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

J
GEORGE HIcKENLoPER,
lst Serg't. Go. X. 0@o ,.
From the Seth Iowa.
LITTLE Rock, ARK, Oct. s, 1864.
EDITOR HAWK -EYE:-It is seldom that
you are annoyed by correspondence from
The Seth Iowa Infantry, bat as the Houk-
Eve has an extensive circulation in the
counties from which the regimen. was
raised, 1t might be Interesting to our friends
at home to hear from US occasionally
through that channel. Since about the
18th OF last May, This regiment-or what
was left Of it after the disaster al Marks
Mill-has been doing post duty q. this
place. The number of the regiment now
present is 250 The NUMBER OF our prison.
ers at Camp Ford, Tyler, Texas, is eight
officers and 800 men. The
number OF prisoners originally taken was
about 40, but this number has been re-
duced 10 the present standard by the reb-
els paroling all the wounded who were I'M
able to travel, and many haveescaped from
the Stoekade at Tyler. Among the last
who made successful escape were Major
Hamilton and Captains Miller and Lam
bert. Captain Miller obtained leave Of
absence to 90 home, and died Immediately
after arriving at Unionville, where he re-
sided.
But few deaths have occurred at Camp
Ford among our prisoners, and compare
five.y but little sickness up to the time our
last prisoners escaped. In fact fewer deaths
have occurred among them than with the
regiment here, which was owing TO a large
proportion OF our soldiers here being new
recruits. as the deaths were mostly con-
fined to them. Since about the LIST OF June
the regiment has been under the command
OF Capt. w. +. Vermilion, Col. Kittridge
hn;u1 lat lad -
of Little Rock, and subsequently sent to
Iowa on recruiting service.
Under the excellent command and strict
discipline of Capt. VermiliOn, the regi-
ment has been in the best possible cOndi-
ton in regard to neat and soldierly appear
ance, and military efficiency generally, and
ii has been q matter Of surprise to see the
the men have performed all the severe du-
ties imposed upon them the past summer,
after passing the gloomy ordeal Of last
April.
We are now busily engaged in erecting
eomfOrta bic cabins for winter quarters, and
it is thought we shall remain here doing
post duty until the balance of our prison.
ers are exchanged, though under the late
order OF Gen. Grant suspending the ex-
change, it is highly problematicai when we
shall see them.
The event Of most note-at least to the
36th Iowa-which has happened to us this
summer, was the welcome return of Lieut..
Col. Drake, after an absence o nearly FIVE
months, caused by a severe wound received
at the battle Of Mack's Mill, on the 18th Of
last April. He arrived here on the lst inst,
and on the next day delivered short but
impressive address to the regiment, sup
porting himself during the time upon his
crutch. He il yet suffering much from the
effects of his wound and in quite lame.
The Colonel il much attached to the regi-
ment, and the attachment Is in the highest
degree reciprocal. am safe in saying
that it was this, more than any other
cause, that induced his return IN his pres
ent condition. Through all the trials and
vicissitudes Of the regiment he has never
shrunk from duty, and he received his
present severe and honorable wound while
charged with the responsible position Of
leading his brigade at Mack's Mill. Until
able To assume the active duties OF the field
he will doubtless be assigned to some hon.
orable and responsible position. At pres
ent he is detailed AZ President Of General
Court Martials. He has the confidence and
esteem Of the commanding Generals of the
division and department., which were we'll
earned in the expedition to Camden, in
which he bore 30 responsible and distin-
guished part Ut Elkin's Ford and other
ngagements.
Il has been fruitful source Of evil to our
cause that, while many appointments have.
been unworthily bestowed, men Of true
worth and sterlinG natural abilities are left
to demonstrate their claims, by slow and
weary process, to position. / know not
that Col. Drake has ever aspired to or de-
sired position above that which he now
occupies, but do know that his genuine
patriotism and military abilities deserve it.
But one short month now intervenes be-
tween this and the Presidential election.
vet in that month what mOmentous inter-
ests are involved! In this month may be
decided the destiny of our Government.
During tho present month il will devOlve
upon the people to decide whether they are
worthy Of q free Government, and the
blessings Of liberty and self-government,
or whether they are base enough and GRIM
inal enough, before the nations Of the
earth and high heaven, to yield up all that
has been gained Of liberty and human
rights In the last eighty years, and retro.
archy az much darker and more infamous
than any that has ever blackened the an
malls of human imbecility, imcompetency
and folly, a our intelligence and free in
stitutions have placed as in advance of all
other times and nations.
Although the soldiers in the field would
seem to have sufficient to attract their at
tention solely to armed traitors in the South
vet they are anxiously watching the course
in the North, knowing we'll that the prin-
cipal danger Of the Government in this cri-
sis now exists At home, among the treach-
erous Peace sneaks," who are strongly
every ingenuity and wicked de-
vice to assist their friends in the South to
destroy the Government. If the people at
home will be true and do their duty in the