The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-05-07

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! our camp to present cleanlv appearance.
but om work was barely done, when We
were called out on picket. We had rorrnedi
in line and fairly started, when we saw that
the few that were left were engaged in tear.
ing down tents. packing mp and hurrying
on board our boat. We went on, however.
and the next day about noon, we came in
and got on the boat. Friday morning, on.
looking out, sure enough everything indI.
Gated speedy departure. The pickets all
in tents all llstruck--sope Of the boats al.
ready gone, others stsrting. One boat il
still tied up. taking on some thirty or tAir.
ty fvc contrahands, of both sexes and ali
ages, they had just come in with massa's
team, with baggage and few bundles Of
the inevitable cotton A little later and
they would have been too late. am afaii
thai some will come tom PROV and find us
gone Some Of these blacks find employ
ment in various ways, but many of then-
The aged, disabled, and children--will provo.
a dead weight on the Government S,ilI as
valuable part of southern wealth. we
must take possession Of them and SO far
weaken the rebellion. Perhaps general
system Of paid negro labor, the negroes to
se'naln at their late homes, such as has
been adopted in parts Of Louisiana. you,i,
DC advantageous to both parties. for not.
"ithstanding the hue and cry about the ne
groes overrurnIng the North, they uiH stav
in the South where the climate and produc
tons are so suitable to their habits and
lasts, if ANYTHING like rea sonable induce
!nr.ents are held out.
But am making too long a letter
Saturday about noon we met a part of ths
renforccments under General Oui,nby-six
steamboat loads. We Immediately turned
about and now hope we will be better pre-
pared to take Fort Pemberton. Monday
morning, hearing from soms oG the contra.
bands where we might get supply Of three
or four hundred bushels OF sweet pstatoes.
molasses &C., was hid, to our great disap.
polntment we found an obstruction in tho
way OF deep slough, minus bridge, 50
VIC had to go back to the boat Before
pass, must make mention of an incident
that occurred today The Lady Jackson
was fired in to to-day bya party of guerrii.
las, stationed in farm house on the river
bank. One man was killed on the Lady
jackson, and the shots fired in return by
our men, directed Of course at the house,
had this effect "a babe was killed. and the
mother was seen weeping over her child
Y struck US forcihly as one of the fruits of
the rebellion. This barbarous mode Of war
fare is one of the curses of the war; Hak
On the afternoon of Monday, March esd.r
we arr we'd at our former landing. The 9ad
Regiment iowa. V. Immediately landed and
went down. the river short distance and
captured 10 rebels They were cutting
timber and otherwise engaged in strength
eniog our temporary fort We also captur-
ed ten heavy guns. 1t is now discovered
that the rebels have two iron clads laylnc
on the other side Of the distractions in The
river. will close for the present this &C.
count OF our doings, and send you further
particulars as they occur. must, however,
in justice to myself make short reply to
the gross epithets and Misrepresentation
contained in a late letter published in your
paper, signed ''Ilarrie." In the opening Of
his letter, characterized by certain hifa.u.
tin style, which would scarcely be credit,
able to school-boy be tells his readers that
he can fnd nothing to write about-ir
which we entirely agree Probably if no
had had facts to write about, he would not
have dealt in misrepresentation. How he
could possibly have inferred that intended
any charge against the Quarterlnaster, is
more than | can see. He certainly must
suppose that letter writers must unsparin.ly
eulogise all the officers around him. The
greater part but do their duty-many como
far short. Why should we unfortunately
lavish praises on such, and remain silent as
to their shortcomings. For my part, I shall
eulogize them after meritol ious conduct
Harrie tells you that every soldier knows
that Quartermastar Neville is an honest and
upright officer. You will think that the sol:
diers are OF different opinion when tell
You that petition to remove that officer.
received the signature of nearly every sol
dier in companies where it was circulated
| forbear to make further statements, but
advise .lIarrie," !" in the future to have more
control over his quill. and not fling at ran
dom one word more. He flatters me so,no
what by assuming that | am shoulder
strap what else could he mean by
'green back patriot. Surely "a SOLDIER
leaving large family and electing to share
privations and hardships, and
at thirteen dollars a month. is not entitled
to that cohplimsnt. Who is the green
back pstriot ?"
r. w. Nee
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