Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-07-20
From the Both Regiment In Minnesota
Hard Mareh-B0und for the Northwest.

/ Hard March-Bound for the Northwest.
| Correspondence of the State Journal.
CAMP on THE PRAIRIE, NEAR
FORT RmGELY, Minnesota,
Tuesday, July 3, 1864.
After inglorious stay of over twenty
months in the old Badger State" the 4th of
| June, 1864, was welcomed with cheers by the
/ members of Companies B, L and X, 30th
/ Reg. Wis. Vol Upon that day we bid adieu
/ TO the frittered existence spent as soldiers in
| keeping peace in your rebellous State We
| arrived at St. Paul at j o'clock p. NJ of the
/ 9th, and remained aboard all night. During
| the forenoon Of the 7th we were marched
through the principal street of St. Paul, on
our way TO Fort Smelling and, notwithstand-
/ ing the fatigue of the journey, the excellent
military appearance of the men drew admir-
/ ing crowds of men, women and children, who
| expressed their "pprobation by loud and pro-
! longed huZZas and the waving of handker-
chiefs. Arriving at Fort Smelling we were
| greeted by the soldiers in garrison. according
to military usage, after which We were march
| ed TO comfortable quarters
| Fort Smelling is a solid work of stone and
! lime, built at an elevation of one hundred and
| fifty feet above the level of the Mississippi
| river, and commands that and Minnesota riy-
er The country surrounding the fort is not
| the most preposSesSing, nor is 1t the best ag-
| ricultural country. While stopping at Smell
! ling l. in company with several others, visit
ed the Falls of Minne-ha-ha and St. Anthony
| Minne-ha-ha means laughing water, and is on
| Lake Greek, about two and half miles from
| Fort Smelling St. Anthony Falls are eight
miles up the Mississippi from Fl. Smelling, and
| at the village of Minneapolis, an enterprising
and manufacturing place of betHe 4 900 and
/ 5000 inhabitants. For beauty and pictur-
| esdue scenery Minne-ha- ha surpasses any
| Falls | ever beheld, while the waters of Lake
| Greek are as clear as crystal and tranquil as
| an angels smile.
! At St Paul Co. g of our regiment Joined
| Us, and oil June 18th Companies b, T. G and
! left Fort Smelling for Fort Ridgely, a dis
| lance of one hundred and forty miles. We
! made the distance in five days-the greatest
| marching that has ever been done through
/ this country-and l presume it would eclipse
/ many of the forced marches made in Dixie,
| when taking into consideration that half the
| time the men were without water. Our road
| ran through the villages of Shakopee, Bell
/ plain and Henderson, all three enterprising
and business places
Owing to extreme heat, and scarcity OF
| water, many of the men fell by the way and
had to be picked up by the train or they
| would have persisted on the prairics. 4 most
| sorrowfuI sight than the men and animals
| presented the night of the fourth DAYS march.
| We marched from 50 o'clock a. N. till II
o'clock p. M, the greater portion of the time
| out of water, the suns rays scorching our
| skins to almost a blister. The road for miles
| in the rear was strewed with men, and many
| did not reach camp till o'clock in the morn
ing. At the sight of water the poor animals
| roared most pitifully, while the men threw
| guns aside and dashed headlong into it, A
| portion Of our train did not reach Us for the
| night, ana had we been in a hostile section
| of country but little of it would have reached
| Fort Ridgely, az there was not a guard with
it, and it contained all the ammunition of the
| expedition.
The fifth DAYS march brought Us to Fort
Ridgelv, in making which We marched twenty
| eight miles without seeing house and TWEEN
| tv-four miles without meeting with water
This march was made III the night, and cCulC
mothers. wives and lovers have seen theil
sons. husbands and sweethearts the following
| morning. tears would have flowed for theil
noble defenders of liberty. Notwithstanding
plastered and bleeding feet, limbs and body
weary with the march and for the want o
sleep, face and hands smeared with dust anC
sweat the brave BOYS bore up her0ically, ant
/ when the summit of Fort Ridgely was reach
| ed. three hearty cheers were given, which re
echoed from the surrounding hills and wall
of the fertilization, exemplary of Wisconsin
true grit"
large portion of the country through
! which we passed bore evidence of the out
| RACES committed by the red skins" in '62-
houses demolished, fences torn down anC
| fields living waste, met Us OF either side
| Fort Ridgely bears demonstrative evidence
! of the bravery and determination of these
| fiends TO capture il.
| 4 drouth exists in this section of The
country, never in the memory Of man equaled
| No rain of any consequence has fallen here
| since q year ago last March. Grass and crop
| of every kind are perishing, and unless rail-
comes quickly, there viii be no harvesting Il
be done in a large portion Of Minnesota
Springs in many places have gone complete
| " drv Large sized streams and small lake.
| have also disappeared, and nothing remains
but their dry bed. The scarcity of waite
prevents as fine farming country as evel
| Law out Of doors, from being titled, and l an
| of the opinion that many farmers viii bt
| compelled TO purchase their entire supplies
| till a change takes place.
An expedition viii leave this place some
/ time during the fore part of the preseu
| month for Fort Wadsworth, on the james
! river Companies B, c, and K viii comprise
| a portion of the xpedition-Company be
ing left at Fort Ridgley. The reports o
/ scouts arriving are Indicative of renewed
| hostilities on the part of the Indians Tht
men, generally, are in good health and fine
/ spirits, and recovering fast from the effects o
! the recent march.
The thirty-eighth anniversary Of our IA
! tional Independence was duly celebrated Il
| accordance with military usage. The ORATOR
was delivered by Mr.. Conkright, formerly O
your city, and indeed was grand success
The exercises Of the day were brought 10
! close BY singing ''The Battle Cry of FREEDOM,
| after which the boys partook of " Hard tacl
and salt pork" gave three cheers for the
Union, and dispersed.
Having exhausted your patience, l ask par
don therefor and remain,
Respectfully yours,
FRANK j. Rowe.