Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-08-25

properly managed, we can have a mail once
a week hereafter. Capt. Fisk's expedition
which is accompanying an emigrant train to
| Idaho, rendered US much service in getting
| the mails since leaving Fort Ridgely. We
| being five days march in advance, by the aid
of our cavalry we held communication with
| him, and his cavalry with Fort Ridgely-
| Thus since the 9th Of July to the present we
have received three mails.
In my next l shall give you full account
of our trip from Big Turtle Lake to Fort
WadSworth. F. J. r.
From the Thirty-Fifth Regiment.
Movements of a Montt-Fi'ona Fort Hudson
st. Charles-A Disappointnaent-J White
Roer-Building Forhfcations-A Scout
The Country Destitute Of Men.
ST. CHARLES, Ark, August 4.
Editors State Journal Since my last note
the 35th has been moving almost continually.
On the evening of the Goth of June we ex-
pected to remain at Port Hudson for months,
but about II o'clock that night an Orderly
came from headquarters with orders for the
| regiment to be ready to embark at IL o'clock
the next day. Reveille was sounded ats
o'clock the next morning, and soon every one
was ready to move.
By the untiring efforts Of 1t. Stevens, who
had charge of placing the companies on the
boat, loading Quartermaster and Commissary
stores, &C., everything was ready at the prop
er time and the transport moved up the river
We arrived at Morganzia about sun-down-
stayed on the boat that night and the next
oh haI
were again in camp.
In a few days the regiment was ordered to
move camp about three miles farther south,
which was done rather reluctantly, as we left
our camp well fitted out. We remained in
our new camp about two weeks. Here the
4th OF July was spent generally, in thinking
about what was going on at home and in differ
ent parts Of the State. There was no excite
ment here. National saluteS were fired at
! morning, noon and night The monotony of
camp life was scarcely interrupted, and the
4th of July passed off the same as the day be
fore and the day after.
The regiment remained here two weeks,
when suddenly orders came to be ready to
embark at a moments notice. Then every
one expected that our brigade would follow
the 1st and I'd divisions of the 10th army
corps, which had gone to the army Of the
Potomac, and there was universal Joy through
out the whole brigade But, to our great
disappointment, when the transports left the
shore they moved up the river. None below
eagle shoulder-straps knew our destination,
but not until after the boats entered the
mouth of White river could some be per-
suaded that the brigade was not going to
Maryland or Virginia, SO certain were they
that troops were needed nowhere else
The brigade stopped a few days at the
mouth of White river, where we changed
boats on the 22d of July and started up the
river. The water in White river is quite low,
but we found no obstacle until we came to
what is known as the bar" There the reg
iment was compelled to leave the boat and
march about two miles through heavy timber
interviewer with vines of every description.
The nj ght was dark and there was no path,
SO one can imagine we had a sweet time. In
a few hours the regiment was on board again,
and we found no more trouble on account of
low water.
Upon arriving here we found nothing ex-
| cept some old Publications. constructed by
the rebels about two years ago, and abandon
ed by them on the approach of the Union
| forces. While our forces were successful in
the Southwest there was little need of troops
here, but when Banks was defeated the rebels
sCdIGcieu dll over IHe cOuuJIy tuiedI-
ening Gen. Steele by blockading the White
river and cutting off his supplies. To pre-
vent this troops were sent here and to Du-
wallis Bluff, 80 miles above here and so miles
from Little Rock by railroad.
Since our landing here we have been at
! work on the Notifications night and day
This new kind of business does not suit US
very WELL as we were accustomed farther south
at Morganzia and Port Hudson, to see colored
. soldiers dig and shovel on Notifications. All
past objections to the cOlored soldiers would
vanish if few regiment of Ullman's darkies
! would come up here and relieve US from so
much digging and shoveling On these earth
works.
, St. Charles is situated high up on the right
, bank Of the river and about so miles from its
mouth. Once there was a fourishlng little
village here, but now every house is deserted
and many are destroyed This place is natural
ly fortified, and when the Notifications now
| being constructed are completed it will be
| impregnable. In this vicinity oak trees
and brush, which makes it look like Wiscon-
| sin. Oak trees are scarcely ever seen in
! Louisiana or Southern Mississippi.
A few days ago scouting party Of about
| 500 men from the different regiments of the
brigade went out about 80 miles from camp
| 'Ait "CiO SOut tuEGe udNS d4Iu Two llgHIS.-
| We travelled in all about so miles, and during
our whole tour We did not see a single man,
excepting one old gray-haired rebel; but in
almost every house there were women and
| children. This shows how jeff Davis fills his
armies, how many are exempt from the draft,
&c, Coming back to camp every man was
loaded with chickens, geese, honey apples,
pears, peaches, green corn, &c, &c, and
consequently We lived for few days in grand
style.
The health of the regiment at present is
| good. The weather is quite cool and pleas
ant with frequent showers.
| We are expecting to leave this place soon
| and join our division again at Morganzia-
We are to be relieved here by some 100 day
men from Memphis-probably the 10th Wis
consin will be among the number.
JVNIUs.
! There is an excess of females over males
IN five States in the Union. Connecticut has
, 5000, Massachusetts, $1,000, New Hampshire
| 1000, New York II 900, Rhode Island 5000.
| In Pennsylvania the numbers are nearly
| equal.
| One of the largest farms in Northampton,
Massachusetts,, produced nineteen thousand
dollars worth of tobacco last year, and sever
| al other farmers raised from five thousand to
ten thousand dollars worth.