Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-04-17
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
LAKE PROVIDENCE, April 7, 1868.

river. We sent word to the 18th regiment,
and at 9 o'clock three Government wagons
arrived, with Quartermaster Cadle, and we
felt at home in this southern cline. The
Iowa regiments, consisting of the 18th, 18th,
10th and 10th, are all together the 18th in q
beau,i ful lawn in front of fine house and
splendid plantation. think no patriot would
have felt he had done too much had he seen
the perfect Juror of delight manifested when
their boxes and share of the general stores
men than those of the 18th Iowa, nor camp
so clean and tidy. The officers quarters are
in the mansion, with furniture of the richest
description. l saw fine marble-top table in
the tent Of one of our Muscatine boys.
The village, or town, or city, Of Lake Prov
idence is situated on the river just back of the
levee, which is ten feet high and fifteen wide
on the top. Lake Providence, about six
miles long, lays half mile back Of the town.
The canal, or crevasse, runs in the main
street, at right angles with the river to the
lake. All who remember when the old levee
on Muscatine Island gave way, can form a
just idea of the rushing of the water down
this canal. The lake is rapidly filing up,
and the water now extends, it is said, over
forty parishes, completely destroying the
plantations for this year. Twas told the peo-
pie tried to have Vicksburg evacuated, to
save them, and offered Grant 1000, 900 to
prevent it. The town is thus divided into
two parts, above and below the canal. A
frail levee protects the lower half Of the city,
where all the higher officers have their head
quarters. The upper part of the city is sub
merged up to the window ledges--a fine look
ing church among the houses. The Catholic
church is in the lower half.
must stop here and tell of what has been
going on in the commissary boat in which
am writing. A constant stream of contra-
bands is buying coffee, sugar and tea, by
twenty-five cents to dollars worth, paying
about what we pay in Muscatine in green.
backs, which they have earned by their la
Dor. The clerks tell me it is SO every day,
and that their masters ond mistresses are fed
at the cost of the Government. Which class
shows the most manhood?
DR.. Sparrow, q member of the rebel Con-
gress, has most magnificent mansion at the
north end Of the lake, and plantations ex-
tending TO the river. He has splendid
piano and marble billiard table, in sepa-
rate building, with all the surroundings in
perfect keeping. The house, with little
land around it, is above the water, and the
female part of the household are now residing
there.
He has a large ginning mill above the town
on the river, which our frieEd Lieut.. Wiles
is experimenting for the Government. A
company engages to pick, gin and bale the
cotton for one-half, the Government furnish
ing them the power. learned that the Gov
eminent gets shaved as usual. Quite num-
Der of bales Of a superior quality to theirs,
had burst on the wharf, which they had to re-
bale, for which they charged the same as for
picking, ginning and baling; not only so, but
they marked all these '1st quality" for them
selves, and an equal number of their Sd quail
ity for the Government. Poor Uncle Sam!
Mr.. Wiles told me thrilling tale of ne
gro who came to him at the mill in q nude
state, except shirt. His flesh and feet were
horribly torn and tattered by the the honey
locusts and brush in the swamps.
All the negroes, horses, &C., in this part of
the country have been driven beyond the Big
Mason. Two Of the negroes started for our
lines and were two days chased by blood
hounds. Arriving at the river they could
find no boat or anything with which to con-
struct raft, and taking off their clothes and
tying them on their backs they plunged in
The water being very cold, the youngest sunk
when half way across. The other finding his
strength failing loosed his clothes and reach
ed the shore, and in that condition travelled
two or three miles through the cypress
swamps, when he fell into the hands Of our
good Samaritan, who clothed him and set him
to work. may be wrong, but can't help
feeling that the fellow earned his freedom,
Copperheads to the contrary notwiths landing.
must tell little of my experience in dis
tributing the books DR.. Waters was good
enough to give me for the soldiers. Being
anxious to return to Memphis, and take the
packages for the I'd and 9TH infantry and I'd
cavalry, to them, had not time personally to
visit each regiment. While waiting for boat
this forenoon took few to the Post Hospi-
tai and then to the Wisconsin regiments
Every man was eager to take tract and a
little book entitled Evils of Intemperance, ~
being the only assortments had left. Sew
eral shrewd looking men thought would &C
ccmplish more good by giving the latter to
the higher officers Taking the hint saved
few, and went to the Provost Marshal Gen.
eral Major Belknap) who Immediately agreed
to send one to each of the Generals, and Col.
Reid, of the 10Th Iowa being present, engag-
ed to hand what had left to the Colonies.
l am inclined to think the next best thing
Muscatine can do for her noble boys would be
to send them weekly goodly number Of
some sterling loyal papers and little literary
or religious reading for each company from
our county. .4a
Col. Compton goes down to Young's Point
tomorrow with the remaining stores.
Yours, J. S. HORTON.