The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1863-09-30
Army Correspondent ce.
BROWNSVILLE, Ark, Sept. I'd, 1868.

you. We are not fortifying positions Of no
strategic importance, but are at work where
it tells most fearfully on our active foe. l
confess am rather pleased with the change
in the programme. A cavalry man soon
learns to hold in utter adherence every
thing which savors IF manual labor.
Soon after leaving Bloomfield, NO., the
cavalry division scared up the forces under
Kitchen at Chalk Bluffs, and Burbridgc
at Pocahontas, and driving them ahead,
finally concentrated them at the point
where "old Pap" Price had quite a fam
ily collected. By the way-we have late
iy taken said Col. Burbridge prisoner !;
one more rebel Colonel out of the ring.
TIE MARCH.
Through Southern Missouri and thus
far through this State, our march has been
characterized by hardships greater than
ever before experienced by the 1st Iowa
Cavalry. We have pursued the enemy day
and night, in order to keep him in a straight
line before US, to where the main body is
stationed. We have succeeded to . charm
and now have the entire rebel force Of the
West massed near Little Rock. The scarci
ty of water along our line Of march has not
only subjected US to great inconvenience,
but real suffering; being frequently COM
PEELED to use for cooking and drinking such
water as we could obtain, in small quaint.
ties, from stagnant, muddy pools. To
reach this place without leaving rebels in
the rear, this division has traverscd large
scope Of country.
nEAErH or rHBARKY.
This climate, together with the bad wa.
ter and swamp malaria, has nearly prostra.
ted the fine army which left Arcadia, Mo-,
on the first day Of July. Our regiment
never reported so few men for duty since
its organization. understand the Infantry
forces under Gen. Steele, en- route for this
place, are also suffering terribly from sick
ness. Disease is far more formidable than
rebel arms. Everything shakes here with
the ague-" army beef" not excepted.
sKIRMrsif.
On the night of the Gath ult., Gen. Da-
wilson called for detail of twenty WELL
mounted men to 90 out and reconnoitre the
position Of the enemy accordingly Lieut..
Barnes selected fifteen men from Company
TX" and five from Company " L for the
expedition. We left camp after tattoo,
moved cautiously out about twelve miles,
where We found the rebels with heavy
outpost in line Of battle. We ascertained
how the men were placed on the chess.
board and reported mat,sEs o1 t9 hf GspsFA M
force where we had discovered it during
the night, and all seemed to promise
splendid fight. But splendid fight didn't
come of. The secesh fired few cannon
shot and fell back as rapidly as possible
A few shot from our guns and cavalry
charge served to facilitate their flight and
induce them to increase the distance be.
tween the respective armies as speedily as
military etiquette would allow Our COM
mand lost one man killed and one wound.
ed their loss was about the same as near.
ly as could be ascertained.
ANOTHER sKIRMIsn
Still following up the rebels, our forces
learned the following day (26th) that they
had concluded open prairie was not the
place for Southern chivalry, so their posi-
ton was changed For their 'native element"
the "bresh." Our fankers ferreted them
out and skirmsh>d with them for some dis
tance. We lost none in this days skir.
mshing, nor could we ascertain the extent
Of their loss, from the fact that they carried
off the dead and wounded as they fell back.
However, we picked up one dead rebel cap
tain that they hadn't time to carry off.
HEAVY REcoNNo1ssANcE.
On the 9th the division was drawn upon
pretty heavily in order to make recon
noissance in force. and learn, il possible,
the strength as well as position OF the ene-
my. After march Of some four or five
miles the rebel pickets were driven in, and
our command began moving on in quick
time, every man apparently eager for the
contest in prospect. About four miles
further on We came up to the old camp and
found force stationed to impede our pro
gress. The first Iowa had hanked the
woods for long distance but met with no
obstacle, except thick underbrush, till We
neared the extensive camp of the rebel ar
my. A few minutes only were required
to carry the line of rife pits, and send the
force still further on toward Little Rock. |
and fankers were again sent
out, but they moved on without interrup
ton till we came near tbs Bayou Meta, |
a. hon 1 h.pa,nn 70 uU l
had found the rebel stronghold. Rebel ar. |
t'llery spoke in thunder tones-the sound |
could not be mistaken. 1t meant war
The lst Iowa was immediately ordered to
he front, and the General discovering a
large fire in the vicinity of the bridge or
iered charge to drive the enemy away |
md save the bridge from being destroyed.
Lieut.. COL Anderson led the charge in per
'on. we plunged furiously down the road
mid a cloud Of dust which almost blinded.
Is, aud in the face of shot and shell which
seemed . perfect hurricane. As the head
u the column neared the bridge Lieu. Col
Anderson had his horse killed under him
With cannon shot, but was himself un
lurt. On coming up to the bridge VT
earned that the fire was built Just o short
istance in the rear and the bridge was all
ight; the rebels had all crossed over and
ook position behind breastv orks and in
lt1e pits where cavalry could not attack
hem. Our cavalry was then wheeled into
ne and the men dismouated to fight on
Dot in the brush along the ba * Of the
ayou. Here our men could operate pretty
uccessfully against the sharpshooters in
ne rifle pits on the opposite bank. While q
40 firing was kept up between the rebel
harpshooters and our cavalry with their
harp's carbincs, heavy cannonading was
oing on between the artillery at shor,
snge, which ought to have proved very
Vet nlr fnreac cnfH.roa h..a l :,