The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-03-14
KEOKUK.
Corinth, Miss, March 5, 1863.

Corinth, Miss, March 3, 1863.
EDS. GATE CITr I'm looking over
your interesting sheet, ! have diseov-
cred that you very rarely, if ever, have
anything from the 7th Iowa in your col
umus. 1t may be interesting to some of
your readers to hear few lines from us,
as there are two companies in this regi-
ment from your county.
At the present time we comprise part
of the garrison Of Corinth, which place
was taken possession Of by the Union
troops last spring on the day succeeding
the evacuation Of the same by the Boast
ing Rebels" They concluded that eds
erection was the better part of valor. y and
therefore very wisely came to the conclu-
sion not to try the valor of the Western
boys in mortal combat for the occupation
of the same. After their hasty retreat,
the 7th with the greater part Of the army
pursued the fleeing rebels through the
swamps Of Mississippi until the lack Of
transportation for carrying subsistence for
the army determined the Commanding
General to desist and return to Corinth.
The lst brigade, Of which We form q
part, went into camp some three miles
south Of Corinth, on the Mobile and Ohio
R. R. The spot selected for our camp
ing ground was formerly occupied BY the
rebel Gen. Prices troops. 1t was very
pleasant place, and after we had given Il
. thorough cleaning, we pitched our tents
and made ourselves as comfortable az
circumstances would admit. After We
had got settled down, We commenced
looking around to see what our chances
were for good supply Of water. There
were number of springs in the hollow
some five hundred yards from camp, but
every time it rained they were filled up
by the water washing every thing into
them, and Ms we were obliged to do our
cooking on rainy days as we'll as on pleas
ntdays, we commenced looking around to
see how to remedy the evil. Northern in
dustry does not forsake the Yankees even
in this Southern country. SO we fell to
with pick and spade, and by digging
some twenty-five or thirty feet, we soor
had good supply Of water within fifty
feet of our tents. Now something mus
be done to keep the we'll from filing w
by caving in of the sides. As there
were no rocks handy or brick, we put in
curb of split logs, and by rude frame
that We made with dull axe, we man.
aged to keep them in their places. and
thus kept the dirt from caving in.
Time passed away very pleasantly dur
ing the summer months that followed,
with plenty of drilling and standing
guard. But standing guard in the sum
mer il very pleasant occupation. :.espe
cially picket guard. There is no tmuch
romance in standing guard in the winter
season. for the rain in this country doe.
not mind anything about us poor soldiers
raining sometimes for the full twenty
four hours that We are on duty. Ane
then l have seen the time | have felt ,
great deal better than after coming in of
Of picket, vet through to the skin, shak
ing a. ii I had the sgue.
Pardon me, reader, for skipping from
summer to winter in such hurry. Lei
me see where ! left of. Everything
went on smoothly until one evening or.
ders came, to b. ready to march in the
morning With three to Eve days rations,
& don't recollect which now. In the
morning the pickets we're drawn in, and
We started in an easterly direction from
our camp. We had not got over milt
before it commenced to rain, but on v,
trudged through mud and rain unit
dark, We then camped for the night
The clouds had cleared away in tn,
course Of the afternoon, and We natteret
ourselves that after rainy day We wer,
going to have pleasant night. In Thu
We were doomed to disappointment.-
Happening to poke (allow the vulgar ex
preston, } my head out from under thu
blankets in the night l was rewarded By
several drops Of rain right in my face. !
Awakening my comrade, We soon had thu
wooden blankets put under rs and the rub
Der ones over for cover. The rain nov
poured down in torrents, but for all sha
We went to sleep again, and slept unit
morning. II WAS still raining when VI
aWoke, but the orders were Ia pet hra.l