The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-08-11
From the A7th Iowa.
HEADQUARTERS 47th Iowa INFANTRY
HELENA ARK, July 2Sth GA.

From the A7th Iowa,
HEADQUARTERS 47th Iowa INFANTRY
HELENA ARK, July 28th Ga.
FRIEND NoRRIs:-1 presume you have
heard something Of the history of our Regi-
it vas organized June Sd, mus
tered into service on the 4th, clothed on
the 9Th armed on the 9th and left camp
Kinsman for Dixie on morning Of the 18th.
We numbered S7S rank and Gle. Reached
Cairo III. at A p. m. Of June 9th, marched
back to the filthiest barracks have ever
seen, which however was occupied only in
part, even after the men had spent great
deal of labor in policing them. Most of the
regiment prefer red to sleep out on the open
ground, although it was kept muddy by
frequent showers.
On the evening Of the 18th we marched
on board the steamer Atlantic; one Of the
finest boats on the river; and reached Mem.
phis at early dawn Of 10Th; occupied part Of
the city wharf, momentarily expecting
orders to march out to the picket lines in
rear of the city which was then constantly
threatened and worried. But after dinner,
contrary to all our anticipations,> contrary
to all our wishes. and the express instruc
tons of Gov. Stone, and in the disregard Of
the wishes and orders of Gen. Sherman an1
Secretary Stanton, we were ordered to He
lena. Arkansas. Six companies went down
on board the Rose Hambleton, and fonr on
the White Cloud, arrived at Helena, NOR
ming of 10th, marche ed down to our present
encampment about half mile below the
city, stacked arms, drew our "dog' tents
politely named ''shelter tents" got thorough.
fy drenched by sudden gusty shower in
the afternoon, but found time to "set
things to rights and get our camp fires
going before dark. That evening a regi.
ment of colored troops were transferred
from this station to Little Rock, since that
date our time has been divided between
the drill, discipline and active duties Of the
harnessed soldier, and the care of our sick
comrades in hospitals and in quarters, and
more comfortable arrangement of quarters,
shading Of tents, clearing off and cleansing
of our. camp and surroundings &c. We
have now the best arranged and most DOM.
Portable camp under canvas-at this station
tents md avenues thoroughly shaded by
willow and cypress boughs thrown upor
poles supported on crotohes, at the bes
however, ss1aso
| s sffs a. Helena.
Our sick comrades, who are too i'll to re
main in quarters, or who cannot be suita.
bly, provided for 10 our Regimental Hospital,
are taken to the fine brick residence of tn,
rebel G II. Hndman, which is fitted ur
and occupied as General Hospital for viii oh
use It is admirably adapted.
Our greatest discomfort is the quality OF
the water we are compelled to drink. AT
first we slipped and drank it, tepid and
muddy. from the Mississippi. Now we
sink barrels in the ground; ill them in the
evening; charm the mud and other COM
mingled filth to the bottom by the aid of a
stick "pointed" with a lump Of alum. In
the morning this supplies US cool. clear wa
ter; bu. not comparable to that boarded in
csterns by our secesh neighbors under Gen.
Buford's protection up town.
Another source Of unmitigated pain, an.
noyance and positive loss of the services oil
more than hundred good men is found in
the poisoned virus introduced as vaone
matter, into the blood of our brave boys al
camp Mcclellan, and which keeps them of
duty and in suffering to this day. One
man just passed my tent whose arm it was
thought would have to be amputated He
tells me it is better this morning.
We submitted to the evil in patienes for
time, supposing the heavy fatigue duty
performed about the middle of June in this
hot climate had fevered the blood and az.
gravated the ordinarily painful but passing
action of the virus. Now we are convinced
the virus was positively bad. Many thanks
to my own family physician; thoughtful,
faithful, skillful DIR. Williamson, who
guarded me against this evil by attending
to my case himself, and tabooing the arm
to the touch of army surgeons; escaped
1t may interest you, as you sit in the
cool of the evening looking Off along the
clear pebbly Des Moines, and over the hills
and prairies that surround Ottumwa, per.
haps casting an occasional glance or stone
among your apple trees to prevent jsyhawk-
ing, meantime arranging after your me
thodical habit. the morrow's tasks, to have
ordered before you in review the scenes
that make up our every day life. Well, .
look through our camp at 4 o'clock in the
morning discovers perfect quiet, except
where along the outskirts the blanketed sen.
try PAGES his beat watching for rebs and
the relief guard. At the reveille brings
every man to his feet and into line on the
respective parade grounds Of the several
companies. After roll eah quarters and
grounds are thoroughly polished by help of
brush brooms, spades. hand barrows extern
porized from hard tack boxes; and two or
three veritable Irish buggies. The latter
having probably Aoated down from Gelena,
or from the stone quarries Of Rock Island,
after having been broken down and con-
demned nv n number ofnwneru in succos;op