The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-06-04
From the Ath lows Cavalry.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, May Is, 1864.

, nnn that the Fourth Iowa Cavalry is
AGAIN on the war path. We have been
;n Int few DAYS from q two weeks
scout after Forrest, and l have hard
ly had time to read the paper ana ascerr
tain my latitude and Longitude, so II
wobble u little in this communIcauo.n,
hone YOU will attribute it to > want OF tllne
to regain nv equilibrium, and get square
with the world, since my return from Inc
While the veterans were at home on fur
lonrh verv little worthy of note occurred
with us. We remained in our Ola camp
guarding cotton planters, stood plcket, pa
troled and secuted little. Cspt. nlv 0 Is
mond. Of Salt peter Cave fame, was lett IN
com mand of the recruits and non veterans.
This brave and gallant officer exhibited
remark able zeal and determination to
crush the rebellion by drilling the men on
Sunday. and several times during the
week in grand review. inspection ana dress
parade. This was all very entertaining 10
the recruits, and very refreshing 70 the
non veterans who had not had the pleasuse
parade. and but few inspections (none on
Mndav) since Col. WinslOw took COM
mand Of the Regiment.
At midnight on the 18th nit. we received
orders to march at daylight to Vicksburg,
thence to 90 to Memphis to join the vete-
rams who had halted there. 50 glad were
we to get away from Vicksburg, that no
more sleeping was done that night, but
continual hnrrah kept up for Memphis,
Chattanooga and the Potomac. We had
pleasant trip, and passed Helena just one
wear from the day we broke up camp there
with hurrah for Vicksburg. We reached
Memphis on the 10Th. We found the vete-
rams looking well and so stylish, that we
could hardly distinguish priyates from
officers. They seem well pleased with their
visit and the attentions paid them at home,
but many regret is spoken when they
think of their last day at home. Says one:
s.My hope! it was like saving of the heart
strings with q rusty nall Another, IF
had known there were so many young
shirks left up North would never have
re-enlsted." Another, "Confound 1t! my
baby had just begun to know me when
had to leave" And still another eccentric,
...The tears rolled down my girls cheeks as
big as biscuits when l left"
As we non-vets read in the papers OF the
grand reception and splendid entertain
ments given to our brother soldiers and
reflected on what good supper we had
missed by not re-enlistiDg, we felt almost
sorry that we did not become veterans
But since we have learned from the boys
that the receptions will not last nor the
supper taste three years, we feel more con-
tented gnawing our irod-clads and swine
stomach, which though less pleasant TO the
palate sticks to the ribs longer than pie
and sponge cake.
We did not remain long here. In about
Is hours after landing we were on the
march in search of Forrest. The expedi-
a worthy disciple Of Little Mac, and true
Of Potomac strategy. doubt
much if Little Napoleon himself had been
in command whether he could have s0suc-
avoided disturbance with the
enemy, or like Peter of old followed him
at too great distance" In order that the
public might have some idea Of the Gener-
ais ability, and be grateful for his services
/ would like to present q brief sketch OF the
of our forced marches and
long halts. This might be of much service
to the country, for should Mcclellan fall in
battle we might need him for y candidate
for the next Presidency. but dare not
occupy the space, and will recite only two
ircidents.) know nothing of the Gener-
but lam confident that had he been lead
ing member Of the 3Sth Congrers, it would
not have taken that body 50 long TO settle
the Whisky question.
The first day our regiment marched
alone, to Moscow station, thirty-seven
miles, through drenching all-day rain
Here We came up with q brigade of infan-
eIy WuAcu udO cOINe tuUS IaE Ou Tue CdIS.-
The next day being pleasant we marched
three miles to Wolf Creek. Here Col. Me-
Millen commanding the Infantry Brigade,
spent nineteen hours building q bridge
over stream, which should have been
done in two hours and a half, and which
we might have gone clear round in eight
hours. The first wagon that attempted to
mules and destroying y whole load of am
nunition. We then had to wait Is hours
longer for Col. McNiillen to build another
bridge. Meantime the rest Ofthe force had
gone round and marched to Bolivar, leav-
ing our column about thirty hours behind.
At Bolivar Gen. Sturgis came up with
and attacked the rear guard OF the enemy,
in person, whipped them with only two
regiments, and drove them through town.
But the rest of his column were so strung
ont that th6y could not come up in time To
pursue. Forrest retreated to the Hatchie
river, where, instead of crossing the bridge
and cutting 1t after him, he cut it down be-
fore him, and retreated up the river on the
When Gen. Sturgis, forces came up he a0
vanced to the river, and finding no bridge,
to make one, and pursue For
rest in an opposite direction TO the one in
which all reports of citizens aud negroes
he had retreated.> -.
Alter SP0p0lnG sixty ur0W0rk1ng at o
bridge, during which time our column
came up, he became convinced that the re
ports were true. He then destroyed his
half. built bridge, about faced, and started
ON the double quick upon the rather cold
trail which the Guerrilla Chief had made
sixty hours before. We followed this trail
two days over q rough, barren country,
where nothing could be found to subsist
man or horse. The trail not no warmer,
and we, being tired out, starved out, and
bored out, turned our cot1fse toward Mem
phis, which place we reached IN four. dsys,
The nett results of the expedition foot up
about as follows: Our loss, teo killed, for
wounded aud two missing; at least $50, 600
IN the waste of cavalry horses, mules and
ammunition. The enemy's. loss, twelve
killed. twenty wounded and i've prisoners.
Among his wounded was Forests Chief
: The road eastward from here to Bolivar
md thence to Corinth, is one continual
ihain Of Notifications, deserted camps, but |
enanted grave-yards. Tennessee is one |
vast sepulcher of our sacred dead, as well |
- those Of the rebels. Every county. and
almost every township, contains hallowed |
round to some of US, fer our loved ones
i0 there. And h0anfifn1 hoo,.tifs,1 49,