The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-10-29
From the Sth Iowa Cavalry.

PULASKI, TENN, Oct. 18th 1854.
DEAR FRIENDS AND READERS or THE
I have had the privilege of writing to my
friends, on account of my trip south, from
which I have recently returned having
been SO fortunate as to be exchanged. /
suppose it would be unnecessary to at
tempt to give any account of our raid and
capture, as it has, no doubt already been
written by those who were 90 fortunate -
to escape. I would just say thar after
nearly two days hard fighting, in which
our regiment was continually engaged and
much of the time in close hand 70 hand
combat, we were overpowered, surrounded
by superior force and the most Of the men
and officers then epresent captured. Too
much praise cannot be awarded to our
brave and gallant Colonel, who being
wounded in .the first days fight did
not leave his saddle, but still continued to
lead and urge his men forward, and though
afterward confined to the ambulance, be
again took his horse the second day and
staid with his men. The fight was sharp
aud spirited rs we were fighting Texan
rangers; the best and most daring soldiers
of the South, who all admitted that they
never saw such cavalry fighting nor
such determined charges. Many Of our
men fell but we think many more of theirs.
After being captured we were taken to
Andersonviile prison come sixty miles
south of Macon where We were kept during
our imprisonment. 1t would be useless
for me to attempt to describe the nhiseries
and horrors of that place, as it can only be
imagined by those who try it. The aver.
age number OF deaths per day is from one
hundred to one hundred and fifty, and
thousands OF men became go weak for
want of proper food that they cannot walk,
and having no shelter must necessarily
die. We all admit that soldering in our
lines is but pleasure when compared with
being prisoner, and the sight OF the bat
tle-field Is not near SO horrid AZ the every
day appearance Of the prison, not one IN
twenty who get sick ever get any medi-
cineor are seen by doctor, so that scarcely
any attention at all is paid to the sick
There were about eleven h1ndred men ex-
changed among which were but fourteen
from our regiment. The men were being
removed from that prison to South Caro-
lima 1t was said that they would be better
cared for and have better quarters. !
b pc SO.
The regiment has left Franklin and the
laski, and the balance Of the regiment and
division have gone toward Florence Alar
bama where 1t is supposed we will follow
soon, where we may probably rest short
time, rs the division is much worn and
fatigued from the recent hard service. The
general health Of the regiment is good ana
the boys are in fine spirits and ready o
any time to meet the rebs and show them
fun. With respects to all close.
Remaining as ever yours,
J. Ps Downer, Co. D.
A letter, written by prisoner in Rich
mond, and struggled through, says there
has been another bread-riot in the rebel
capital. We quote from the letter:
"Old men, women and children, turned
out, armed with clubs, axes, ..brooms. &C.,
rushing frantically up and down the streets,
crying for bread. Houses were broken
pa..y made an attack on the prison
visions, and swore they would burn the
city unless the authorities removed the
prisoners. The militia, of home-guard
soon put q quietus on the poor wretchee,