Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-04-17
FROM THE TIlIRTY-FIRSr IOWA.


FROM THE TIlIRTY-FIRsr IOWA.
NEAR vIcKssrRo, La, March Sist, 1868.
Mn. EDITOR Seventy days have elapsed
since we arrived in front Of Vicksburg,-
period ten times greater than was required to
create the globe which we inhabit, and stock
it with all kinds of animals. We may have
great generals, but unless they shall be per-
mitted to live longer than three score and ten
years, the fact will remain unknown. The
night of our political troubles remains as
dark as ever, while General Grant, the cock,
whom the people have been waiting to hear
heralding the approach Of day from tie hills
of the V-ir-g in City, remains coopcd on
the transport Magnolia. He is undoubtedly
bird of mixed b!ood-Dunghill predomina.
ting-and if we take Vicksburg soon, it will
be the overwhelming weight of the Shanghi,
and not the active, scientific movements of
the game cock, which will gain the victory.
We new count our generals by hundreds
but would be much better off if we had
quarter Of a dozen generals endowed with
energy, frnncss and determination to con-
quer, equal to that which enabled Washing
ton to rank as the Father of his Country"
and caused all Europe to dread Napoleon
The levec near the inlet Of the celebrated
Vicksburg canal, broke about two weeks ago
and let the water in before the work was
completed. The workmen on the canal
have all been Withdrawn and it will never be
used. ! have been crediby informed that
the Yazoo Pass is also failure. On the
25th inst. l saw the Hartford and Albatress
opposite Warrcnton. The former carries
thirty-sevcn and the latter nine guns. They
ran the blockade at Port Hudson some time
ago. Last week two rams attempted to run
the blockade at Vicksburg. One of them
carrying five guns, succeeded, and the other
went to the bottom of the river. With the
afty.onc guns which those boats carry,
think we can cut off to a great extent the
supplies which the rebels intended to obtain
fsom Texas. From deserters we learn that
there is much suffering across the river now
caused by short supplies. We have re-
ceived our pay from Government to the first
day Of January. and never saw this army
in better health and spirits than now. SUIT
lers arc reaping rich harvest and soldiers
appear to be more attached to graybacks
than grecnbacks as the former will be retain
ed longest. A few days ago our regiment
endorsed, almost unanimously, resolutions in
favor Of vigorous prosecution Of the war,
condemning Copperhead peacemongcrs of
the Northwest, etc. Nothing pleases SOL
diers more than the organization of secret
anticopperhead societies in the loyal States
1t is easy to see that these societies strike
the right chord, as leading rebel sympa,hizcrs
begin to writhc already. We all remember
the benefits which resulted from similar or.
ganization in San Francisco. All who oppose
the further prosecution of the present war
are enemies of liberty, law and everything
which is great and noble. All who aid the
rebels by word or act are guilty of treason
and should suffer the penalty prescribed by
law-death. We are now living in extraor-
binary times and extraordinary means must
be used to compel many men to perform
their duty. Let the anti-trcason secret soci
etcs be many and strong. Let them DO their
work in mastery manner and the better
done, the louder will our armies in the field
say, Amen. Let it be distinctly understood
that the rebels must be subjugated and that
their friends must be silent With two OK.
ceptions all of the members Of Co. b, who
are now in camp, are in excellent health
Our regiment has suffered greatly for want
Of good drill.master, but we have succeed,
cd in having friend Stunning appointed Maor
and think in short time he will bring us
out right side up. We have had two or three
weeks of very warm weather and begin to
dread the coming summer. Night before last
we had an awful storm-a storm which prov.
ed that our houses were no: founded upon
rocks. Many Of them went up so Suddenly
that we began to think we lad houses etcr-
nal in the heavens.
On the Goth inst, measured stalk of
corn III inches long. Our Quartermast
has just now been ordered to supply US with
fifteen days rations and We have been order
ed to be ready to embark on transport to-
morrow. do not know where we are 20.
ing, but should not wonder if General Grant
was about to ravish the Virgin City.
would not be surprised If we shall have warm
work soon and considerable thunder. More
again.
Our Regiment is part Of the End Brig
ade Of LIST Division, 18th army corps, Depart
ment Of Tenn. General Hovey commands
our hriroda apd Eoporal Ckool