Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1863-06-23
From the Fifth Iowa Cavalry.
Fort DONALDSON. TRNFRssEE, !
June 5. 1863.

IN receipt OF your paper, and not seeing
any thing in it from this point, have
thought that something Of what is trans-
piiing here, and in this vicinity, might be
OF some interest, and have taken the liber-
ty Of writing few lines. will say first
that do not belong to a Wisconsin regi-
ment. Prefering the cavalry, to any other
branch of the service. in company with
some ten or twelve others, | enlisted at
Dubuque, Iowa, about the first of Sep
TENDER, '6l-there being no cavalry organ
ling in Wis. of which | was aware, at
that time. We were ordered from St.
Louis early in February, and landed at TT.
Henry three DAYS after the surrender of
that place to. the Federal forces. Since
then we have been engaged in fighting
bushwhacke,s, IAN unpleasant daty, alto
| gether) having a scope Of country sixty
miles in circumference to keep clear Of these
skulkers, which has been anything but a
light task, seldom Icing in camp more than
long enough to recruit ourselves and horses
a little
About a month after the attack on this
place by Wheeler and Forrest we were or
dered to this post, and have been here ever
since, making scouts as far as Waverly,
Yellow Greek and Palmyra, sometimes as
many as 1000 strong, but generally not
more than four or five companies. The
last scout was made to Yellow Greek, a
distance of Thirty miles, and resulted in
two light skirmishes with the enemy, and
the capture of seven thousand pounds of
bacon, which was said to belong to Wood
ward, guerrilla Colonel, whose command
has infested the country between Wayery.
Yellow Greek and Columbia ever since the
last battle here. 1t is almost impossible to
capture any number of these fellows at
one time. At the first intimation of our
approach, of which they have plenty. the
citizens being principally in favor OF the
rebels, and from the free access to the fort,
they know when we are going as we'll as
we do, and from their superior knowledge
OF the country are able to give notice Of
our approach long before we get near them.
This gives them chance to get out Of the
way, if they are so disposed, which they
generally are, or to lay in the bushes and
/
this part Of the country are more treach-
erous than any whom with we have
had to deal 1t is true there are a few
good union men among them, but the ma
lonty are union only as far as self interest
goes. Many that have taken the oath
have done SO, merely 10 save their property
from confiscation. At the last battle here
many of the dead were found to have the
oath in their pockets and one was found
to have a pass from Gen. Rosecrans signed
within ten days of the battle.
The women are much more bitter
against us than the men, and the most OF
them do not hesitate to tell Us that we are
"mean, dirty, sinking Yankees" If it
was not fol- the influence of the women
over the men, the task of subduing the reb
els would be much more easy one than
it is. Their influence has done much TO
keep up the war this long.
| think the general feeling among the
people in regard to the rebel causeis much
more discouraging at present than it has
been since the war began. Their confl-
dence in tie ability of Pemberton to bold
Vicksburg against any force which Grant
could bring agah st If, has been considefa-
81, shaken since en. Grant began to work
in earnest. The terror Of the rebel papers
is more discouragilg now than at any pre-
vious time The lack Of success which
Pemberton has met seems to have cast a
gloom over the whole Confederacy. On
+ the other hand our troops are hopeful and
confident of success. They have never
been without hope, although it must be adj
mitted that portion Of our army has met
with some serious reyerses. The success
: of the Federal arms in the south seems TO
have infused a new spirit into them, and
: nothing but the return Of every rebe;ous
state into the union, on such terms as the
Government shall dic.a e, will satisfy them.
They are determined to pursue the rebels
to the bitter end.
Great dissatisfaction has existed among
the troops in regard to the course pursued
by many at the North, but is less talked
of now than some time ago. Many Of
the very men, who urged enlistments a
year and half ago, and protested to lie 50
strongly in favorof putting down the rebel
ion at whatever cost, have entirely chang
ed their tune Of late, and have used yari-
GUS means TO excite insurreetion, and re-
sistance to the laws in the .oyal states.
For such two faced, sneaking traitors as
these, | assure you, the soldiers have no
sympathy. Such contemplate men, many
of whom have used all their influence to
induce men to enlist, and then, when they
are In the face Of the enemy battling for
J freedom and right, have raised such hue
and cry in their rear deserve nothing and
ought not to receive any thing, except the
choice Of the kind Of a rope by which
they would prefer to hang. If anything
sounds detestabe to the ears of soldier
it is the word "Copperhead"
We have been under marching orders
since yesterday morning. Orders were re-
ceiyed fos our regiment to proceed to Muir
freesboro by way Of Clarksville and Nash
vile with all possible dispatch, but We have