The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-03-05
HELENA, ARKANSAS, Feb. 9th 1863

HELENA, ARKANSAS, REQ. Stn 1909
Mr.. EDITOR AS the Courier is read by
numerous friends of the seth I. V. L., per-
NIT me to give you brief notice Of our
present location and condition. The Regi-
ment left Camp Benton the 18th of Decem-
Der and arrived at Memphis the 22nd 1t
was detained there till the 3lst, which day
it left for this place and arrived here the
same evening, making the trip in about
eight hours, the distance being seventy
miles. For ten days we were encamped in
tents on the bank Of the river, short dis
lance below town. But on the 18th of jan
uary we moved into cabins at the foot of the
bluffs some distance from the river.
We are now very comfortably situated
with commanding view of the town and
the "Father of Waters" We have nothing
to complain of but the rain and mud. The
weather for the past four weeks has been
warm, rainy and dreary /; the mud about
four feet eight, and the streets Of Helena
nearly impossible for government teams
The soldiers here have plenty to eat The
fare consists Of pilot bread, pork, beans, rice
hominy with plenty of sugar and coffee.
The health Of the regiment is pretty good
There is however considerable sickness in
other regiments; hospital accommodations
being poor. rs
The seth Is well Differed. The Colonel,
who is now commanding our brigade, is
very attentive to the wants of his mon, and
have yet to hear Of the first complaint
since our organization. Major Woodward is
the fayorite of the regiment. The line off,
GERS are efficient and fs ithful in the dis
charge of their duties. The most popular
Captains are Joy, Warner and Mahon.-
Capt. Fee, formerly Of your city, is well lik.
ed by all. Lieuts. Swiggette, Clifton anG
Warden are popular and efficient officers
Helena is the county seat Of Phillip county
and contained in times of peace 1000 or 500
inhabitants, the war has diminished the pop
ulation to 300 or 400 The situation is low
and marshy; the buildings are mostly
frame. The beautiful residence of Gen.
Hindman, now used as Gen. Germans head
quarters, is in this place. It is seven hum
dred miles from this point to Keokuk.
In military affairs there is nothing Of im.
portance transporting. Occasionally there ia
slight skirmish without the town. Some
two weeks since wedding occurred out in
the country about fifteen miles, it was as.
certained that some of the guerrillas who
have been troubling our pickets, were to be
there. A detachment Of the Sd Iowa Cav
airy was sent out to capture the party the
happy train had been united and everything
prepared to spend the evening in dancing,
the fiddler had just struck up the "Arkan.
sas Traveller" when the house was sur
rounded and the party demanded to surren-
der. several attempted to escape by running
but were fred on and ons man was killed
and two or three wounded, the remainder
including the bridegroom were taken pris
Dpers. c t.a a
The river has risen in the past six weeks,
about twenty feet and still has an upward
tendency. The leves from here to New Or
leans is in very dilapidated condition, and
unless speedily repaired, large portions of
country win be inundated the coming
Spring. The country on the Miss, side Of
the river is very low and is kept from over
flowing by the levee; the guerrillas over
there have been very troublesome to our
foraging parties. About week since
party went over at the levee and let the
water into the country SO as to drown them
out as soon as the party left, the rebels col.
lectei and began to repair the damage, so
force was sent back the other day and dis
persed them. They report that thousands
Of acres of valuable land is inundated.
The passage Of Stevens bill authorizing
the President to raise negro army is hail
"A Nth ;nv nv All frne friends If ha TJn;or