The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-05-16
From the End Iowa Cavalry.

1 LAGRANGE, Ten, May 8, 1863. = FRIEND
|SHERFEY:-We have just arrived, after be-
ing out seventeen days. We have been
down in the central part of the State of
Mississippi. We started in company with
the 9th and 18th Illinois cavalry. When we
reached Palo Alto, we parted with the 9th
and 9TH, drawing the rebel forces after us,
while the Illinois cavalry kept the road for
the track which runs east from Vicksburg,
cutting off the railroad, and capturing three
trains of cars and burning them. They also
recaptured $50 soldiers taken by the rebels,
who were on their way to Vicksburg to re-
ceive their parole. They were, however,
saved the trouble of taking that obligation.
When we left Palo Alto the rebels attacked
us in the rear, capturing two men Of COM
pany of this regiment. They were driv-
en- off. We then made dash into Ala
bama, on the Mobile and Ohio railroad,
and burned the Confederate barracks and
the headquarters. They were the largest
barracks that have seen in the South
Close by them is a large graveyard, and
here are buried thousands of the Southern
chivalry, and poor white soldiers Of the
Confederacy; not slain in battle, but died
from other causes. We then left that place
and arriving at rich old planters,
cousin of John G.. Calhoun, we stopped all
night and relieved him of some of his corn
and other confisticables. You may be sure
he does not like such visits IS that, when
whole regiment of cavalry are to be fed for
the night Meanwhile the rebels were not
idle. They collected a force of cavalry and
kept lowering about our rear, and watching
close for any stragglers who should leave
the ranks; but from our regiment they did
not pick up many such stragglers. They
attacked us at Birmingham with three reg
iments ofcayalry. They were handsome
ly driven back by our revolving rifles and
Sharp's carbines. We killed and wound
ed "a of them. They had all they wanted
of our lead and steal, and left us to go on
without further molestation.. We had not
one man even scratched or wounded in the
fight. twas the most singular ,skirmish I
have seen. We have come to the conclu-
sion that their old shot guns are not of
much account. 1 had letter from Alex
amber Jacoby, and ] must say there were
some few sentencessin it which I did not
like about the war. He did not like the
Emancipation Proclamation, Or the Con-
scription Law. think if some of such men
served three years in our arm ofthe service
they would not whine so much about the
draft, but hope it will not need their as
sistance. We have just received four men
in our company from the State of Missis-
sippi. would like to have you hear from
them the account OF what they have gone
through since the war began. think
if some ofyour gallant copperheads would
go through such a course it would do them
good. We expect to get few more of the
same sort before long. Down near Okalo-
ma we captured a rebel in butternut inform
AN old school-mate of Major Coon, OF our
regiment. They knew each other. The
secesh asked the Major if he recollected the
whipping he gave him when ne was boy,
and limited, in good humor, that placed in
different circumstances he could do It'll
again. He is now member of the 2nd
Iowa cavalry, and is worth having in the
regiment, as he is well acquainted with
the country and the people. ..
Alex HOOD