Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-03-27
FROM THE THIRD IOWA.


fine and cool for marching, and we made l I
miles, going into camp before night near
Colclsville.
1Oth.-The day that was so pleasant closed
in last night with a sad reverse. 1t com
menccd raining about o'clock, and kept it
up all night long. Our camp ground was
almost dead level, and this morning found
us lying in the water, thoroughly wet to the
hide. Over roads almost impossible, the
wagons Of our train sinking to the axle, we
have made Ia miles, and put up in n little
grove short distance beyond Whites Sta.
ton. At Germantown some 2JO of us stop
ped for the train that suon cane along. We
took possession of the cars. The conductor
swore, threatened and stormed would have
us arrested and court martaled, would fight
us. We took issue on the latter threat, and
one of the boys told him if he wanted to
have fair fight he should be accommodated.
The upshot Of the affair was that we made
the balance OF the trip to Whites Station,
quite comfortably
The train came struggling in tonight, with
mules we'll nigh worn out, the wagons stick
ing fast in the mud at every few rods. The
storm to-day has been one of the coolest, for
a rain storm, that ever saw. This evening
it has cleared off cool. We have built large
fires, but when we lay down it must be in
wet blankets, and if we lay away from the
fire VIC must take a chilling, if near, twelve
hours steaming. Which horn of the di.
lemma shall We seize upon? r.+..
To one unaccustomcd to the life Of a sol.
der, the camping scene is a novelty. I'm.
mediatcly after " breaking ranks some star,
for wood, and soon the scenery around is lit
up with the bright camp fires. Others start
for water, which oftcntimes costs the seeke,
4 weary mile. Some prepare their rude fare
in messes, but more generally each soldier
has an oyster can which he has improvised
into camp kettle, in which he quickly pre-.
pareS his coffee, from his haversack he pulls
out piece of meat which he broils, then
with "hard tack" his meal is prepared
and, wearied as he is from the long march
and fast from early in the morning, Eve
never stop to cook meal during the day j
his appetite has become sharpencd, so tina,
this meal is reishcd equal to a feast Hard
bread becomes palatable, and bacon that
needs claiming up to keep it from crawling
off, is eaten with avidity. don't mean to
write disrespectfully of hard bread, however,
for it is the healthicst and most convenient
bread ever invented for a soldier. There
never is any danger Of soldiers eating toe
little, and one trouble with new troops is
that they are too hearty livers. After finish
ing their rcpast, the soldiers each prepare
themselvesa place for sleeping. Some impro
vising shelter tents with their rubber blan
kets, while others pick out smooth place
or gather together some rails, roll themselves
up in their blankets and lay down for the
night, Soon the whole camp is quiet, save
here and there an uneasy sleeper gets NJ tc
rcpcnish the fire.
llth.-The sun came up over the trees in
the east bright and warm this morning, and
proved himself the harbinger of fine day
in which to finish up our march to Memphis
We made II miles, and camped some three
miles from the landing in Memphis. A!tho
the roads were bad, we came into camp by
three in the afternoon, and before night haG
our camp laid out and tents up. The SIX
months that have passed since we left Mem
phis last summer have " rought some change:
in the city Here and there beautiful cot
| tage or noble mansion has disappeared leav
ing nothing but blackencd chimncys in theil
places. Fences too have disappeared, having
been taken by the soldiers to build huts
hunks and sometimes for firewood But il
the city the hum and hustle of life is NOR,
earnest, and the streets do not wear that lone
ly and melancholy air that they did when W,
| first occupied it after its evacuation by tn,
rebels.
| Traders have come in and filled the pla
ces of those whose connection with tn,
Southern Confederacy was such that they
could not stay within our lines. The diff
Guilty Transportation, and the prohibition
of transporting certain classes Of goods int
the country, compels the people far and nea,
to come to this place for the necessaries O
! life. ...
The little town of Hopefeld, that is, o.
rather was upon the landing opposite Mem
phis, has been laid in ruins. The place wa
the resort Of guerrillas who frequently free
into our boats. Not house now marks the
place where once stood the little town.
17th.-As yet our division remains at this
place. We are in situation to move almost
at moments warning. Transports are al
the landing, but 1 think that unless some
misfortune happens to our troops in othel
quarters, we are destined to remain here fol
some time to come. The weather is that o.
mid-spring, and to-day it is more than that
for the sun pours down upon us its hea
with the ferceness Of a day in July. W.