The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-02-12

rain, the remain der of us were scattered
along the levee aud bank of the river quiet
" enjoying the pleasant scenery Of the riv-
er and surro0nding COUNTRY. "A rebel >hst-
cry opened on US froru ahe opposite bank
of the river which laalc us skcdaddrc su'
of town III 4 hurry, Thefirstshot vas ain-
ed at Co.'sI and X Of our regiment, who
were farthest at the. river and directly oppo-
site the battery, but fortunately the shell
did not burst, and consequently did no
harm We reth ed just on the brink of the
hill back ST town where we were IN ,,osdan-
ger.When the firing began the rebels were
seen TO jump up and down and dance for
Joy to, see US leaving town in so great bur
~ But they did not long enjsy their pleas
urc uninterrupted, for our batteries soon 10.
gan to arrive, and the tune was turned -
Our batteries opened on them and they made
as good time rs We did. Their batteries
were 'silenccd IN less than ten minutes, ana
soon we were back in town and our guns
planted every few rods along the bank con:
stantly gaping across the river, apparently
eager to bark at the first appearances Of an an
enemy. Their Shells did us little Farm oniS
Killing two or three, and wounding Several q
the Kansas troops Our, artillery was said
to have killed 2of the rebels, besides KIN:
ing great many horses and disrnountins
| two guns. did not see tbs as I did ''nHt
goacross the river. We remained there SONS
ten days, ard after dsstrnying the boats ant,
what comn,issary storeswe' Gould moi bring
away. We returnedto the battle ground Nav
ing made q very successful raid Oh the rsbel
lendezvous. '"T Suppose yoou have hssshs ah
ofrhand report Of Il which il much more
correct thsh 7 can give IT, Another
day passed, and our iiyisSennf moved to
Huntsville. "a detdif of s00ii<t iowa was
then sent out Under 'codmamantl Of Major
Caldwell 7 was detaiieato accompany The
expedition which proceeded 60 Buffalo Greek
and destroyed two Saltpelre works and cap
tured 40 prisoners and 40 horses The
works were capable Of turning OUT ie5 lbs.
1 per day. We returned and found the com
inand had left for this place, SfCarrell.on)
when We followed and overlook them We
lave lad beautiful weather al winter SO far
4 The ground has not been frozen 10 the depth
Of an inch, and the first snow I Nave seen
was this morning 1t showed about inch
les Iast'night. We leave in the morning for
Forsyth, which looks ike returning to Mo-
l must cl,sc. Yours truly. s7'a' 2if 2IsaI
| nHa14 sol .aH2eaA. eGILLESPfE.s
ts.1 IS anERs-a-l e4l--E AZ .AELA AZ u gfsni9
f,itCorrespondence 18th Iowa
/ OK BOARD STE AMER MrNNEuAnA. 80 /,
ozr ~ IS Miles below Helena. jap. FL. g.
q Ed Courier :--Having an abundance of
leisure On board, steaming down the Mis-.
/ sissippi, I proposeito improve a portion of il
lby dedica,ing to YOU, sand your readers, 0
short epistle.ou = j lla - rnid3F ne 9iTou
assFssve struck tents at Lafayette, on the Mem
phis and Charleston Railroad, 81 gmiles oul
from Memphis, whe!e we were stationed
guarding the road. On tho 18th inst..iwc
marched to Memphis, with the understand
ling that our'division, with at least two 9th.
( ers, then concentrating there, for a down
river trip to Reinforce Sherman Me- re.
manned in camp at Memphis orsome days
/ getting some two months pay i'm the mean
/ time, which officers and men greatly needed
There is sone Eve months pay yet due Us,
and the troops generally in this department
undits non-payment is producing consider.
able dissatisfaction. 1eglf the Government
can't pay1thsatroops in this department, who
Z arc the veterans of Ft.l Henry, Donelson
Shiloh, Iuka, and Corinth, besides aan in
lnumerab:e number of minor engagements
aud who have marched enough o.haye2 acir
COMMUNICATED the giobs, sif il had been in tn,
q right direction and who have nndergon,
4 hardsliips, such,as sleeping on the; ground
inahc1nud eating verniHinfested bread, &c
which those of you, who arc snugly en-
Issconced at home, in youreomfortable houses
! and plenty to eat and wear, with your wives
d and children ,arouad, you, can have no AIDE
4 quate conception of why, then she ha,
better shut up shop. Y that's all.'''- .,Ea
" Wcia:e ins Act Brig. aGen, Croker
! Brigade, consisting OF the lth. 9th. 18th
and 10th Iowa regiments, and in! Genera
4 MeArtburis Division, containing some 8 d
lothousand men, besides several Batteries
iand are allaboard twelycslargei steamers.--
4 GEM Logana and 0sleby'ss Divisions, it il
understood. are tholtwo division >, that are
4 to1E'ilow, malSing, say 20 to Al thousand
Of Grants veteran troops !; and allow me (
ls.y, shat whenthese troops essay ylo taks
!. Vicksb irg ,-7whether by an assault, which
8 4 think is eptirely unlikely ~, happen, O
4 bya regular investment from its rear, Will
the, gun-boats in front to amuse them, which
lis quito likely to- happen, Rieksburg uil
tJafta5ilin1a sal bagoiGDs5ns brr. az hs Cd
4 ~ " have met some 80 steamers to-day,
4 bound up river, which contain large bodieg
il oftroops;, suppose.Ftba be .Gen1 yGernaa'i
Il expedition up White River. % Icannot learr
I what tsuccesstliey met with ;ineiher can
understand that profound and ineuuprehen
afsible specie ,ofastrhegynf,hnt BENDS 10,
4 0o0rnensiown riyeraen grand expeditions
ito take the. yaunteas Giberalter of,sAn,criea
Fandscndsd5.0o0 back to quarter ut Helena
q Wick shnr, shaIila L Az bean onrI ln,,tr uno