The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1865-09-06
CAxr OF THE 18th Iowa VET. Vol TNvr,l
SELMA Ala Auv 18th 1865

CANP OF THE 18th Iowa vEr. Vol INvr,l
SELMA, Ala, Aug. 18th, 1865.
Dear Tmes.-Hoping that few lines from
soldier friend might not be amiss, and with
my best wishes for the prosperity of the TlxEs,
I shall proceed with my letter. Our regiment
Is doing Provost duty in this city At present
Selma Was most beautiful place in the palmy
days of 1859 go, but like most other cities of
the sunny South, it has suffered most fearfully
from the ravages Of desolating war. Blacken-
ed walls and huge piles of brick loom up in
every direction. showing where once were
heard the peaceful notes Of industry. Even
some Of Selma's finest churches were consum-
ed. though Gen. Wilson and his men used
every exertion in their power to save them;
yet owing to their proximity to the rebel com.
missary department, they shared similar fate.
The rebels had some very extensive Iron works
here, and some Of the largest cannon ever
saw were cast in these works; they also had
immense supplies of oil kinds Of ordnance
stores. But enough Of Selma.
The health Of our army is rather poor, many
Of the boys being sick Of various diseases such
- fever ard asue, chronic diarrhea and Aux,
and as matter Of course the hospitals are full,
and every day the mudled drum and the musket
salute tell Us that another brave comrade has
fallen by the insidious hand Of Death. Oh!
it is hard to see men languish, pine away and
die; brave men who have left al that was dear
to them, to fight for the Dag, and now that the
war Is ended. should be at home With their
loved ones, but who are still retained, and for
what purpose7 This is question We soldiers
would like to have answered! How can volun.
teers be held in times Of peace' I,with others
Of my comrades. formerly belonged to the 9th
Iowa, and when We enlisted We were promised
our discharge when the 27th were mustered
out, and under those inducements we enlisted.
We have stood BY the "Dear Old Flag" and
on one dozen battle fields we have proved our
bravery; fighting only as Iowa soldiers know
how to fight, and now, after the war is ended
and peace restored, we have been transferred
to the 18th, for the ostensible purpose Of serv.
ing out the balance of our enlistment! Had
such been the understanding At the time, we
would say nothing against it. think his
Excelleney, Gov. STONE, has not done his
whole duty to the brave men in the field
Governors Of other States have shown deep
! interest in the welfare Of their soldiers, and
they have done their duty by having them
mustered out Of service; bat Gov. STONE seems
more occupied ,oith negro s4f;age and othe,
schenes 10 elevate the precious negro. Why, il
he was down here in the land of cotton, he
could see the dear, black creature in all his
loveliness, and could also see the full effects OF
the two races dwelling together. I, for one,
don't consider any negro my equal, nor the
equal of any other white man; have observed
in all my travels through the South Il have
been in oil the cotton states except one or two
that the whites are degraded and the negroes
by no means elevated. by dwelling in the same
country together; and what, ask, must be the
effect produced on Society in general, wher
the negro comes out upon the stage of action
as free voter? For my part I shall moi
attempt to describe what must be the condition
Of our country when such catastrophe take.
place. We, as soldiers, have no objection te
negro suffrage anywhere outside the boundaries
Of the United States, but Gov. STONE and hi:
negro suffrage will be krocked into pi, this fall
by the overwhelming soldier vote which vii
be rolled up against him and his African
protegcs! Oh, LIT Us rally once more to the
polls this fall and as WHITE MEN, bury "negrc
suffrage" in Iowa so deep that it never can be
found again. Rest assured that the old 18th
is all right side up, and as she has ever beer
foremost'in battle, 70 in this election she viii
prove. by an overwhelming demons tration, tha
we are able TO maintain our rights at home.-
But about something else.
Fc. .the last month our rations have been O.
the poorest quality. more resembling prison
fare than soldier rations; mouldy, wormy
crackers, rusty old pork, with very little rice o.
beans; the rice half bugs; TO this fact th'
whole regiment will testify; sometimes VIC &c
soft bread; our rations Of sugar and coffee ART
all right. and have no objection to rais'
) against them; but must close. have writ
} ten this letter to let the folks know how We ar,
treated; is it any wonder we get homesick An,
! pine for loved ones at homer The weather
very warm and sultry; the mercu. pod 70
hours at one hundred and Eve in --.5 sbade
} today: what do you think Of that7 But good
bye, dear TIHes, for the present.
} F. H. BELL.
GEN. GRANT and party arrived yesterda,
morning in Dunleith at o'clock, on the Itasca
which was the occasion Of cannon booming O,