Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-10-21
ARMY CORRESPONDENCE.
Frem the goth Observation-Disclosures Letter
froai Chaplain Walters.
STEAMER IBERymLE, AT MoRG ans BEND. !
L. -

HEADQU ARTEBs PORN Wls Vols,
sept. 29th, lS65.
EDITofs STATE JoUBNAL :-A word from me
at this time, may be OF some interest to the
readers Of your widely circulated journal.
After long and somewhat interesting
journey from Madison, via Chicago and Cairo
by railroad, thence by steamboat, We arrived
at this place, making about fourteen hundred
miles The whole journey was made pleasant
by the interest my gentlemanly travelling
companion, DR.. Chapman, took in pointing
out the various military operations along the
Mississippi river, so recently held by the
rebels against the immense commerce of the
Northwest. The opening of the Mississippi
was grand triumph, striking blow at re-
bellion which is making all rebellion reel
traitors hands, must soon fall
| reached the command on the 23d inst
found Col Bertram's headquarters ON the
same boat with Gen. Heron, commander of
the division. The goth Wisconsin, 10th Iowa
9lst and Gath Illinois regiments, compose
gen. Oru's brigade, commanded now by Gel.
Dav. of the 9lst Illinois The 18th and 23d
Wisconsin regiments are at New Orleans. one
hundred and eighty miles below here. The
other Wisconsin regiments are above us
The 9th, 18Th, and 25th, were at Helena, Ar
kansas. as we came down; the ID cavalry and
10Th infantry we're at Nicksburg: the 18th
and 33rd are at Natehez. 4 short time since,
a boat was fred into at this point iIorgan's
Bend) Hence, this division was dispatched
immediately TO look after the raseals. \
part of the force has been found and sGundlv
chastiscd, and driven across the Atchaialaya
river, back Of u, sixteen miles. In the Skin
mish we lost one man of our regiment, Corp.
Sargent, of Co. II.
find Col Bertram the idol Of the regi-
ment-both officers and men would follow
him to any place-and he would dare 20 IN
the face Of the enemy where any 1--we man
would. He is a good disciPlinarnln, gentle
man kind to all, and takes care Of al under
his command Lit Col. Starr stands deser-
vedlv high iii the regiment, and could lead
his men in battle till the last man would fall.
Mai. Pettiboue has been absent on sick leave
and lust returncd-if the warm manner in
which he was received by the regiment on
his return be the index then he is well Xix d.
40 regiment from Wisconsin or elsewhere is
better Differed and drilled than the 2Oth
and the medical staff IS all that could be de
sired with Dr. Chapman at its headnone who
know him will doubt Dr.. Peake is kind So
ciable and gentlemanly but is now sick. /
ann glad to say that since the arrival Of Dr..
Chapman he is getting better b"vc not
seen Dir. Mosier, he being at New Orleans
with our sick.
The regiment looks like a skeleton com
pared to what il was when il Left the city Of
Madison, only lttlc more than year ago.
We have , / sick her3-none dangerous-2J0
were left sick at the camp at Carlton, New
Orleans, when the regiment came here; many
of them are ready for duty but are not with
the regiment. We have here 2T3 men, p
sick, ) commissioned officers, I sick
Our regiment is the scouting regiment OF
the division | cannot tell WHY. On last
SATURDAY. took nay initatory step in ''soger-
ing" The steamer Siqaai guuboat}, Captain
Downing, rounded up TO our boat, and at Z
o'clock A. NJ the goth Wis, Col Bcrtram
"nd Starr, both went with the expeditioH) got
aboard. | was permitted to 90.
About fifteen miles up the river we landed,
called three negroes aboard, and to me an in
terestine affair took place, the captain of the
gunboat, Downing, getting information from
the darkies. | was the favored guest Of the
captain, and hence permitted in his cabin to
hear the talk. He soon found that a ferry
was kept here this he knew, and to break it
up is the object OF this expedition One dar-
KEY said big rebel ginerof crossed but
night or two before That one Dr.. Leather
man had kept the ferTy-crosscd at night
had just sold out 10 old Clack ana another
whose name / have forgotten. Our bows un-
der Col. Bcrtram went up the bank traced
the trail where the boat had been hauled-a
mile back the boat was found and of course
DESTROYED. \ half mile further. and
squad under Lieut.. ClawsOn surrounded the
house Of ID. Leatherman, took him prisoner
found fire arms in the house, rifles, shot guns.
pistols, large Mexican sword &c The Col
observed iron safe the lady Of the house
is away with the key-you can't fool Col. B.
- boys bring that OK cart here and put this
safe on Soon they came TO the river with
all their spois-followcd by a man, two women
and eight ten children, from sixteen wears
down to four.
1 was invited BY the captain of the boat 10
go on shore and talk to the women and chill
dren. Their fears were intense They
supposed the prisoner would De killed. ooh.
this cruel war;" said the wife of the prisoner.
His neighbor, who accompanied him began
interceding for him. g What is your name. -
asked the Captain. d" Clac!1" said he.
GU can go on board, | have your
name" also, said our captain Oh. what
burst of feeling We had then from the |
wife and children Of Clack-they came 10 |
comfort Leatherman, but now they also need |
ed consolation. 90 will they Kill my dear |
father" cried the children. / assured them |
that their friends would be treated kind, by |
an outraged government. We " said one OF |
the ladies, . are neither in your lines nor our
own-if we take the oath of allegiance 10 |
the United States, the Confederate army viii |
destroy orr property, if We do not, YOU de
strOy it. In the name of God what shall |
we do: We are innOcent-had nothing to
do IN bringing on the war. We have 10 pay
one dollarper pound for -four and the same for
salt, and have to cross the river for these ar
tcles, and now we cannot get them at all. 4"
/ told them to come down to headquarters |
and they could pass over any time to get pro-
visions, &c. | find this unpleasant part of
the chaplain's duty, but was glad to console
them, and to give them lessons for editation |
by telling them how many innocent men from |
the north have been shot by rebel bullets.
how many have died by disease contracted
while in the army, how many wives and chill
dren have bid adieu TO husbands and fathers
never to see them again War Is a terrible
ding
Our cunboat is off, with two prisoners.
two horses and sundry fire arms. These were
al safely brought to headquarters. The safe
Is opened and ! 49, are foundi in Confederate
money. Thus winds up my first expedition
with the goth on guubo1t
The next day is the Sabbath--scarccIr Sab
bath. By the politeness Of the officers Of the
supboat-( Mr.. Brooks, nephew of Mr. B., of
Madison, is officer of high rank on the
hoat / I WIS invited IN rraacL 70 IL 10 -