Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-02-20
FROM THE 18th WISCONSIN.
denee ofthe State Journal.
CAMP LEwIs, rear of Nicksburg, }
Jan. Goth, 1864, (

Again am chronicIer of the movements
of this restless regiment, which, in all il.
past history, has been ENJOYABLE column >
or column in motion" and has in the nao,
future~a series of prospective movements
which may form the basis of " moving tsloo
and which may verify the old saw that s.tbrao
removes are as bad as fire F." to our trai,or
foes.
Ever since our arrival at Natchez the taD
ureg of our stay has been of very uDoor..;.
character. Going on a scouting exna5;t;a,'
lit was deemed necessary TO disembari, :;
order to repel a threatened a threatened =.
tack, and we have been expecting to leava :.
an hours notice, all the time. The lone a~
pected order came on the evening of the 991
to be ready to leave camp at O'Clock nav+
morning, and accordingly next day saw ~
embarked, the 18th, on the steamer NJ 7
E'oing; the sd Illinois on the Dihqeut and
| Gen. Gresham, with his staff on the Pm
About o'clock I. NJ. we left the levee amid
the cheers of a drunken officer of the oatL
illinois, and the waving of handkerehiefs ola
few discOnsolate females, whose milita,r
swains, were leaving with US, for q fresh isoas
and fresh fields" regardless of the GIRL
left behind me-"
We had pleasant trip up the river. with
out any incident worthy of special notice
the heat during Sunday being felt severely on
the hurricane deck, the night being rather
| cool. We arrived at the levee of Vicksburg
about 4 O'Clock z. NJ. Sunday evening tbaa
23d inst, unloaded our wagons and mart ~
our baggage and staid on the boats untiimo
| ing. About sunrise ON the 18th, the column
was set in motion, and we marched ont NJ
town, through the lines, and then "oyer the
| hills and far away" some miles TO our fo,.
mer camp near Clear Greek, and now occnnv
the same ground we abandoned when ~
started for Natchez, and which has been nam.
| ed Camp Lewis in honor of our worthy Gov.
ernor, whom we all respect and honor look.
| ing upon him as the "soldiers friend" who
will protect and defend US in all our rights
procure us every privilege We are entitled
to, and be a guardian to our loved ones al
| home.
We are on the eve of a most important ey.
petition to the east of Vicksburg, JUDGING
from the forces preparing to take part in It
At Chickasaw Bayou, Gen. Hurlbut is disem-
barking with the 10th Army Corps, while the
18th to which We belong are all on the al.
UiUe, and the hustle of preparation is visible
on every hand. POntoOns are building sun
ply trains are loading with 20 days rations
the railroad rapidly pushed to completion
from Black River to Jackson, and everything
indicates movements of a most extensive and
effective character. | am not at liberty to be
more precise or statistical in regard to the
number of men TO be used on this occasion
but the " old 18th will be there, in all prob
ability; in respect to our destination, howev
er we shall be apt to see the east side of this
miserable State, before we return.
In my last, | told you that some $50 Of the
18th had re-enlisted. l am credibly informed
that $50 would better express the number Of
"veterans" now to be found in our ranks
As far as can be ascertained, this makes our
regiment tie largest, and great nasu
think, the best UeteTd1s regiment IN the United
States service. We ought to have been mus
tered out of the old and into the new term Of
service long ago, and should have been, had
not the Commissary of Muster for the 81
Brigade misunderstood his orders, and kept
us waiting for new rolls, when none were
needed. We are to be mustered in this
week, before leaving here, and upon our re-
turn from the proposed expedition, we shall
start for home as soon as we can get ready,
period of say 30 days, or about the middle
of March.
The 18th Wisconsin are expecting to leave
here next Thursday for home, to re-organize,
| and, we understand, the 10th, now at Red
bone Church, will soon follow. We would
have been at Camp Randall ere this reaches
you, if it had not been for official blunders
but we are to have all Strengthened out now,
so that there may be no delay in the future
when we can be spared better, to hinder our
coming home.
| By the bye, / believe we have good claim
on the State for the banner promised to tie
largest veteran regiment of her soldiers, and
il so, we shall be pleased to receive it, and
proud to bear it during our veteran service.
There is not better regiment in the field,
TO my knowledge, than the old 18th, or one
that has been better maI.aged. As proof OF
this, witness eur numbers after two years
service, and enduring the siege of Vicksburg
and Jackson, and our weary marches through
Kansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missis-
sippi; and no better proof can be given OF
the estimation in which the officers are held,
than the fact of such large numbers re-enlist-
ing to serve under them for three years
longer; not single company but what over
/ three-fourths have re-enlisted, and some have
only three or four men to be cleft out in the
cold" .s-H
The weather is quite pleasant just now,
warm days, as warm as in May in ''0ld Wis
cons" with cool nights. There has not been
any snow fallen with US during the winter,
and no ice to last over two days. People at
Natchez have been making gardens for the
past two weeks, and many barrels of potatoes
have lately been purchased for seed there.
The health of the regiment is good, not
more than one or two in the hospital, and
eight or ten convalescents. There have been
some cases of small pox, but all have recoy-
cred, and in fact, we all feel pretty well.
Some shaking" has been done, and some
have thought the weather ''chilly," but qql-
nine, rest, and pleasant weather are abolish
ing all these disagreeable sensations.
You shall hear more of the expedition when
we get back, if able to write them. W.
THE STATE AID TO YOLUNTEERs.-SOme days
ago a.resolution was adopted by the Assembly
inquiring of the Secretary of State whether
some means cannot be devised to prevent
frauds upon the State Aid Fund, by persons
falsely claiming that they are dependent for
support upon sons in the service. The fol-
lowing is Secretary Fairchild's reply:
State of Wisconsin, Secretary's Ofice,l
+ Madison, Feb. Sd, 1864. !
Hon. ". W. Field Speaker Of tie assembly,
SIR,-I have the honor TO acknowledge the
receipt of Assembly resolution No. %.
To prevent frauds in the cases therein men