Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-07-22
From the Sth Iowa Cavalry.
Its severdl Fights and SkImisAes in
Georgia." Honor to aUIom Honor is
Due "-BiH of Faro ON the Fourth.

.. .. Its several Fights and SkirD1iS/ses .
Georgia." Honor to aUhOna Honor
3 Due "-BiH Of Faro ON the Fourth.
CAMP srn Iowa CAVALRY 10 MILES SOUTH OF
LOST MOUNTAIN, GA. July 4, 1854.
I DEAR JOURNAL: KNOWING that yo
are pretty well posted in regard to tn
success of the Army of the Cumberland
| shall not attempt to give you much Q
a description of the thousand and on
victories we havegained during this lon
and tedious campaign.
The first division of cavalry, Gen
McCook commanding, was ordered t.
march from Cleveland, Tennessee, or
the Sd day of May last, and as we know
nothing in the army but tstrictobedienc,
to ORDERS we unfurled our banner to tht
breeze, and started to ''hunt up amuss
We didn't have much of "hunt, "how
ever, for at Varnell Station we found tn,
Johnny's, and twas there the Sth lows
had to show her hand for the first time
! The enemy held a strong position OH g
high hill, while our men were below in
the valley. The "dance" commenced
with brisk skirmishing on both Sides
Finding they could make nothing by
using their small arms, they opened
their battery from the top Of the hill
and the way they let theshells into "oul
folks" was tremendous to behold. They
no doubt thought to scare us away, but
we didn't scare worth darn" Theil
next move was to charge our line, which
they did, and were handsomely repuls.
ed. 1t is "rumored" the Sth Iowa
sports pretty good fighting stock
The fact of the business is, we "bearded
the lion in his den," he showed his
teeth, then dropped his narrative" and
sneaked Off like a whipped "purp."
TO mention each ofthe fights and skir.
mishes we have been engaged in, would
take too much time, Therefore, | will
only mention some of the most impor-
tant "raws."
There is place down in Georgia, they
call Buzzard Roost, maybe you have
heard of it. We were told by some OF
the knowing ones" that if our cavalry
went in there we would not half of us
come out alive. The boys said that was
just the place they had been looking
for' for some time. Judging from APP
pearances, l think it very well named,
for nothing but a buZzard or rebel, OF
some such bird of prey would inhabit
such place. After some severe fight
ing, and not liking the language of our
"birds" 0pound parrots) the buzzards
took one grand circle to the left, and
promenaded out Of that region. Rebs
ditto. Our next move was to the ex-
treme right. We marched at D. m,
and after having passed Tunnel Hill,
and travelling until ''way in the night, 4"
we halted directly opposite Rocky faced
Ridge, where the enemy were in large
force, and in as strong Notifications as
solid rock could make for them We
sent a small force further to our right,
to feel around Snake Gap, after which
we "set our birds" The enemy couldn't
see the point, however, and evacuated
the Ridge that night. We Immediately
commenced the ascent OF hemountain,
which is high enough for all practical
purposes, l can assure you. You may
talk about natural Notifications and
positions, butthis "caps" themall. We
left Dalton to our left and camped oppo-
site Snake Gap. Long before daylight
we heard the infantry pounding their
sheep-skins,' and ere long the musket-
ry could be heard popping and banging
away, rs if they were celebrating the
fourth of July or any otherman. They
shoot very careless, and would 'just as
soon as nOt' knock down a reb, by way
OF joke.
| Our next "big thing" was at Cassville,
where the Sth Iowa, after driving the
enemy into their breastworks, made Il
sabre charge and totally routed them.-
Talk about skedaddling, that's no name
for the style in which they "got" out of
| there. They broke worse NOR a quar-
ter hoss." Frsm Cassville we marched
/ ffN iS h,., %D
la place, but the enemy have been there
so often they have literally torn it to
pieces. The citizens all tell us their own
army uses them worse, as a general
| thing, than We do, and from what have
seen, [ believe it is so. Our boys viii
generally leave a little for the family to
| subsist on, but the Johnny's "clean
| them out' entirely, and seldom leave
| enough for a '.jay bird's' breakfast
Many times have [ seen our boys give
| their "hard tack" to the innocent little
children, who were crying from utter
want of something to eat. It is really
| too bad, but how is it to be helped p
Their parents helped tip over the bee
hive, and if they get stung they must
blame themselves, not us.
1t is noticed by nearly every soldier in
our division, that in the telegraph re-
ports published iu the newspapers, Gen.
Stoneman's cavalry command has the
credit of doing all the cavalry work that
is done in these "diggins." Now, be it
known to the people of the United
States, and to the citizens of the State
of Iowa in particular, that there is such
a command now at the front, as Gen.
McCook's division of cavalry, and what
is more, they have been constantly un-
der the fire of the enemy since the 7th
Of last May. They have never been
whipped, although they have often been
beset by vastly superior numbers
"Honor to whom honor is DUE" is a
good old saying, and ought to be lived
up to in these trying times. Gen. Stone
man is good commander, and has brave
men under him, but that does not "sig-
Nifty" that Gen. McCook is not just as
brave, and has just as good fighting men
under his command. At least the rebs
think so, and they ought to be pretty
good judges by this time.
A short time ago chanced to pick up
a paper, and the first thing 1 noticed
was the line "HooKER TAKES LOST
MOUNTAIN" "How are you, Hooker ~
came to my immediate relief. 1t really
made large amount of murmuringand
merriment in our camp. When Lost
Mountain was taken, Fighting Joe"
didn't happen to be within shooting dis
tance. The 8th Iowa happened to have
several fingers in that pie, for they
charged the thing" and made the rebs
"skid," and Major Root, with four COM
panies, pursued them four or five miles
south, to near Powder Springs.
Stoneman is all right no doubt, but
he and Hooker don't do all the work
that is done down here by any manner
Of means. There have been numerous
designations in the regiment since we
left Waverly, Tennessee but will men
ton none of them at present, suffice it
officers of the Sth, are about "played
out" and we are now blessed with some
men who have fight in them, as we'll as
natriOtism