The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-04-07

{ Go,stiss4ed. }

By the Confederate Army cut. and the boats
out Of which II was constructed we're
floating in the stream. One large boat
was on shore which had sever been
launched. Capt. Hickenloper, Of Major
Gen. McPherson's staff, with his indefat-
igable pioneer corps, went to work and
soon had up the guy rope across the
river, to which the boats were attached
short distance below the old bridge OF
the rebels. The floating boats lying
about loose we're lowed. up stream, the
one on shore launched, the steep bank Of
the river on the west side graded down
30 as to admit the safe and easy passage
of artillery and transportation wagons,
with inconceivable rapidity which must
have astonishsd the natives accustomed
to the snail. like locomotion Of Southern I
nigeers and Southern workmen. Soon
the ringing Of = hundred hammers vas
heard nailipg on the boards, and before
sundown we crossed and marched out |
about mile, camping in the woods. i
A train of cars had only left Jackson.
from the east side of Pearl River, the day
before our arrival The railroad bridge |
had been destroyed during the FIRST raid
of our army; its abutments were still
standing The State Penitentiary was
also burned, and was told that the con-
victs, shortly after that memorable event,
were running about the city hunting up
their old landlord, the warden, to shay
him, in which undertaking they did not
succeed. Doubtless thinking discretion
the better part of valor, and are willing
to trust his fortunes to the tender mercies
of this herd Of offenders against the
peace and dignity of the State OF Mississ-
ippi," he had taken hasty departure for
some more congenial cline. This was
the third time the Northern vandals, !"
as rebel Generals and politicians delight
in terming us, had visited the devoted
capital of Mississippi The FIRST time,
before the siege Of Vioksburg; then again
under Sherman after the surrender-the
place being occasionally occupied by the
rebel forces till our coming-the scene Of
strife and disquietude. like the raging of
factions between John and Simon in
Jerusalem. t
The wealthier part of the population,
with their goods and chattels had taken
"the wings Of the morning" and gone to
Georgia, Alabama or Texas
The fortunes of war, which have laid
waste the fair and fertile cotton fields Of
the Sunny South. and left unpruned the
many beautiful hedges of Chickasav
roses, to waste their fragrance on the
desert air." have not dealt lightly with
jackson.
The poor are very poor and are unable
to get away, which is not to be wondered
at az wagons, mules and horses have
been taken at viii and carried off into thu
army. What they live upon in the city
is a mystery.
In the country, which We found filled
with fresh salt pork and pretty plenti
full supply of corn meal and -four, il il
less difficult to sustain life. Vegetables
in the gardens grow nearly all the year
which many Of them sell TO their neigh
bors but Confederate money after the,
get it is little better than the paper upol
which it is SO stability engraved.
EIegsnt houses, once magni6centl
furnished, with but few exceptions hav
now little more left than the bare wall
and few of the commonest necessarie
Of life. Luxurious sofas and ottoman
and Turkey carpets are hid away or car
ried off | have seen rough lookin
batterymen wrapped mp in piano covers
window-curtsins and the gay cloths whic
once ornamented mahogany centre-tablet
Othersi have seen carrying victims, An
one saw with guitar. The value G
properly in pianos 10 Mississippi in 1885,
as officially reported, was S7O0, 600, ey
eraging about one dollar per head 70 til
total population of the State.
As such articles are 4 little two heay
and cumbersome to .'toat" many remAil
upon which the fair ones can yet pla
and sing the Bonnie Blue Flag 40
1.-The Homespun dress the Souther
ladies wear - Diverpiug from the sui
ject, honiespun dress is white cotton Z
Iinsey woosey, worn only by the colore
population. -
Those who 90 into extacies and Sir
with such rhapsody about that hon
spun dress still wear their silks an
other fnery, now somewhat ont of styl
which they had before or at the cou
mencement of the war. and suffers goo,
from the North, or calico which has RI
the blockade at Mobile, sometimes rep
dating hoops.
An amusing circumstance occurred
jackson. which heard related, but d
not witness, but wished when | heard
it / had had dead head ticket to Il
show. A house Was on FIRE and an eide
ly lady wished to save from the wreck
large ld-fashioned mirror, which was !,
stairs. Being unable to manage it he
self. the called upon soldier, who kind
-conse' ted to assist her; and going u
shonldered the mirror, and with il on
back had nearly reached the bottom
the long fight Of stairs, when seeing
chicken, OF which q party we're ID pu
euit, he became % excited and So (
forgot himself and the precious burd,
with which be Was loaded, that he II
one long bound for the chicken, dsssir
the mirror % the door and sbsesiinv
intoa thousand pieees. The lady sto,
still, and raising up both hands ganxed
the young ecapooruCo % he ran In mu