The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-09-05
From the 18th Iowa.

4 NEAR VICKsBURG,s Aug. Goth, lS63.-It
has been more than three months now
since ] last wrote you. Since that time we
have crossed the great Mississippi river,
which is now open to navigation from its
source to the Gulf, and the "Virgin City,
the boosted stronghold of the rebels has
become ours-success has everywhere
crowned the efforts of our arms, and the
cry is still ferward! Our army is in the
very best of spirits-many, however, have
gone home on furloughs and some are sick,
but the morale Of our army was never bet
ter. We have no talk now about desertion.
Last fall, to hear soldiers-not true SOL
diers-but the ''great scoundrels and dirty
Dogs who were always the first to take
themselves off in battle talk of desertion
was matter Of common occurrence. But
the arrest and return of deserters-the stop
put to incendiary letters from homeland
last but not least, the Draft, has ''dried
them up;'' so like Noah's dove they know
not where to put their feet on dry land and
escape. Our recent victories, and the
promptness with which the army has been
paid within the last few months has had
much to do in quoting all feeling of dis
content.
Our army stands this climate much bet
ter than the people at the North, or they
themselves had expected they would-bet-
ter than the natives, the "secesh'' and the
"niggers.' The latter are dying off in
some place in the ''corrals'' like sheep with
the ''rot''-for the reason that many OF
them do not take any exercise, and do
the sun. The black soldiers, however, who
are exercised at fatigue duty are generally
as healthy as our first regiments Were
when they were in thetield the same length
of time. Be-,
Adjt. Gen. Thomas passed down the riv-
er to Natchez Saturday, and is proceeding
to organize more volunteer regiments of
"African descent The military organiza-
ton of the "niggers' seems to trouble til
poor devils, the rebs, more than anything
else. los IL. -
tits amusing to see some of the frequent
''trials by battle between the rebel chill
dren and young integers which are of
daily occurrence. To day ]. was in Vicks-
burg and saw set to between a white boy
and one of them. - =
White boy to the darkey-"Halloo, mig
ger, darkey, you needn't try to pass of
for white, you're nothing but nigger.''
White boy commences throwing stones.
9"YOu call me niggerY'- COM
mences throwing stones too-"I can throw
stones too-no secesh can stone mer' Sc
cesh retires. IT, u
Gen. Grant has gone north. rna ~
Gen. MCPHERSON is now in command
here and Gen. Croker at Natchez. As
Gen. Macarthur is absent, Col. Chambers
commands our division, what is left of it,
only the Sd brigade, the LIST and I'd being
Hall commands the brigade. Nearly all
the field and line officers are gone home on
leave OF absence. Only three captains are
lett IN the 18th, four in the 10Th, and one OF
them ls commanding the regiment, one in
the 18th, and he is sick; and one in the 18th,
myseif-not sick, and don't want to 20
nome In hurry. Some have gone to see
tneir wives, others their sweet hearts,
some because they could, and others agar,
did not like the idea of yellow fever. I'm,
80 far, the weather has been about az pleas.
ant as IN Iowa during the corresponding
season OF the year, and we have had fine
showers OF rain every few DAYS.
A Hotel and Boarding House also. has
been opened in Vicksburg, and the city If
full of Sutlers. q ...'v -
The steamer "City of Madison in the
day, about II A. M, from the explosion q
n shell which was dropped by accident. and
quite a number of people killed and woun.
ded-the number not yet ascertained. The
explosion was terrific and fragments were
scattered in every direction. The Edward
Walsh" an old craft near it, was alst
badly smashed up.
The boats pound up the river, Tor the las
two weeks, have been crowded with officers
and soldiers going home, and citizens leav
ing for the North. Two steamers left here
or above to day, and quite fleet of boats
are anchored out in the river, bound south
to carry with them n portion of our army.
Our Brigade goes out on thirteen days
scout Observation-Disclosures said TO bt
some where in Louisiana.
Large quantities of fish are now caught
in the Yazoo river and sold in this city.
Our expedition into Louisiana was pro.
jected by Major Gen1 Grant, for the pur.
pose OF restoring the Federal jurisdiction