The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-04-04
CAMP 2D Iowa CAVALRY. J
Ia GRANGE, TEsx., March 25tb, 1861

Ia GRANGE, TEsx., March 2stb, 1861
EDITOR HAwK-EYE It may be interesting n
your readers to know how We are crushing thu
rebellion down here. Guerrillas are as thick in
this region, as flies in barvest-so thick are the,
that to stray half mile from camp is sure
capture; and to stand picket. is to form tsrpe.
for the spare lead of southern cbivalry. When
on march the ''eitiz1ss" guerrillas, hang upon
our tanks, keeping safe distance, and are TIM,
enabled to report if our course ID such Is to en-
danger the dens Of their comrades.
Our mode Of hunting these guerriIlas is trul,
Efficient and comical. We always march IN
large commands, and in broad day light; the oh.
jecs Of this is two fold; lst, SELF protection 3D.
BY this mode of procedure We give the foe due
notice Of our approach, and hence. take no IN
gentlemanly advantage of them. When pressed
they disband and 60 in small squads to the ad-
joining houses, and play "citizen." Here they
are safe, for no sympathetic General would harm
. citizen simply because be is armed.
When noviees in war We used to swap horses
with them, but this you see at glance is unfair,
FOR by it We get good horses while they we're
compelled to ride poor ones, and hence they
we're in danger Of being caught, after having
shot Union picket. General Hamilton saw,
by his far reaching military eye that this course
ould never crush the rebellion. Some ten
avs since, be ordered that no more horses be
taken from Citizens" The wisdom of this Or
der is apparent. In order that no stone may be
un.urned which would tend to concaiate and pix
them to terms, safeguards and passes through
our lines are freely granted them; so if Sol Stu.
art don't visit our camp daily, it must be bis
own fault. By aid of these passes they are well
supplied with eatables, at government prices
besides having an excellent chance to purchase
arms from negroes or soldiers who have stolen
them in camp. They can also easily supply
themselves with horses and mules by stealing
them under the cover of night. Scarcely night
passes but what more or less animals are taken
from our picket rope in this way. This course
cannot fail to ,cin 6ackts love of their "uay,card
brothers" One of these fellows has made reg
ular bushes of late, Of obtaining provisions in
La Grange, and supplying with it gang, whose
head quarters we're in swamp, not a half a mile
from our camp, and who drove thriving bust.
ness in the horse stealing line, conveying their
prizes to the rebel lines. A few days since,
some unfeeling privstes so far forgot honor as
soldiers, as to capture these fellows, and thus
ruthlessly interrupt their loyal lucrative business
Such outrages upon Southern rights should not
60 UNPUBLISHED. 8. SEQ.
On the 22d inst. part Of our regiment while
out on scout, camped for the night in the re-
gion of Coldwater. During the night a negro,
black rascal, came to our pickets and informed
them that squad of guerrrllas had taken lodg>
ment for the night in house near by. Captain
Chas. r. Moore, snwittingly sent squad out to
capture them. They were soon brought in, hor.
ses arms and all, and taken upon our return, to
Gen. Smiths Headquarters, who (all praise to
his high toned military honor,) Immediately
atoned for the wrong by releasing one Of the
prisoners, and giving him bis horse and two pig.
tolls. The others have not got their visit out
yet, but will doubtlesf obtain '..6ve shooter"
when they choose to leave. 7s- si.ear
A squad under command of Bob. Smith, who
under cover Of safeguard, killed a member of
the 9th Iowa infantry last fall, came to one of
our picket posts night before last. Most of them
hid in the brush, while two of their number ad.
vanced and showed their pass to the guard
The guard took the pass, and while reading it
was siezed by the citizen and made a prisoner.
Another guards horse was shot, but he escaped.
Smith now hurried off with his prize. but was
over taken by the 9th III. cavalry, and the prs.
oner was retaken. Two of the guerriIlas were
killed, and two taken prisoners.
Look out for startling news from these quar-
tiers soon. Cruel fighting Generals, of the Ro-
secrsns school, are nearly weeded out of this
department, and kinder men put in command
We have the back bone of the rebellion nearly
of, aud few more blows kindly dealt, will fn-
ish the work. Yours &C.,
DICK.