Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-05-02
LATEST NEWS.
LETTER FROM tue TWENTIETH.
CAMP IN ARSENAL PARK, ST. LOUIS,
April 10, 1863.

GAMP IN AR6ENAL j AK, OF. LOUIS, I
April 10, 1863.
After staying at Camp Totten for about
twelve days, we were suddenly startled
out Of our semi torpid state, by the most
absurd rumors Of rebel advances in oil
directions, and oil sorts Of disasters to
our troops ~ every point Of the 'mpass.
Some little color Of probabil ty
was given to these reports by
the fact Of Gen. Vandever taking al the
cavalry and artillery belonging TO the
division aud making for parts unknown
in . hurry. Ny! if you could have seen
the long faces which the boys put on as
they spoke Of the probability Of march
back to Newtonia or Fayetteville, both
of which places we're said to DO held by
the butternuts, you would have been able
to Judge Of the estimation in which that
part Of the country is held by US. How
ever, two or three days passed by, and as
we received no orders to march, we set
tied down to our usual placid state Of
mind which was most agreeaLly disturb.
ed by the arrival Of Col. Le4ke on last
Tuesday, with ten drums and eleven flies,
and Major Drummer who knows his
business to perfection. Wasn't there =
noise in our camp that afternoon, don't
you think For sbou. the only tLing in
which the appointments of our regiment
were unworthy OF our state and ourselves
has been our band, we had been for .
long time with only one drum and for
several days, At one time, we bad but one
fife. Immediately after We were paid off
a collection was taken up for the purpose
Of purchasing inst' umcnts, and the Col
onel bought them in St. LOUIS. When
they were opened out it would have done
you good to have seen the boys. Every
msn n tho regiment felt % personal inter
est in the matter, and all we're delighted
to find that the drums and flies we're Of
the best quality in the market. After
dinner we went out and practiced for an
hour or 80, and when we came back to
camp the boys were ready to swear that
we could beat the 37th LII. just as easy
Well for green hands we did do very
well.
At noon, on Thursday, orders were re-
ceived to march on Rolla th,t afternoon,
and somehow we took il into onr heads
that we were going to Pilot Knob and
have a fight. We got off at 3 o'clock
and reached Rolla little after sunset
The next morning we took the cars for
S.. Louis. arrived at 5 o'clock p. M,
marched down past the arsenal and b.
vouXced in q very pleasant grove for the
night. In the meantime the Goth Ind.
which arrived the last Of the three in.
fantry regiments, took the Iron Mountain
K. K. and pushed on that night, and as
". hear, we're just in time to have brush
with some of our dear ''soul hern breth-
ern" who were trying TO burn . few
bridges on that important road. The
sons of our "wayward sisters we're beat
en-, as it seems, and the bridges were pre-.
served to US. Pity wasn't it 7 it would
50 evidently have hastened the day Of
the settlement OF our difficulties if they
could only have burned them
Yesterday morning we were told that
for the present, we were detached from the
Army CT the Frontier, and attached to
this post. Cos. d. and G. were sent to
Benton Barracks. Co. A. and part Of Go.
+. went on board 6 steamboat and went
of somewhere, under the command Of
1t. Drake, Of Co. A., very efficient Of
fcer. The rest Of the regiment marched
up to the arsenal park just at night, and
are, ! believe, brigaded with the 37th
Iowa, who are qn.rtered in the Arsenal.
They are . fine looking body Of mco
and their clothing don't look quite At
seedy as ours, by . good deal. We "young
'uns' Of the goth are very proud to se.
the grey ,beards looking SO sleek and &C
evidently enjoying themselves.
Last night the 3:th Ill. suddenly re-
ceised orders TO "get up and dust in I
hurry. No one knows where they wen
to. So you see that we are separated from
oil the regiment. who have been our trav
cling companions for the last seve,
mon he; when our turn to 60 will come
is what none Of US knows, but We are O
course momentarily expecting it.
THOMAS.