
frowniny on that old boat--l see them
pouring their fire down from that hill
"a loud crash and the boiler of the
Mound City bursts. scattering its scald
ing water over every part OF the boat,
and then our men are shot in the cold
water as they would escape from drown
ing. More than one year has passed
away since that occurred, and to-day
here is another fleet navigating the sam,
} river, and bidding defiance to traitors
But we DO not sail even now unmiudfu
) 81 danger, for the gunbost just nov
+ whistles for US TO close up. Again sh'
, whistles for us 10 halt.and then she ride
. majes,ioally by. Her Captain drops tn
; word TO US that there are guerrillas il
. ambush. just below. aud 10 our left. "
/ remain at halt until the gunboat get
{ by and runs little distance below. Gu
u men fy to arms and are arranged so q
: best 10 defend themselves. On the CUR