The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-07-04
From the 25th Iowa.

" WALNUT HILLS, MISS, June IA, 1868.
EDITOR HAWKEYE, Dear Sjr:-Since
my last little change has taken place III
in our position, except that we have been
gradually approaching nearer and nearer
to the enemv's works and are now as close
as we can get. Our rife pits now extend
to within less than fifty yards of the rebel
water battery. and our SharpShoOterS have
compelled the removal OF their guns. This
was the most formidable battery at Vicks-
burg, and tie one that sunk the 'Cincin-
natl two weeks ago. Our regiment has
on honorable as well as one Of the most
dangerous positions now occupied by the
army. We are on the extreme right, and
nearer to the enemy than any regiment
around the line, little valley cut in the
centre by a deep, narrow gully separates
us from the hill upon which the enemy's
batteries and sharpshooters are posted
At night our piCkets are only separated
! from those of the rebels by the narrow
gully before mentioned, they can almost
| reach each other with their bayonets, but
| tacit agreement seems to exist not to mo-
| lest each other, and the .piclkets OF neither
| party fire at each other. but as soon as the
Eirst streak Of dawn appears in the east the
| pickets are withdrawn and the firing be-
| gins, ending only with the shades of night
| The nearness Of our position to that of the
| Rebs affords ample facilities for conversa-
| ceases at night the talking begins. Some
| of these dialogues are amusing, and are
| worth repeating.
| The following relates TO the gunboat
| Cincinnati, which, since the river has fall
| en- Is plainly to be seen, lying ON the Miss
| isippi shore about three-quarters of a mile
above US, at which point she succeeded in
| arriving before sinking.
"Oh boys" sung out one of the secesh a
few, evenings since, let's quit shooting
! and talk WHILE Z
agreed; answers our boys.
! Say boys yells secesh, when is that
old gunboat ofyours up there goin' to fire
| up and come down here agin p
(This is a fayorite rub of the rebs,) but
one Of our fellows immediately suig out,
just about the time the train starts for
JUct8073."
Secesh >enly muttered loud enough for
our pickets 10 hear '.d-n them Yankees"
and asked no more questions about the
gunbOat.
The first night we occupied our present
position our Colonel was posting the pick
cts, acting for the time being in the capaci-
| ty Of q lieutenant.
"HalIo, " yells reb, lieutenant what
are you DONE"
Posting guards" answers the Colonel,
| ito keep you fellows from coming out"
There's no use in that" saws the reb,
| don't you know our officers posi- guards
| Tor exactly the same thing?"
W hen we add to this, the fact that deser-
ters from the beseiged city average more
than hundred per night, even the rebel
pIckets deserving, the nub of the thing is
plain to be seen.
Again. Another follower of JEFF. asked
the question, "Why don't YOU fellows
come and take Vicksburg?' "Take it"'
answers one Of our fellows. "We've al
ready taken lt-we've gotyou all prisoners,
ana were standing guard over Won. All
we are waiting for is, for you to get through
eating pea bread and rotten beef. and then
we, IL send you up North to try hard tack
and salt pork awhile
One OF our fellows asked them few
nights ago chow they liked to plav ..brlI
pen, ia game of ball with which all bows
are acquainted and let us have the cor
ners ali the timer" No answer was ra
turned to this very civil question.
Occasionally National songs are called
for, the rebels seeming highly pleased will
the "Battle-Cry of Freedom which on
fellows ring out in hearty chorus. They
sometimes return the compliment by sing
ing the Bonnie Blue Flag
! You see, therefore, Mr.. Editor, tina
amidst all the clamor, the horror and strif
of battle, there is current of hume
which does much to relieve the contest @
its otherwise bitter animosities and deadl
features.
A new battery, which Gen. Sherman ha
had planted ON the Louisiana side of tn
river, nearly opposite us, opened on til
rebels this morning, and is doing consider
able damage, as We can see from our rile
pits. The gunboats have been and ar
: doing nothing. AS mentioned in myIas
communication, their achievements ar
only known 70 us through the self-laudatc
~ official dispatches oil Rear Admire
Porter. Since the unfortunate sinking