The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-08-15
From the stla Iowa.
Extract from a private letter.
JACKSON, Miss, July y, 1856

From the Sth Iowa.
Extract from a private letter.
d., JACKSON, Miss, July %, 1868.
Dear Father believe wrote a letter
TO W. the morning OF the 18th, in which l
told him we had heard that Jackson had
been evacuated, and that our forces were
then entering the town. The rebels sent
their trains out the evening of the 10th and
left their whole force till the evening of the
18th. They kept their pickets out till after
sunrise on the 18th. A citizen came over
the works, and gave the information OF
their leaving. He was held as hostage
while two companies of the ll4th illinois
made reconnaissance. In less than haii
an hour after our men went in, SOL
diers could be seen streaming in from
all directions upon mules and horses. The
way they made the houses and stores rattle
wasn't slow. The same men that always
keep a safe distance to the rear when there
is any danger of a fight are always the first
up when there are spoils to take, and we
allowed to go into town at all. AS 1t was
the intention to occupy the town, guardss
were placed to keep the soldiers out OF
some of the houses. This so. enraged the
soldiers that they fired the town, and whlle
the houses were burning p.llaged them,
so that now hardly a house is LETT stahoihs
except the Governors, the state mouse,
and few dwellings on the outskirts.
On Saturday afternoon our regiment tine
8th) had orders to march with two days ra-
tions. We started at clock, crossed the
Pearl river, and camped a mile or two from
town, and waited for the artillery to cross
the bridge: broke down with the first gun,
and we we're detained until 9 o'clock the
% next morning. Our destination was Bran
don. a little town upon the Jackson and
! Mobile railroad, ten miles distant. The
expedition was under command of Col. J.
r. Geddes, and consisted of four regiments
of Tuttle's division, Sth and 18th Iowa,
Steele's, 3Oth and 4th Iowa. Gen. Steele
Z afterward came up with one brigade OF
s Blars, and one of his own. We followed
the road on which johnson retreated, and
every little while came upon sick and worn
out Confederate soldiers, who had given
out by the way. Clothes and arms Strewed
6 the road. We met no opposition till little
: more than half way, as we came up over
y hill at the edge of a plantation, and saw the
rebels formed in line of battle at the other
edge. We formed line, brought up two
pieces of cannon, and sent couple of shells
among them, which lmade them skedad-
die in quick time We follow them up
They make another stand upon the oppo
site side of the next plantation, which was
about mile and half wide. The road
led straight through field of corn upon
the right hand, and level piece of pasture
upon the other, which afforded no cover to
a force crossing, except few bitches. We
brough up two pieces of cannon, planted
them, and sent Col. Geddes' compliments
to them in the shape of a II ID shell. Being
in polite humor they returned it by send
ing 10 lib Parrot shell among us. We
were formed upon the left of the cannon
and road in a piece Of corn. This was about
tensely hot and we had to lie flat upon our
faces with the sun upon our backs. Where
we lay we could see the rebels perfectly
plain as they crossed and recrOssed the
road in front of their cannon. AS soon as
we took our position our flag became a
mark for their shells, and to do them JUS
tice must say thep are splendid marks
men for nearly every shell struck just
where they aimed. But, fortunately, no
one was hurt by them here. For some half
hour it was nothing but an artillery duel.
We could see the rebs as they loaded their
gun, and see the cloud of white smoke as it
sent forth its missile of death screaming
towards us.
At such time some one would say
stay Iow boys, here she comes" You may
rest assured we did lag lou, for we knew
not as we heard the shells coming Whiz,
Uhiz, Whap, AS they exploded, but they
they might be the messengers that were to
call us to stand before the Great judge
After lying under fire for some half hour,
we were oruereu uispiay StFOng party OF
skirmishers, their right resting upon the
road and form a conjunction with the 18th
skirmishers. Major Stubs rides along the
regiment. Capt. Kinnon, take your COM
pany and deploy as skirmishers." 81 am
not we'll Major, and rather be excused.''-
''Capt. Wells, Co. H. age, aye, sir, and
in less than no time, we are deployed and
never could cross alive, as we had to cross
the bottom pasture, mile wide, as level as
floor, and perfectly free from any cover
of any kind. The Capt. gives the COM
mand, "foruurd march, and on we 60 five
PAGES apart in perfect line. The regiment
follows up as our support. The rebels see
ing us begin TO advance pour in shot and
shell with renewed ardor. We keep stead
lily advancing, keeping our eye on the reb-
els'cannon, and every time the white cloud
of smoke streams forth we pass the word
there she comes, down with YOU" and
screaming monster goes whizzing over us.
We continue this sort of movement for
nearly halfa mile; reach ditch, cross it
and stride on. "Here she comes, down
boys" and down we go. None too soon
for me as felt the wind of it as it whizzed
over me. No sooner past than we jump
up and resume our march. / had several
times looked back over my shoulders and
saw the regiment marching by the front,
colors flying, and keeping in as perfect a
line as ifthey were on review instead of a
field of battle. For some reason, when
this last shell crime over L felt quite a de-
sire to see where it struck, 1 glance back
What is that opening in the right wing? ]
see! some poor fellow has been killed on
wounded; the drummers run up and carr
him away; the regiment stops moment
then closes up the vacancy and resumes its
onward march, as steady as if it was an
every day occurrence. In moment more
they reach the ditch and at present are
safe. We keep on, stopping now and then
TO wait for the 18th skirmishers to come up
AS they have to go through the corn they
must Of course go slow. The rebels are to
be seen in quite large numbers upon each
side OF the road on the farther side of the
open field. We are coming within rifle
range and our progress is slow; every man
carries his gun ready and has both eyes
peeled. There, Captain, look at that fellow
cries one of the men on the left pointing
to a rebel on a splendid black horse. as he
leaves the cover of tree some Thousand
yards to our LETT, and cantering easily over
the hill lust out of range Vho T,o ntS;,, 70