Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-09-24
LETTER FROM VICKSBURG.


Correspondence of the Charles City Intcligcncer.
LETTER FROM VICKSBURG.
HEADQUARTERS 18th ARMY CoRrs, |
Vicksburg, Sept. 10, 1868.
DEAR HILDRErH.-Through the kind
ness of Major Hickenlooper, Chief En-
gineer of this Corps, I am able to
give your readers the particulars of
the expedition organized by Gen.
Mcpherson, and sent against the reb-
els at Monroe. fine, fourishing city,
situated upon the Vicksburg 4 Shreve-
port Railroad. Monroe has thus far
escaped the ravages of war to a great
extent.
The expedition consisted Of Gen.
Logan's Division, part Of McArthur's,
and the I'd Wisconsin Cavalry, and
was under the immediate command Of
Brig. Gen. Jno. D. Stevenson.
The command left Vicksburg Au-
gust 2lst, and, embarking on board
transports, arrived at Goodrich Land
ing August 22d, in the midst of q dri.
wing rain.
The next day the command started
out and arrived at Bayou Tensas,
where the Infantry went into camp,
having marched eleven miles over the
worst Of roads. The cavalry was or.
dered on to Monticello, about one
mile from Adams Ford. They came
across a squad Of Confederate cavalry
and smart skirmish ensued, ending
by the Confeds leaving the field on q
run.
Our cavalry then crossed the Ford
driving the rebel pickets back to thci,
main force.
Here Gen. Stevenson divided hi
cavalry and sent one detachment t
Testers Ferry, where there was repor
ted a rebel camp, and sending the 9th
er detachment north towards tow,
called Floyd.
At Testers Ferry. Capt. Collins cap
tured so men, 3 wagons, camp equip
page, &c. Capt. Wood chased rebe
force into Floyd.
On the Gath the rebels essayed t.
capture our pickets at the ford or the
Bayou, but company coming up il
the nick Of time, the rebels fell back
to Floyd. About two miles west Of
Floyd the rebels had rifle pits thrown
up, and here they made a stand and
planted two pieces Of artillery. Our
artillery coming up, they were shellct
from their position, and left the field
and all their sick and wounded. Oul
loss was one killed and 20 wounded
This rebel force was Coper's Battalion
and had moved out from the Delhi road
to intercept and drive back tho Van.
KEGS.
There were but few citizens left in
town, and they were not disposed to
give any information concerning the
enemy. The streets were ovcrgrown
with weeds FIVE or six feet high. The
roads west of Bayou Macon, were on
high level country, and in good coudi-
ton. Every field had been planted
with corn, which for the most part
looked well.
August the 25th tie command
moved down to Jackson's Ford, where
the rebels had hastily constructed
breast works, by falling timber, and
rolling together old logs. They did
not stay to use them however, and
our men then marched down on to Big
Beauf River" where there was a
slight skirmish Confeds ran as usual :.
The roads were very good until they
entered the swamp district of Bcauf
River, where they were terrible. The
soil was a heavy black loam, and it
was almost impossible to move the ar
tillery. but by the men aiding the
horses the pieces were slowly brought
along. Here the people were very
poor and destitute, and very ignorant.
not knowing if Andrew Jackson,
Fourth of July. or John Bunyan was
President. If ignorance be bliss, they
are the happiest people on Gods earth.
yet they were very kindly disposed
towards our troops.
On the 26th, the General found that
the rebel Parsons was in the neighbor-
hood Of Oak Ridge. and waiting the
approach Of our forces. The General
moved forward but found Parsons had
left, leaving all his sick and wounded
behind, as is usual with the rebels in
such cases.
Our cavalry pressed on, overlook
his rear guard, and killed and woun.
ded q number and took some prison
ers. The road was now directly
through the swamp aud all the small
lagoons and bayous were bridged,
which the enemy in many instances
fred to impede our progress. They
also brought two guns to bear upon
the road across the main bridge, but
upon being vigorously shelled they
beat hasty retreat. Here Gen. Ste
venson received the information that
everything was being speedily re-
moved from Monroe to the opposite
side of the river. and the trains NOV
ing westward as fast as possible. The
weather was cool and pleasant, the
Thermometer 62o to 75o. The roads
after the ford left the swamp were AZ