The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-01-13
Army cofrsspondenee.
On BOARD SrE AMER ELLA.
PORr OF CAIRo. Dec 26. '63.

army C0fresp0ndences
On Board SrE AMER ELLA,
| PoRr OF CAIRo, Dec. IS, '63.
Dear Times Again am on the water
and once more take my pen to inform
you and our friends Of the welfare Of sbs
eth regiment, for it seems a. thoufk ~
are never to be brought into notice By pifr,
ticipating in hard fought battles nor ~
newspaper reporters, you will see that l
am on the hort,eward course, but alas this
I time to retirn without seeing our dear
ones at home ...r
Our regiment had scarcely campsd at
Memphis, until we wero called on for de.
tails, frat one thing and then another; and
so they kept it up. Lieut.. Olmsted was
over two weeks absent With guards to
Vicksburg, had only got back q few days
when / was called to take charge Of IS
men and one Lieut.. (Smith of Co. b I'd
guard Col. Myers, Chief Of Signal Corps.
The object Of this expedition is to test the
pract'cability Of establishing Signal Sta.
tons between this and Memphis, so as to
completely protect the navigation Of the
River. Our boat tie Ella is an old sterr
wheel steamer, but answers the purpose
very well. Her Captain John T. Rule, is
one Of those whole souled men that you
always find on well regulated boats. aud
his ii ere: crew .a!s are ell Of the same stamp
board with US, whose duty is to see that
the Government is not swindled, he also
is fine fellow. We left Memphis on
the 18th, and came along slow; how long
we may stay cannot tell. Our men wers
enjoying good health when we left.
Sunday evening 9th, wc are still u,
Cairo, but will likely leave to morrow for
Paduca for repairing break in some part
of the boat. Christmas passed of very
quiet with US. having but little to make US
r.oisy, few glasses Of egg-nog vas all We
had on board and those who went ashore
eitlie, had no money or else put il to diff.
fereu! use than spending it for strong
drinks.
Cairo is miserable mud hole Of d place:
but there is an immense amount Of bust.
ness done here. Everything here looks
like life. Large amounts Of hay and oats
are being brought here and shipped South
for Uncle Sans horses and mules, and
clothing and provisions for the men. Still
a number Of steamboats, are laid up foe
want Of freight; new buildings are going
up in all directions and a Railroad is in
operation hauling in dirt and filling up
streets, they have no bluffs to work on as
at McGregor, but they are digging out ons
place to fill up another. Ice is running in
the Mississippi and dr;itwood in the Ohio.
the former very low and the latter high.
Another detachment Of our regiment
passed through this place with prisoners
to Louisville Kentucky, and returned TO-
day, left again for Memphis. They report
all well when they left the regiment.
A Division Of Eastern troops passed
tn, oueh, landing At Columbus and moving
out in the direction Of Jackson, Tennessee.
They were mostly New York and Penn.
syivania troops, it is said that there ars
$4,000 rebels in Jackson, to oppose the
opening Of the road from Columbus to
Cerinth. They will have good time Of
it, it is said that there is only about %
miles OF road to repair, so that cars can
run through from Columbus to Chattanoo-
ga.
Some inquiry has been made by some Of
our friends in relations to sending boxes
and packages by Express, I will say in
answer, that there is no risk in sending at
this time nsmber Of such have been re.
ceived and l will say to those of our friends
in Farmcrsburs, that boxes sent to Co.
"E.' that We appreciate the motive, al.
though the goods w,rc spoiled. This sea-
son of the year is the time to send presents.
everything sent vii! be thankfully received
and long remembered. But above all don't
forget to send letters, they cost nothing, il
you cant Send any thing else send US
letter.
Yours, Tnos. G. DR,Ps.