The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-05-21
Army Correspondence
HKLEsA ARK, May 9th 1863.

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Extracts from letter writ
ten to one of our citizens, by James Candy
Soldier in the seth Iowa Vols, dated q,
Helena, May 9th.
The steamer Minnesota was fired ints
and captured by the Rebels on Sunday las
near Greenvile 90 miles below this place
she had tow Ofcoal barees, they plumber
ed her and then set her on fire. A little
fight took place last Friday, about Is miles
west of this place, 40. Of 3rd Iowa Cavalry
was sent out on, a scout, to see If they could
find any rebels scouts, the first thing they
knew the rebels rose up all around in am
bus, and commenced to fire into them and
the greatest wonder is, they did not kill or
take the last one Of our men prisoners, 70,
there was about 700 Of the rebels. The
casualties on our side was 4 killed 7.wound
ed ana about 80 taken prisoners. The reb.
els loss we have never been able to ascer-
tain. they carried of their dead and
wounded, we got one prisoner, our boys say
they saw several dead rebels. Nathaniel
Barnes is among the missing It is supposed
he Is taken prisoner. also Carson Willard o,
B'akesburg. Col Busy would like Ia
commence devastating. I wish we had
more men in the army like Col. Bussev and
Gen. Prentice. Just let man speak dis.
respectfully Of either ofthese officers before
an Iowa soldier. and they have got job on
their hands. There is no use in any of
those Copperhead newspapers trying to
bullyrae either Of these officers, for they
have friends enough among the private
soldiers to see them safe through. We
will tight for them until the rebellion is
whipped ont ofthe South and then with
Gen. Prentice and Col. Bdsscy to lead us
we will come North and clean the Copper.
heads ont from among you., When these
poisonous reptiles are cleaned out of Iowa.
she viii be happy country and the garden
spot of the West We soldiers begin to en-.
terrain great hopes that the time is close at
hand when rebellion will be swept from our
land. and we can be permitted to come home
ard talk to some of those fellows. We
have all got our man picked out, we will
give them warning for we are coming, and
that. day comes would rather be in an
armed rebels shoes of the South, than to
occupy the position ola copperhead of the
North. We have to, day more to fear from
these imps Of everlasting torment than from
the armed foe Of the South. / would rather
fight five man in open e eld in front Of me
than one behind me in the bush. This is
just he kind of warfare we are engaged in
at the present time. While we are firing al
the enemy in front they are shelliny us in
tile rear, by there tratorio GUS talk, news pa.
per lies, encouraging assertions, running
down the Administration, and finding fault
with every step that is takeu to bring this
war to a close. They set up a great how
about making the negro aght, and we'll they
may for this is the hardest blow ever struck
at them, that is what hurts them. Oh II
they could only have kept us from interfer
Jag with the niger then they might have
had hope, but that thing of non-interier.
ance is played out with the army, They
talk about bringing She niger on an equali.
tV with the white race. Well all have to
say with regard to the matter, is: IF they
have no more respect for themselves than
to step down into niger equality let them
go, ! have higher aspirations than that /
know they can never be placed on an equal
ity with me unless become degraded
enough to equalize myself with tn EN-.
Where will they get their next buncomb
are they not pretty nearly gone ashore
They have fought against coercion, they
have done everything to parallyze the Ad
ministraticn, they have run niger equality
into the ground, they have tried to discour
age enlistments, to encourage desertions, te
demoralise the Union army, and to raise in
surrections in the North, in short they havs
made use of every means in their power Il
retard the progress of our army, and give
victory. to the rebels. But their efforts have
been IN vain, and they will have to take W
the lamentation ofSolomom of old after ht
sought for true happiness among the things
of this world, "All is vanity and yexation
| of spirit, Now would say to these I'm.
ion destroying men of the North, tina
while you pursue your present course, all
will be vanity and vexation of spirit with
you. The only means of escape Is to pu
your shoulders TO the wheel of government
obey the laws Of our country, and instead o
crying peace, cry out with loud voice, un
divided, too plainto be misunderstood, tina
shall ring from Maine. to Georgia, the law,
OF our government must be obeyed, thi
course pursued months and rebellion
would be no more. They have got but
short time to repentin. The rebellion mus
soon be put down and then the door will b,
shut against them. They will cry for tn
rocks and mountains to fall upon them.
tell you they will have hard set to conten,
with when the soldiers get turned loos
among them, for they are no more though
OF with us, than lot of rattle snakes.
HELENA ARK, May II 1863.
EDITOR COURIER
/ Teor Or T ooL 80. - &. x,,...i