Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-06-19

Il \ -
s@1CAMr NEAR RoLLA, Mo-, June 9th, IS.
DEAR JouENAL:--Thc last days Of our sta!
at Salem were passed by all parties in anxious
ly discussing the probabilities of going tt
Vicksburg. All eyes were turncdin that di
rection, and every ear was strained to catch
the first intimaton Of an order that woulC
send us down the river Under such state
Of feeling you may reasonably conclude the
order of Thursday of last week, to march al
once to Rolla, was received with the greatest
satisfaction. Never was march undertaken
more willingly. J|1 ]EEEiEN F.
Heretofore all our marches have been per-
formed "on foot" over mountains and ravnes,
wading rivers, or crossing long. dry and dusty
plains, where cup Of cold water was worth
its weight in gold. A new era was now to
dawn upon us. We were to march after the
manner of the soldiers of moro favored States
We would "ride upon rail-" We would
float quietly down to Dixie upon the bosom
of the mighty Father of Waters.
Only think of it, we who had tramped two
thousand six hundred miles in the service of
Uncle Sam, were to be treated to free ride
by that benevolent old cuss. But above all,
we were to bein at the fall of the great strong
hold for surely not doubt now remained as
to the fate of Vicksburg. What place ever
yet withstOOd the assault of two Kansas reg
iments? Besides, if the assault should fail,
we have here the 9th Wisconsin and the 10Th
Iowa, and they have been long enough in this
department to become as perfect in all the
arts and mysteries of jay hawking as we our
selves, and with the combined efforts of four
such regiments of jay -hawkers, Vicksburg
would lay at the feet of Gen. Grant in single
night. sa e.F
But we are not there yet. All our fine cal
culations were brought to sudden close up
on our arrival at Rolla, where our orders
"played out" and we now lay quietly in camp
waiting for something to turn up. That we
will eventually 60 down the river, have not
doubt, for this morning saw man, and
yesterday he saw another man, who heard
the gentleman of undoubted veracity" say
he heard 1t. Col. Burris tell Capt. Quigg, that
it was the common report at Rolla, that we
were to 60 to Vicksburg in few days; to all
of this Capt. Quigg smiled, tossed up his hat
and said bully. Can anything be more
satisfactory? l look upon it as settled
thing. Whenever Capt. Quigg says bully he
means something. But while the majority
thus believe and hope, there are others who
as persistently argue that we will go to the
"Nation," where Col. Phillips and his Indian
braves are having lively times. -s...
May 22d a heavy force of rebel Texans
and Indians were defeated near Fort Gibson,
with loss of thirty killed on our side. fit
be true that Price has gone to Fort Smith,
Col. Phillips situation will be crtical.3 Re-
Inducements are on the way to his relief from
Springfield and Fort Scott. The lst Kansas
(colored) and Blair's battery are at Baxter's
Springs, on Spring river, seventy miles south
of Fort Scott. - .a4i4
Recently the men of one section of the
battery, and small party of the blacks
while out foraging, were attacked by superior
force, and nearly all killed or captured. Our
boys fought bravely until their ammunition
was exhausted, but were forced to surrender.
Col. Williams, of the LIST, has in his possess
sion number of bush-whackers and their
abettors, whose fate will depend upon that of
the captured negroes.
The infantry of the Sd division left Rolla
by railroad last week fer st. Louis The 1st
Iowa cavalry, and other cavalry regiments,
remain at the old camp of the division, twelve
miles below.
Another change is expected among our
leading officers. Ewing, 1t is said, goes to
some Of the eastern departments, and his
place here is to be filled by Gen. Davis. Who
or what he is, no one seems to know. Some
say it is Jeff. G. and others General of Mis-
souri, militia. So wags the world out here.
Yours, as ever, E. Fl. G.