Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-01-22

out the place where two regiments OF
rebels had been encamped ut noon, and
had been surprised by Blunt, who had
taken 600 prisoners. There was some
blood on the rocks, and we met two or
three rebel ambulances driving in the
direction of the camp. Pretty soon an
other "friend Of mine" told Us that be
had only captured 500 rebels and about
40 teams laden with stores and the ke.
Before long another "lriend" was GER
tam that there had not been but 500
troops encamped there, not all of whom
were taken, and tho forty wagons had
dwindled down to three. You see.these
sfricnds' know all about it. When We
got into camp that night ! found that
Blunt had captured between thirty and
forty men, aud about the same number
OF wagons, aud leo mules 1T Inc place
indicated.
About eight O'Clock We went into
camp some two miles out Of town, aud
earned that thus far the expedition had
been complete success. Van Buren,
vas ours, the enemy had run. and burnt
his barracks. Three heavily laden
steamboats, hal fallen into our hands,
and-but the telegraph will have al
ready told you more about i. than |
know.
The next morning we fell in and
marched INTO town. Van Buren, is not
al al like any other town | ever saw.
\ on march along quite unsuspieoua that
there is town near you, until sudden
IL coming to the brow q a steep and
high hl, you see j, lying right beneath
your feet. One sin-le street, not At all
straight, leads down The Iii to the levee,
winch Won hnd TO be perpendicular
| bank aIo.t twenty feet high, complete
" hiding the boats waich are lying
| there. Another street running parallel
:, viii the river, Is all there Is OF streets
IN the town. Iha houses, some OF them
\ fine ones, stragglo all over creahon.-
/ Tiers Wasa Court House, aud some very
abstsntiai buildings Ike machine shops,
and some very good stores. should
say there might have been some two
thousand Inhabitants. From the hill
the river is most magnificent. At your
feet rolls IT, Arkansas, in the middle
ground are lts heavily wooded bottoms,
broken by hills which gradually become
larger as you leave the river, until in
the extreme background there rise
mountains piled on mountains, which
remind one Of our dear native New En-.
gland hill-, scen fifty or sixty miles in
the distance.
We marched down into the town, and
for the first time realized that we were
in slave State. Gracious what day
Tor niggels In front Of the Cou,t
House is very high flag staff, from
the top OF which the stars and stripes
were proudly waving, and as Our forces
marched past it cheer after cheer rent
the air, while the butternuts gazed
modify on with never smile nor
word Of welcome. A little farther on
the secession flag was exhibited, ard
greeted with such unearthly groans as
never mortal heard before.
We marched down to the riycr and
lad on the bank tor some hours, when,
after washing in the waters OF the Ar
kansas, We fell in, marched up the hill,
and lclsnrey retraced our steps TO Prai.
RE Grove.
What was done at IAN Buren, after
we left, candidly say that | do not
know, though friend Of mine has had
many things TO tell about it. guess
that four steamo oais were burned, and
| think that several stores lled
with forage, which we could not bring
away. were also buried. know that a
good many nlgseIs and large number
Of white people came with US very will
iingly. We were ouly gone five days
ron Prairie Grove, and we had done
the rebels dreadful dauag
Yesterday We broke up camp, and
tho whole army Of the Frontier moved
to Fayetteville.