The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-05-09
The 25th Iowa.
GREENvIILE, MISS, April 10

UREENVIILE, MISS, April ~, 1908.
EDITOR HAwK-EYE-Dear Sir: Since the
date of my last communication, the 25th
have seen little more service, and had OPP
portunities never before given them of see
ing slavery as it is" by little trip into
the interior. I propose, in order to relate
events as they occurred, to make copious
extracts from my daily journal, in which I
have jotted down the occurrences of each
day, hoping the relation may prove of in
terest to your readers: =
On the morning of April I'd we left our
pleasant camp at Young's Point, provided
with fourteen days rations, and embarked
on the steamboat Emma No. 2.' Accord
ing to order, I'VE took with us only our rub
Der and one other blanket, and one suit of
clothes, having neither tents or baggage,
and no transportation put pack-mules.-
From these indications, we came to the
conclusion that we were bound for a foray
into the interior somewhere, but were I'M
advised as to the locality. At dusk we
turned nose up stream( in company with
twelve other transports, carrying the re-
mainder of the Division Gen. Steele -
The following morning we were still NOV
ing. AS we passed along, noticed thatthe
levee on the Louisiana side had been cut in
number of places, and the water was
pouring through in torrents, inundating
the whole country as far as the eye could
reach.
. At II a. M, on the Sd, we landed at thd
celebrated Plantation on the Mississippi
side of the river, known as the Fanny
Bullitt Plantation" and moresbeautiful
place I never saw. The whole Plantation
bore marks of careful and judicious cult
walton, and the beauties of Nature were in
the case, by the hand of art. This place is
about twenty five miles south of Greenville.
Here we debarked and sent out a party of
cavalry to ascertain the condition of the
roads. AT 4 p. m. they returned, reporting
the roads impossible, the country q few
miles from the river being swampy. We
therefore returned to the boats, and, the
following morning went twelve miles fur
Their up the river, and into Washington
Lake, where we again landed opposite a
the plantation of a Mr.. Worthington. An
other party Of cavalry were sent out, and,
in the mean time, in company with num-
Der of officers of the 3D. Mo. Infantry and
our own regiment, I strolled around the
adjoining plantations. Here again the hand
OF industry (the negroes, of course,) was
manifest. The Mansion House of Mr., WOr-
Ellington was well-buIlt, commodious
residence, well provided with all the mod
ern conveniences, and lighted by gas man.
ufactured on the premises. In conversing
with the proprietor, he informed me that
the house was built and the grounds laid
ont by Northern men; and he dwelt with
great errnestness upon the fact that he had
paid $40, 600 in gold to firm in Indiana for
constructing the house, besides purchasing
all the fine material, the iron work, etc., in
the North. He acknowledged, however,
that he had son in the rebel army, and ac-
tually exhibited this miniature, represent
ing him in his uniform. On invitation, we
entered the parlor, and soon, accompanied
by the piano, the house rang with the STIR
ring notes of the "Star-Spangled Banner"
sung by dozen sturdy Union voices,
which perhaps sounded strangely to the
rebel ears about us.
:. =, The roads again proved impossible, and
We soon embarked and steamed to Green
vile, where we arrived in the evening.
On Sunday morning, the 5th inst, we
landed our whole force, including Hoff-
mans and Landgraker's batteries. At II
q. m. we commenced our march into the
interior, good road having been found
our Regiment bringing up the rear. We
marched about five miles, when we were
halted in order to repair bridge across
"Black Bayou which had been DESTROYED
by the rebels. This job occupied the re-
mainder OF the day, and we bivouaoked for
the night on the road. The following morn