New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1863-01-30
TIER FROM CAPT. HARRIS.
Nav MADR,ED. Mo
- JanV. 5, 1863.

new country to me. We came down
the river from S.. Louis. as far as Col
umhus KY, and there we storl ed on
account Of supposed danger in passing
below that point. The old traitor or
fool (Gen. Davics) who commands there
had day or two before ordered the
guns at Island No. 10, spiked and the
ammunition thrown into the river, and
had ordered Col. Scott of the 32nd
Iowa who tt en- held this place, to spike
the guns here, t'ismount them and blow
no the magazine and evacuate the
place. When we first received our
marching orders at S.. Louis we were
! ordered to Helena Ark. hut to stop at
Memphis, aud if nee led there. to stay.
hut before we GIT off Gen. Curtis heard
what had been done down here ordered
| The COL, to stop and take posses
sion of the place and hold it. But as
said before when We got to Columbus
Gen. Davies thought it was not safe for
us to 60 down the river below there
without gun boat with US, because
there had been no boats from below
| for two days before, and as there was
no gunhoat there he thought we had
het'er wait, 50 we laid UP there. About
10 o'clock at uight of the same day we
arrived there, in came an order from
Gen Davies for US to go to Union City
Tenn, place on the Mobile and
Ohio r. r. about Is miles from Cnl-
umbus to guard the road and protect
men who were at work repairing the
road where Forests rebel cavalry had
torn it up few days before, and to be
ready to start at 4 o'clock the next
m rning.
The Col. went over to see him and
told him he did not wish to 90 and that
his orders were to go to New Madrid,
and that he didn't think he (Davies)
had any right to order him any where
else !; but it was no use we must go,
hut he said he would send out another
Regiment to relieve us the next day,
90 we went out.
The country we passed through was
all heavy timber mostly oak, l don't
think I ever saw any SO fine, but the
soil l did not like, thought if we only
had some Of their timber In Howard
Co.. and they had sou,e Of our soil there
both countries would be better.
When we got to Union City, Goa
panies A. &C., and G.. were sent
down the road about miles and the
balance stayed; the 21st Wis. Regt.,
was at Union City when we got there.
slept on the ground all night with one
blanket under and one over me and
caught quite cold. The Cavalry
that destroyed the r. R., visited Union
CITY also and burnt the Depot build
ings and all government property, but
did not touch any buildings belonging
to citizens, which is pretty good evi-
ience that they are mostly secssh.
The second day we we're there the 33d
Iowa Regt., came out to relieve us; a
short time after they arrived we heard
firing in the woods and supposed it was
our pickets being driven in, and Ct in
iue Of battle, ready for a fight, but
soon found that it was only some Of the
S3l boys out shooting hogs and chick
ems. Our men behaved first rate al
though some Of them was pretty badly
scared, two or three of my boys were
certain they could see tho rebels com
ing through the woods.
1t was not believed by any ono out
side that Gen. Davies had ordered the
| guns at lslauI No. 1O, and thus place
spiked, but when We arrived at island
M. 10, we stopped aud found as far as
that place was concerned it was true,
there lay7S heavy guns spiked and
thrown off their carriages, and the Of
ficer in command said he thres7 3,0O0
bbls., of ammunition into the river; he
said wien he first got the order from
Gen. Davies to spike the guns &c, he
put the man who brought it in the
! rnard hnnse. sunnoainc he waa q spy.