The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1863-03-19
ARMY CORRESPONDENTS.
Correspondence Of the Upton Advertiser.
CAMP AT LAKE PoRT BEND. ARK, }
s-..# March 4th, 1868.


alas March 4th, 1868. !
Mr.. ADVERTISER:
After long and wearisone delay We
have at last gone down the river We
left our camp near Memphis, on the I'd
inst, and marched to Memphis here we
went on board the steamer Won Phul,
large and capacious lower Mississippi
packet. As there was but two regiments
on board, the 9th Iowa aud 93d Illinois,
We we're not much crowded. After the
camp baggage was loaded, the boat drop.
pea uown 70 the government coal wards,
which is at the lower eud of town under
the protection of the forts here We lay
all day taking in Goa, as the boat has to
take enough to last her down and back,
there being no wood to be had along the
river. 1t is quite a job, but like all
other jobs, must have an end, and SO
coaling and daylight ended at the same
time, and at dark the Won Phul cast
loose her lines and shot out into the
stream and headed down the river, the
band played parting tune as We left
In few minutes Memphis and its lights
disappeared in the distance, perhaps for.
ever who can tell?
The night was cold and disasreeable,
and the boys soon left the deck for the
shelter of the cabin. We ran all night
and at daylight next morning were some
distance below Helena. | was in hopes
that We would stop at Helena long
enough for me to visit the 24th, but |
was disappointed. The river is very
high, every place unprotected by evee
is entirely submerged The leyces are
broken in many places and the water
rushing through with irresistless fury,
Overlooking the plantations and sweeping
away everything in its course. Three.
fourths Of the farms are deserted. The
owners are in the confederate army,
while the greater portion of the niggers
have gone north to take care of them
selves. We passed number of planta-
tions that had been destroyed by our
gunboats in retaliation for the firing of
guerillas on defcnceless transports; 9TH
ing is left but the black naked chilnueys
to mark the site of the planters mansion
and niger quarters. This has been the
only etfectual plan yet found to stop the
guerrilla raids upon our transports. These
guerrillas are all citizens living upon the
bank of the river, who have not courage
enough to enter the rebel army, but
band t lemselves together, for tho pur-
pose Of attacking unarmed and defence
less men, aud stealing their property and
violating all the usages of civilized war
fare. Their barbarous outrages are not
only known to the confederate govern.
ment, but are sanctioned by it. Now that
retaliation is the order OF the day, none
OF these robbers is willing to have the
attack made from his plantation, as his
property Won d be destroyed in conse-
quence, and when strapge band selects
. place to attack from, the band in the
immediate neighborhood assemblies and
and compels them to leave, in order to
save their own property. The result is
that guerrilla warfare on the river is
nearly dried up.
4 As We passed along We would occa-
sionally be cheered by the waving of
white handkerchief by one of Arkau sas'
daughters, but no such token of recogni.
ton greeted US from the Mississippi side
we caught a sight of the inhab.
ltants they looked sulIen, gloomy and re.
,sngeful. During the day We passed
Napoleon, 1t the mouth of Arkansas
liver. Il 10 the largest river town in