The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1863-03-25
COrrespOndence.
ST. CLOUD HOTEL, NASHVILLE.
Tenn, March 18th, 1868.

| Correspondence.
ST. CLOUD il"TEL, NASHVILLE.
Tenn, March 18th, 1868.
Dear Times =: In my last told you
thought would write you from some where
else next time, well have got there.
left Chicago Sunday night the 9Th, at
Z p M, the NEXT day at l0:45 I arrived in
Cincinnati, stopped at the Warren Street
House. Cincinnati is the blacklist, dirtiest
city | ever was in Il never visited Pitt.
burgh) all are contrabands there, the SCOT
covering all alike; Tuesday l went over to
Covington, a place Of som" 1900 people,
where the rebels nearly scared them to
death. You can see the old earth works still.
Completing business there took the cars
Tuesday night at 7, for Louisville; having no
sleeping cars, We rode in a common car,
and it was crowded full, all had to sleep
sitting up in military order, at l2 midnight
We got supper. We reached Louisville,
at 5 in the morning. went to the Gait
| House, the scene Of the Davis Nelson
tragedy, it was full and could not get bed.
Being doomed to spend the day there on
account OF obtaining passes, and havirg
baggage ovcrhaulcd, went out visiting
the city after breakfast. Louisville is Ger
tainly handsome city laid out in perfect
| order. Wide streets, with shade trees, and
some magn firent buildings; it has a popu
la,i"n Of about $4,000, at IL a. m. | made
my way to Gen. Boyle ,fficc, to obtain a
pass. found about 200 waiting for the
same purpose, but by working strategy !
was soon admitted to his presence, Or rather
clerk {; he asked me what | wanted | told
him, bv handing him my card, (the same
As ] scnd) and whilr some who had letters
from Governors, llonorahles, Generals,
&C., c"ulI not ct pass down, I obtained
one without anycthcr assurance Of loyalty
than was on my card. Recommendations
my be good hut had they been the test |
would have to stay behind, for had not IA
scrap of anything Being NIL right myself |
had to gt my trunk pu, through, so | sent
the porter with it AMI In. keys to the Mar
sha.', fire, who pulled thc'H over and
returned all back. | could not, however
open it until arrived here as dare not
break the wax. Yesterday morning at 8
| took the cars for this point; at first
could not get inside Of car, (,hcre were .
in the train.) after time got inside, and
after riding 4S miles obtained Il seat Some
Of the country is nice. The Nashville
road consists Of the heaviest grading have
ever seen, Travellers tell me like the Penn.
reads, EQUAL in all respects. We passed
through three tunnels, the first, one. half
mile long. the others shorter, being built
over the moun,ainS or hills, there are some
wild places. 1t shows the marks Of rebel
usage, all its bridges are new, having been
burned by the guerillas. Soldiers are
stationed at all the bridges and worst places,
to watch these rowing bands. We passed
through El,zabc,h city where the bcls
took II gment Ct our men, without fight
ing at all at Bowling Green we saw qui e
large enca,npnents Of soldies; at Galatin
saw their earthwork fort, crowded with
cannon waiting Tor some one to shoot, there
were about 10000 troops here; all along
the road we found signs If old camps
Some Of the passengers would throw out
papers to the soldiers in these OUT the
way places and they ould grab after them
like wolves; they have nothing to read, no
way Of getting anything as they are shut
out from the world in the woods, in their
little world, the log fort.
At 6 we reached this city now celebrated
for soldiers and women, shoulder straps
and crutches; revolvers and dirks; swords
and carbines. See the equality, the private
receives $500 per month, goes half naked,
sleeps on the ground or dies in the hospital
for want Of care, while the majority q will
not say alp Of ,he brass butt0ned shoulder
straps, sleep IN warm beds, eat the best,
drink the most, and do the least, at the
tune Of from $l25.0J to $4,000. A piece
Of brass on a mans shoulder makes him a
dcmi g"d, aud It seems the lower the posi-.
ton you promote a man from the IN re-
supreme he becomes.
Nearly ali the churches, many Of the
private residences, some of the hotels, thr
State House and others are used for h,spi.
tails and are full, and more coming. The
rebels are all around US, last night they
came within II miles Of town and ran off
200 contrabanLs. Gen Van Dorn's head
qua, ters are only about 90 miles from here
We have now large force in FrankliI, 20
miles from here, where Gen. Gilbert, 10y
refusing achievements, ALLOW we'd 2 OF 3 rcg-
mrnts to b. taken prisoners, instead Of at.
lacking them. Our forces seem to wait for
then 10 commence the fight.
will write more in a few days; send me
your piper here. My pos, office box Is
ll6. MARTIN f. COLE.
GOES IN Fox SUCCESS. The Dcs MOines
Times, the central organ Of the Democratic