Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-07-08
"a, properly cautious but brave. He

rather thin in person, of medium height,
and has determined loci. He is given
to acting as we'll as thinking. His success
Gen. Burbridge, at whose headquarters l
have been, is young looking man, Of
about 30 years. He is one of those i'm
mensely popular with his brigade. The
when there is an order to storm fortiti-
cation. | was greatly pleased with his
appearance and conversation.
A large army is collecting near Haines
Bluff. 1t will be one of observation if Joe
Johnston dare venture in tina. direction.
1t is believed here that our forces are not
going to wait for that eminent man, but
will soon call on him where he lies.
have spoken of shells popping over my
" sit tolerably often. Did you ever hear
one of those fearful messen gers2 Get
what few screech owls you have Ia Wis
consin into one spot-let them all give
grand boot at the same moment, and let
few thousand quails start up suddenly to
make their whirring sonnd, and you will
approximate the subject. Railroad whis-
ties have tolerobly shrill sound, especial
ly where a dozen operate together-but
they don't rise to the dignity of shell.
1t is unqae-it is magnificent. 1t vitaizes
one with new sensation. The soldiers
have dubbed them "wet hens" and seem
to enjoy their society. Such an idea as
fear don't exist among them. Indeed
bravery sometimes takes the form of rash
ness. Bullets have peculiar sharp hiss
as they pass you-a cross between the
venomous effort of copperhead and the
other side of the hill, about two rods off,
they can be heard, and felt for that, at
any moment one is weak enough to show
his head My bank is about 40 feet nigh,
and l keep in tolerably close, when the
sound gets too lively on the other side.
Thousands of men, though, walk about
the ravines here with as much unconcern
at all hours as you in your streets. 1t is
surprising to go round and see the multi
tudes packed away in these numerous and
crooked eorges-thousands upon thousands
while other thousands of horses, mules
and trains fill up the tented and h0led land
scape-for the banks are as full of SOL
diers burrows as some of your hills with
swallow holes. The bottoms of the ra-
vines, when level, are covered with tents.
These levels are from two to eight rods
broad about here.
The vegetation about Vicksburg is not
very surprising. The trees are no larger
than with you. Cypress, beech and cot
tom wood are the prevailing types. Cane-
breaks abound most everywhere. 1t may
be des cribed in short, as a tall, tough soeed.
Every soldier has his bedstead made of it.
Almost all the large trees are covered
with vines to the top. Spanish moss and
the magnol liza are the few wonders of veg
citation. Flowers are not numerous or
handsome hereabouts. There is no grass
or next to none. 1t is coarse, poor
stuff. 1t exists only in small patches, and
makes no sod. One of our batteries is
built in pear orchard. The trees don't |
seem to have ever fourished WELL In the |
same garden | found watermelon patch |
Of large size and quite fourlshing. The |
rut is about as advanced as with US in |
August. I am afraid some one will come |
'ound and steal it.
The only strictly northern plant | have |
een down this way, is the ubiquitous
: May weed " in full blossom. L begin to |
link something of that plant. But the |
native trees and vegetation generally does |
,ot strongly impress the new conner. | |
vas prepared to be astonished and wasn't. |
The only bird have seen, except a few
wallow, is the hooking bird. One of
hem has his domicil in tree close by
lie sings all kinds of notes--imitates the
,ob-o- link, the robin, the wren, the ca
lary, and everything down to the blue
ay, and if it was not for fear of hoarse-
ness, l think he would try on the pea
,ock. A lack of understanding led me TO
hink birds of song were numerous here.
f they are, | have not seen them. The
turkey -buzzard is the representative bird,
,ut their voices do not combine all the
larmonies. Indeed, after a mule gorge, it
S doubtful if they could raise single
tote. The "voices OF the night " on the
1azoo are full of harmony. The batrach-
an concerts are several spots ahead of
'urs. They combine the whole scale, and
more, except the bass. | listened in vain
o catch the majestic cadence OF the bull
rog. 1t was like secesh, too much squeak
nothing full chested and manly in the
0und. Insect life may be said to be &C.
i've here, still beautiful forms have not
7et been developed, except a solitary but
ett1y, and he not extra In the plurnage ,
inc. have seen nothing remarkable ex-
,eptin quantity and voracty. 1t may be
considered an open question whether the
nusquito OF this section is gifted with
stronger appetite than his more loyal
brother of the Upper Missouri. Opinions
ire divided. When the point is settled |
will communicate the result.
The rivers are full of what. in the plea
ant fancy o. the country, are styled fish.
All are OF the cat type-iprnnnse omen |