Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-02-13
oURARMYcoaRE sPoNOtNCE.'
CAMP OF 35Ta Iowa REGIMENT, J
ISLAND No. 10, Feb. 9th, 1863. {

l 81 MEND nAdlN-4uo ualuo VI 1Slduu NO
10 has become immortal in history, and no
thinking American will ever set foot on it with
out calling to mind the great uprising of this
people in 1862, to save from destruction one
of the best governments on earth.
Our thoughts and feelings when we first
tread upon soil that has been redeemed from
traitors hands, by the blood of our own brave
countrymen, are different from those that &C.
cupy us while sitting around the Iowa fire.
sides listening to complaints about the low
prices of corn and pork, or high taxes, or
even the social happy evening, chatting with
friends and listening to the voices of song
around the piano, now carrying us back to
days and friends of yore, and again to the
land of eternal spring, where dwell the pure
and good of all ages. Everything earthly
but our God-given country looks small, and
the patriot says in his heart, here am I, ready
to be offered a sacrifice for the principles of
my beloved land" It becomes easy to die for
the principles Of freedom.
On the morning of the Srd we were aroused
from our slumbers in Fort Halleck, at 8 O..
clock a. M, by the order, "Be ready 10
march, with six days rations, at a moments
warming" At Q o'clock p. m. we were on
board the new steamer Ruth, one of the
largest and best boats on the lower Missssip-
pi. The rebels were reported to be making
demonstrations against this place, and we
were ordered to reinforce the Wisconsin
troops now here. Gen. Asboth came with
us. He has succeeded Gen. Davies as COM
mander Of this Military District. He was one
of Kossuth's companions in Hungary, and
when look at him feel that see true
freedom-loving patriot of many hard fought
battles. would that our country had more
such men as he, to lead our armies An in
cident occurred on board, which I will men
ton. He laid his hand upon the shoulder of
one of the youngest looking, rosy checked
boys in the ranks, and thus accosted him,
(his peculiar Hungarian brogue added to the
INTEREST,": "a young soldier, eh! How
many 6atelles (battles)?" "Nary one," the
soldier boy replied. "Not one. Ha ha !"
he returned, as he in a kindly way pulled the
boys ear. We landed at o'clock p. m. The
night was very cold and the ground frozen
hard. We soon temporarily pitched our tents,
and there being no show for fight, at -
o'clock we were all down for a sleep but it
was too cold, so long before morning light
tried to warm by exercise in walking over the
Island. 1t is beautiful spot, containing
800 to 1000 acres of very rich soil, all but the
upper end, (Which is still heavily timbered,
though much shattered, } has been cultivated
for many years. A very fine peach and apple
orchard, with large quantities of last years
fruit dried on the trees, occupies part of it,
no buildings but few log cabins and tents
heavy guns spiked and gun carriages over
turned are lying all around, a dsgraceful
sight, the work of Gen. Davis, short time
ago, in one Of his rights. A great many
secesh guns are lying around, and like our
friends of the same color, were once the main
stay of the rebels. but now their terror, where
used by the Government. At IL o'clock m.
we were comfortably encamped, at 1 o'clock
p. M, received orders to pull up and embark
for Cairo. This, to naarly all, was an unwel-
come order we want to 60 down stream, and
not up. At 4 o'clock p. m. companies B,
K and G started D and G are waiting for
boat E and II will stay, with Maj. O'Connor
in command.
The new aBnboat (No. y New Era is now
stationed here, commanded by our former fel-
low-townsman, Capt. F. w. Flanner, to whose
generosity my Company officers and myself
are indebted for "perfect shower of kind
acts, in the way Of sumptuous fare, and the
best beds that our oft weary limbs have en-
joyed since we left home. He had us make
his complete and finely furnished boat our
home during our stay. The New Era is
boat of six guns, and company Of sharp
shooters. There is nothing lacking to make
her effective in clearing the river of Guerilla
desperadoes. Yesterday she captured val
liable prize in the steamer w. A. Knapp,
which passed Cairo and Columbus with
false manifest. She had on board a large
lot of dry goods, medicines and revolvers.-
She was sent back to Cairo in the afternoon
with the prize crew and her officers as prison
ers, in charge of Company C. Capt. F.
makes a vigilant officer, has been in several
prominent engagements and is doing the
| Government good service. ....s..a7
Company D is sad at their loss in the
death Of Corporal James NJ. Prouty. We all
loved him so well and expected so much of
him. He was the first one of Company D
gone to his long home.
I About four inches of snow fell last night
We have already had as much snow here as
is usual in Iowa in one season. wonder if
Northern men in this latitude have had any
thing to do with bringing snow storms. They
do bring some things. Paymasters all around
expect to find them soon. Yours, &C.,
.a- ~ $3.50 -..l HENRY.
CAMP 35TH Iowa REGIMENT
- COLUMBUS, KY, Feb. I'd, 1868. { |
EDITOR JOURNAL Since last wrote to
you the news from home, or rather from the
Northwest generally, haD Den the absorbing
topic Of scamp discussion" No hardships,
fatigues or disappointments, however severe,
grievous or undeserved, tends for moment |
to abate, much less to extinguish, the inter
est which the soldiers (taking the 35th as an
example) feel and hourly manifest in the