Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-02-12

high, the lower story built of stone, with
a single window, about one foot square,
and grated with iron bars both up and
down and crosswise. The upper story
is Of logs, and is provided with simi
lar window, a flight OF log steps lead
up, on the outside Of the building by a
pair of massive oak doors which look rs
if they might defy the efforts of an
earthquake TO open them. Ugh ! but it
must be dismal hole Two largo hons-
es standing close by the urthouse
rejoice in the u,le OF HoteN' that's
tie way they spell it in Arkansas. There
are few store-houses, decent bu ildngs
enough, and just one dwelling house
which would be pretty if it were not
disfgured by porch SO rdiculously
large that itgivcs to the whole house
an air OF unapproachable absurdity. This
is the residence OF Judge Murphy, who
WAS elected as Union man to the State
convention about two years ago, and it
gives me pleasure to say that he is still
thorough Union man. lie was driven
away from his home good while ago,
and has been with our army ever sine.
We have been in this region, and it was
with no small satisfaction that we We're onr
selves able to restore him to his family if
for only tho few days that we staid
there. An immense old barn Of build
ing, surnounted by stceple WI.
would have been agony To an architects
apprentice in the Moth, serves the trip
pie purpose of church, school house
and . masonic Hall, completes the list of
buildings whicn amount to anything,
the rest, about fifty in number, being
little more than log novels.
We went to Huntsville on Saturday
evening. The "hall' was opened for the
first time for divine service. Iniortu-
nately for the citizens Of the place, the
soldiers Of the command turned out in
such numbers hat they more than filled |
the house. We had really good time,
ho ever. Our Chaplain preached an ex.
ceient sermon, and our boys gave them
such specimen Of Northern SINGING as
must have made til popr benighted Sc
cesh wish they were rapidly back luto
the Union agaln. Now began week of
unpleasant weather first two days Of
rain, then freeze, thea snow about six
inches deep, then thaw. The creeks
were all swollen full, the roads were mud
dy, the ordinary conricrs could not reach
us, the mails couldn't come, the commisa-
ry trains we're miles away and couldn't
come up, and we We're put ON quarter
rations OF almost everything. We could
not n,ovo for the mud and swollen
creeks !; the very air was alive with ru.
mors of dreadful disasters from Spring
field, of defeat at Murfreesboro and re-
pulse at Nicksburg, and then rybody
knew that Price had crossed the Missis-
s'ppi river at the head of seventeen thou
sand men and was coming up by railroad
and steamboat to the aid of Hindman's
demoraized army just as fast as steam
could bring them.
Happy is tho man who has learned the
lesson never to believe word you hear
in camp Meanwhile we were constantly
under marching orders. Every night the I
word would be given to be ready to
march at daylight. Every morning we
would load up and stand in readiness for
the order to move, which never came Z
Every night we would unload and settle
down just as we did the previous night.
We couldn't move for mud.
Let the people stop sneering at Nc
Clelan's idlencss year ago. General
Schofiel1 has not won reputation for
letting his forces rot III camp, ana here I
with every incentive to urge him on, he q
found himself unable TO stir hand or foot {
until the roads improved. I
AT last the train arrived, when it was I
Just possible to get away. At daylight .
tie trains began to move, and at two :
o'clock the last wagon was SO far on the t
road that the order to fall in WAS given. =
We fell in. and while marching up the
hill we found ourselves confronted by
obstacles in the shape Of wagons stuck in
in the mud. We halted and waited
by the hour until they could move on to
me next sticking place, which was un- u
happily not far distant, but through per- {
severance we gained the top of the hill, .
when, for several miles, our route WAS a
continual descent SO steep that the soft (
abomination which composed the surface 3
of the ground kept slowly moving down q
its SIDE like a river Of slime cmptying ,
itself INTO, and filling and choking up the
lutte creeks which crossed the {
road, until they were almost impossible
ON horseback. Still we trudged, now
starting, now haIting, now passing the
wrecks of wagons, and now marching by i
the goods and stores which had been {
thrown overheard to tighten them, until Q
about twelve o'clock at night, when We =
arrived at the same old camp which We q
occupied when we went to Huntsville /
last October. We had toddled about :
six miles.
Attwo in the morning our tents were q
pitched. and some Of US laid down on /