Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-05-01
Correspondence OF the Gazette.
FROM THE THIRTY-FIRST IOWA,

GREESvn.LE, MISS, April 10th, 1868.
Mr.. EDITOR: On the End day of April Gen
Steele's division, numbering about five thou
sand men, embarked on transports at Young.
Point, Louisiana, and moved up the river ont
hundred and seventy miles to Greenvle, ir
Mississippi. On the 9th inst. we marched
six miles to considerable stream called Dee
Creek. On the 9th and 18th we marched
down the creek about thirty miles, in pursuit.
OF Col. Furglson, who was retreating befor,
US with band Of about one thousand rebels
but our feet had become too tender for rapid
marching, ard we did not overtake him unit
the 7th, late in the afternoon. when he open
cd upon our advanced guard with Shells
We had two fine batteries with US, one Of
which was soon hurried to the front ard
threw few shells, to which the rebels did
not reply. Negroes Informed us that they
had been largely reinforced and intended 10
give us battle. Our entire division was i'm
mediately drawn up in line of battle on a
beautiful open field about one mile wide and
| two miles long, and advanced to meet them.
After moving forward about half mile we
discovered that they had retreated through
the woods and canebrakes, and as it was
quite late we halted for the night. Next
morning Gen. Steele ascertained that part
of the rebel force had moved to our rear, and
ordered us to return to Grecnvle Our
train was. attacked twice by mounted guer-
rilas as we were returning to the river,
but they disappeared very suddenly when
our field pieces opened npon them.
Deer Creek Valley is said to be equal if
not superior to any other part Of Mississippi.
have seen large, beautiful, and fertile farms
in Iowa and Illinois, but to the owner Of
plantation in this beautiful valley they wo'd
appear insignificant, rough and poor. A
large proportion Of the lan'l ON either side of
the creek is wei! improved Planters gener-
ally own from one TO three thousand acres Of
land, and from fifty to two hundred Negroes
The planters house, overseer's house, negro
quarters, cotton-gln and other out buildings
on each panta;ion-c more ground, cost
more money, and are more beautiful than
uany of our Northern or Western villages.
Hundreds Of thousands of precious lives
have been lost, hundreds of millions of dollars |
have been expended, and suffering endured
which words cannot describe, to defeat these
infamous, aristocratic scoundrels and their as.
sociates of the South, who arc attempting to
destroy the best government on earth; and
yet there are men in the loyal States who are
greatly alarmed--who believe that rebels are
so sensitive that unless unusual caution is OBJ
served, we may hurt them or wound their
feelings so much that it will be impossible
for them to love us after the war shall be
over. Such fools, knaves, or coppcrheads,
should be kicked around every street corner,
driven to their holes, spit upon as unclean
ard never permitted to insult loyalty with
their presence. The doors of the Union |
should be kept open so that rebels can re-
turn. but until they do return We should
strike with determination to subjugate AID
if necessary to exterminate them. Steelc's
division has just given them telling blow.
For some time large proportion of the sup
plies for the Vicksburg army has been rurn-
ishcd from Deer Creek AS we marched
down the creek we saw the ashes of thou
sands of bales of cotton. which had been
destroyed through fear that it might fall into
our hands. And as We returned we left |
nothing but the ashes of at least four hun.
dred thousand bushels of corn, and ten or
twelve large gin houses in which corn was
ground for the Vicksburg army. Fire is
glorious weapon, and we will continue to US:
it. If all our armies would do likewise the
heart Of the rebellion would soon cease to
beat. Such scenes as we witnessed on the
Sth and 9th days of April, l shall ever re.
member. On the 9th our train was two
miles long, and the following is the order in
which we marched: A part of our cavalry
moved in front, like hounds on chase, scour.
ing the woods and canebrakes to detect the
enemy if present, and prevent a surprise
followed by brigade of infantry, then
battery of six guns, next negro brigade
Of mules. negroes, horses, wagons,
cattle, carriages, hogs, ambulances, ducks,
geese, chickens, teamsters, surgeons, etc.
Then brigade of infantry, next negro
brigade as before, then battery, then a
brigade Of infantry, then company of cav.
airy as rear guard. From the different regi-
ments men were detailed to "gathcr them
in" (mules, horses, negroes, cattle, etc,
burn bridges, and corn houses, and procure
as many of the good things Of this life as
possible. The weather was fine, the roads
good, the water in Deer Creek excellent, the
country through which we passed rich and
very beautiful Rebels enough to keep US
awake, great volumes Of smoke and fame
bursting from corn houses and cotton gins,
before and behind us. And our train Gin
GLIDING alb was certainly one to please the
classes being represented in it,
from gray-back to a Major General. There
was food for thought at every bend in the