The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1863-07-29
Army Correspondence.

Moscow, Tenn, July IA, 1868.
DEAR TINES In my last letter I told
you that before you would receive another
letter from "You know Who," the hands
of the dial which denote the progress of the
great struggle, would have moved either
forward or back. Since the writing of that
letter, many family circles have been broken
by the fatalities incident to war. Many
have been anxiously watching the progress
Of the struggle which must decide the fate
Of one Of the greatest nations of the earth
The protracted length of the seige of
Vicksburg, began to make many uneasy
But the oft repeated saying that "the
darkest time is near the dawn" has
been again realized. Yet, contrary to the
usual order Of things, the dawn is in the
scest. Every ones eyes look brighter as
the three words "vicksburg is ours" pass
from mouth to mouth. I: seems now that
Gen. Logan knew the character Of western
men, when he made his celebrated promise
that "the men Of the north west would
hew their way to the Gulf of Mexico with
their swords" BY an official dispatch
which is received to. day, telling US that PIT.
Hudson is ours, we see that they have
nobly redeemed that promise, and the
Father of Waters" is again free from its
source to its mouth.
Whatever may be the result of this con.
act, the west will always have reason to be
proud Of the part she has performed.
The boys, Of course, feel merry over so
much good news, and begin to feel that
"there's good time coming, etc." They
hope land they have reason to, If the east
performs her part,) soon to meet around
the "old hearthstone, and to see the orig.
inals Of certain pictures which they have
in their possession. God grant that our
hopes may not be false ones, and that our
dreams may yet be realities.
But our rejoicing is not without alloy, for
there are few Of us but have a friend sleep.
ing his long sleep, perhaps in the rear of
Vicksburg, or on some hard fought battle
fields Tenn. or Mo. For my own part, l
am not of as sanguine q temperament as
many. There are battles yet to be fought,
and l fear "many brave boys get to fall"
Our successes should only give US greater
energy, the draft should 60 on, and then
believe We shall see one state at a time knock
ing for re-adm;ttance and wheeling into
line. Let US welcome tn IN, as the Prodi-
gal was welcomed; they have suffered for
their great sin.
Some of our friends may be, perhaps, curl
Gus to know how we spent the 4th. We
made no demonstration, except the firing
Of salute from the battery at - NJ. Our
dinner was the usual assortment of bread,
pork and coffee. We thought of last 4th
and how we spent it, and we knew that
many at home were thinking Of US. So
passed the 4th Of July, 1868.
Fruit is quite plenty here now; black
berries are very fine and plenty of them.
The only news from Moscow, would be
Of some little guerrilla chases, which gen,
orally ends in the r,bs getting away.
Some Of the more ambitious of the boys
arc dissatisfied at the part we have to per.
form. They would rather have had the
chance to distinguish themselves, as the
2lst and other regiments that came out
when we did. They forget that those reg,.
ments have acquired thir name and fame
simply by doing their duty. Wherever the
9th has been ordered, there have they
gone; whatever they have been ordered to
do, they have done it. What regiment
could have done more?
Hoping that peace may soon visit our
land, am,
You Know VINO.