Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1863-07-30
Army Correspondence.
q CAMP MORTON, INDIANAPOLIS.
July Odd, 1863.

self in camp Morton. Itisquiet here COM
pared with the crowds Of excited citizens
with which we have been surrounded for
several days past while watching along the
Ohio river to keep the famous rebel. John
Morgan from plundering the river towns
and crossing again in safety to the Ken
lucky shore. Had it not been that we
had no cooking utensils, or blankets, ex-
cept rubber ones, we would have consider
ed it q very pleasant trip for soldiers. As it
was it was sport for the boys to see the
home guards. militia, or bushwhackers, as
we called them. harrying this and that
way. as If they expected to take Morgan
and his men at single DASH. and making
noise enough to scare an army of new re-
cruits Of twice the number of Morgan
command ont of the country without firing
shot. 1t soon became evident to us that
Morgon would never he taken by surprise
with such troops as home guards AMI raw
militia. I.f -,
But viii commence at the beginning
and give your readers an account OF our
trip. and some OF the incidents that oc.
Cured, as well as can without notes.
! About midnight on the 9th of July the
5lst and 73l Ind were ordered to pack
mp and be ready to march in half an hour.
1t was entirely unexpected. and most of us
thought it rather tough to turn out at that
hour, as we had not for some time been in
the habit of getting up all times Of night
and starting on march. However, there
was no alternative and out we got. In
the course of time we arrived at the depot,
Indianapolis, and after waiting until We
all grew tired and impatient. feeling that
we had been unnecessarily robbed Of seve-
raj hours sweet rest. 10y laundering under.
strappers or Incompetent officers, We left
the city about sunrise. We arrived at
Jacksonville in due time and were hurried
across the river to Louisville, for Morgan
was coming to take the city shurc: Of
course he was, for he always has been
coming. and sometimes think he ought to
take part oft at least to stop their crying
about it. Well, we had no commission.
ed officers, so they got some scared ones
that had been loaling about the city to CON-
mand us. We marched out of town two
miles to Spring Garden. where we were
drawn up in line of battle behind a high
board fence, without more than two or
three cartridges to the man. This, per-
haps. was very safe position. for Mogan's
men were supposed to be mounted. and
am snre they could not have charged over
that fence; however. it looked like curl
Gus position to us who had not been used
to fighting behind fence. From here we
marched to Portland, four miles below
Louisville, where We crossed the river to
New Albany, and where the citizens gave
us good supper. We then moved on to
little town called Eiwardsvillc, five miles
west, situated on top of a knob or high
hill and on the plank road to Corydon
Here we waited for Morgan one day and
night, but h { came not About IL o'clock
the next night we came back within two
miles Of New Albany and stopped until
nearly daylight. We then marched for
Jacksonville, where we arrived about Z
a. M; and about 2 p. m. went on board
the steamer Masonic Gem, and with the
balance Of the fleet of transports and FIVE
Gunboats. We proceeded up the river to
Cincinnati. where we remained one day,
and then proceeded to ascend tho stream
in the same manner, stopping at all the
little towns until we arrived at Ports
mouth; here we took tho cars to Portland.
about thirty miles from Portsmouth,,
marched about two miles ont Of town..and
stopped until midnight. when wo returned
to Portsmouth, whore we went on board
the steamer Borton; returned to Cincin-
natl. thence to Madison, where we took
the cars for this place. arriving here in due
time.
We have some fifteen or twenty of Nor
gan's men here now. and | understand
they are looking for more OF them to-day.
Last night read an article in the DEM
ocrat of your place burlesqueing those cit
liens Of Marshall county who manifested
a willingness TO shoulder their guns in de-
fence Of their own State. which is charac-
teristic of that infamous sheet. All that
is necessary for a man to doto cal down
the curses OF that sheet on his head is for
him to manifest more regard for his coun-
try than the copperhead party. No mat
ter how long he may have been Demo
crat; how devotedly he may have served
his party. or how much he may have been
honored BY His party friends. the moment
he intimates that he is in favor of prosecu-
ting the war until the rebels lay down
their AIMS, it begins to regard him as
lost to its party, anil soon mathematics
him by denoun cling him as an abolitionist,
l.~~I.s IL q