Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-01-23

@-M.n...:-
last prayer, and had wished his friends a
happy New Year. But the suspense was
broken. The gun boats returned and we
were ordered to fall back to the feet. Ut
was generally supposed that it was a better
morning for batteries on those bluffs than
our Generals suspected) Troops, artillery
and stores were taken on board the trans
ports, And suppose we are now making a
GLORIOUS retreat, as we are steaming up
tho Mississippi river. ....--...-
To-day we have been informed that the
rebels have blockaded the river above u.s.
Many are the rumors in regard to where we
are now going, and t is but little that we
care. Vicksbmg can be taken, but more
men will be required, and guns of heavier
caliber than those we have been using. In
my opinion the cheapest, easiest and safest
way would be to take it by siege.
But little is to be seen from Helena to
Vicksburg but low lands, underbrush and
large bodies Of timber, except on the Louis
lana side Of the river. Below the Arkansas
river levees have been constructed from ten
to fifteen feet high to prevent the country
from being inundated by the Mississippi riv-
er, ard inside Of the levees are hundreds of
model plantations which can be seen from
the river. A large majority Of the planters
Of Louisiana, do certainly live in style. Much
architectural skill has been displayed in the
construction of their residences, and in many
instances they are surrounded with the most
beautiful shrubbery and the choicest flowers.
These fancy buildings are now all deserted,
and everything around them is so still nat
they present rather the appearance of costly
for the dead tan houses for the
living. We have bad no reliable news from
the North or the East since we left Helena.
Here rumor Succeeds rumor and no man can
oe''eVe Anything he hears. have just learn
60 mat the rebels are marching in force upon
Nashville, and that our arr.y Mi move di.
rectiy to that city. 1sspect our next move
VIII DC {" detroit or some other point to
prevent An invasion from Canada. am Of
:.ne opinion that many of our civil and militia
ry leaders are fearful that they cannot pre-.
vent our conquering the South. But think
their most sanguine hopes will be realized.
am disguised with the whole programme.
Instead of bringing every energy to bear in
order to crush the present cursed rebellion,
have seen Generals stoop to perform guard
duty, simply to prevent poor soldiers who
were suffering for vegetables, from obtaining
a few sweet potatoes from rebel plantation
Within the last ten days officers in our army
have presented acquisitions for shells and
caps and received shells without the caps
which could only be used as solid shot. But
such conduct is trifling when we stop to re-
fleet upon the twenty thousand rounds Of
shells which Burnslde's army received before
Fredericksburg charged with sand and gravel
The rebels certainly were wiser than we were
when they calculated on receiving materia
aid from their friends in, the. North. Many
sudden changes should take place, and the
war must be conducted differently or we can
not hope FOR more than compromise with
the rebels. Abolitionists mist let the negro
slide. Rebels must be treated as felons who
have no claims upon our Government FOL
anything but the hangman's rope. But
may hurt somebody's feelings, as it is fash
ionable to call them erring brethren" II
a short time the South will be recognized a.
an independent power, and Southern mill
tary aristocracy will be built up. We viii
groan under the public deb: already incurred
and in less thar ten years our liberties ant
the institutions about which We have boastet
so much, will have gone to the shades.
mutual hatred will exist between the two sec
tons, and in the end, self preservation vii
drive US to change our form of government
for that of an Ars;ocracy or Monarchy
and God help humanity when that day comes
We have just learned that kind friends a
home sent us a splendid New Years dinner
Knowing that it was sent to US gladden. tn
hearts of all the boys, and we are really very
thankful for it, although We may never re
ceive it. 1t is only a soldier who can ap
preciate the benefit of $ oh things. Some
of the boys have diarrhea. They are gener
ally in good health and none seriously ID.
More again .... p .