Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-02-18
FROM THE 18th WISCONSIN


past history has been movable column
or a column in motion" and has in tho -ear
future series of prospective movements
which may form the basis of a movinc +a1an
and which may verify the old saw that Co...
removes are as bad as a fire. to orr 80.
foes
Ever since our arrival at Natchez tho 49,
ure of our stay has been of very uncar+o;-.
character. Going on scouting expeditior
1t was deemed necessary to disemharL -
order to repel threatened a threatened at.
tack, and we have been expecting to leave at
an hours notice, all the time The long ex
pected order came on the evening Of the 22d
TO be ready to leave camp at O'clock next
morning, and accordingly next day saw us
embarked, the 18th, on the steamer ". Z.
E0"g the sd Illinois on the Dliqent, and
zen uresham, with his staff on the Pyinqle
ABOUT O'Clock T. NJ. we left the leyee amid
the cheers OF drunken officer of the 9sth
Illinois, and the waving of handkerchiefs ofa
| few disconsolate females, whose miIitarv
| SWANS, were leaving with US. for fresh fa,.as
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. W e arrived at the levee of Vicksburo
about O'Clock ?. NJ. Sunday evening, the
Esd inst, unloaded our wagons and part of
our baggage and staid on the boats until morn
ing. About sunrise on the 25th, the column
| was set IN motion, and we marched ont of
town, through the lines and then " over the
hills and tar away some miles to our for
| mer camp near Clear Greek, and now occupy
the same ground we abandoned when we
started tor 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 guardian to our loved ones at
| home.
| We are on the eve of most important ex
| petition to the east of Vicksburg, Judging
| from the forces preparing to take part in it
| At Cmckasaw Bayou, Gen Hurlbut is disem-
| barking with the 10th Army Corps, while the
| 18th to which we belong are all on the Qali-
v50e, and the hustle of preparation is visible
on every hand. Pontoons are building. sup
| ply trains are loading with 20 DAYS rations.
the railroad rapidly pushed to completion
| from Black River to Jackson and everything
| indicates movements of 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 tile largest, end great many
| h111k, tie best retera1t 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 Sd
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,
a period OF say 80 days, or about the middle
of March.
The 18th Wisconsin 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 the
largest veteran regiment of her soldiers, and
If 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 10Th, or one
that has been better managed. As proof of
this, witness our 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"
The weather is quite pleasant just now,
warm days, as warm as in May in ''Old 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 OF two in the hospital, and
eight or ten convalescents. There have been
some cases of small pox, but all have recoV-
cred, and in fact, we all feel pretty well.
Some Shaking" has been done, and some
have thought the weather "chilly," but qui-
nine, rest, and pleasant weather are abolish
III ~, lie
You shall hear more of the expedition when
we get back, if able to write them. W.
--~.
THE STATE AID TO VoLUNTEERs.-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, Sacretary's Office
Madison, Feb. Sd, 1864. !
Hon. " W. Field, SpeGkey Of the Assenabty: \
SIR,-I have the honor 70 acknowledge the
receipt of Assembly resolution No. %.
To prevent frauds in the cases therein men
toned have the honor to suggest that the
Secretary of State be directed to furnish as
soon as possible to the Provost Marshal of
each district, :. list of the names of all who
reside in the district who are now receiving
aid from the State by reason Of sons in the
service.
sand that said lists shall be corrected or
added to, from time to time, as changes may
occur on the records in this Office.
The Provost Marshal and Enrolling Boards
would then have the evidence before them
that those whose names were thus reported
had sworn that another was, or had been,
their only means of support, which would be