Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-08-11

Trip Of 90. to the Potomac Almy-Re6d
Recruiting IN Naryland-C Conservative Demo-
crafts ordered to fall ia-A.fairs at Petersburg.
Correspondence of the Daily State Journal.
IN THE FIELD NEAR PETERSBURG, Va
July 26, 1864.
MesSrs. Editors Go K and detachment
of the 37th Wisconsin, amounting in all to
105 men, started from Madison on the morn
ing Of the 18th July, were furnished with {,
good supper at the Crest" at Chicago, and
arrived at Harrisburg at 1916 p. m. on the
10Th, where we had to lie over, on account
of the Baltimore Railroad being cut by the
rascally seccsh, until the 10th, arriving in
Washington on the goth. Here we laid over
until the 21st.
was reliably informed when passing thro'
Maryland, that the Democrats, vino lately
made the armed raid into that State, and who
stole so freely from the loyal people therein,
| that when arriving in village or town, GER
tain officers detailed with guard for that
purpose, inquired for the residence of certain
good Conservative Democrats, sent out for them,
and when so collected together, they were
ordered to fall in," and told that earns and
horses would be furnished them" They in
variably demurred, but the officer politely
informed them that ne held in his hand a list
of the knights of the Golden Circle" that
he Lad their names and their oaths, by which
they had sworn to aid the Confederates the
first opportunity, and if they longer refused,
they would be "treated as deserters and shot
down" By these means they largely recruit
ed their forces. That these are facts | have
no doubt.
The trip from Washington, Oh board the
steamer John Brooks, via. Fortress Monroe
to City Point, where we arrived at P. NJ. on
the 22d, was very pleasant. l noticed par
ticularly that the colored population is very
very scarce on the plantations, &c, after en-
tering the State Of Maryland. | do not mean
that there were greater numbers North, but
that they have almost disappeared in Mary
land, District of Columbia and Virginia, ex-
cept what we see in the army.
City Point" is city that has sprung into
existence since May last. Steamers run reg
ships, schooners and wild steam tugs are
scattered all along the bay and river
From City Point we rode out six miles on
military railroad train, to Charles Station,
thence three miles on foot through the dust,
brought US to the old camp of the 37th Wis
cOnsin, one mile in rear of the trenches which
the regiment has occupied since the 18th
inst, and about one mile and a half from Pc
tersburg.
[ served over two years i'll the Army of
the Cumberland, but | never saw anything to
equal what | find here. The whole face of
the country has been dug up, and there are
lines after lines of very strong entrench-
ments, and supported by immense earth
works, built in regular fort fashion. Grants
invincible army drove them over two miles of
such Notifications on the memorable 18th
and 18th days of June last, and If he had had
fresh troops then, he would have driven the
Johnnies pell nell into Richmond before the
| goth of June. Our rife trenches are not
more than one hundred and twenty five PAGES
from the first line of the rebels, and the fir
| ing of small arms is continuous night and day.
with every now and then general pounding
away with the big guns. The siege is pro-
crossing slowly but surely.
The Thirty-seventh Wisconsin has been
constantly day and night under heavy fire
since the 18th inst. Many of our officers are
sick, but some are improving The traitors
have the exact range of Col. Harriman's
headquarters, and rain shells and minnies
about him continually, but he maintains his
steadinesS and equanimity as cool as Gu
cumber. PEMBROKE.