The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-04-25
~ - - o. g
KFoln 49, Is
II xun 1nsncnns, 81
81Soan BLAE1I1, AEA1Aa1A, 81
Anil -, 1855.

April 81, 1855.
I shall attempt % give yos no he
news from this quarter. bat brief y.
nopsis Of past movements and tho present |
situation:
Steele's column moved from Psnsacola
on the alst d last month. going north to |
Pollard and then striking nearly due
west. The country through which We
had to pass was covered with Pima. the
ssrfaos generally level, the soil sandy and
Of the most treachsross nature. Ground
which seemed solid and firm on the cop
vas supported By beds Of quick sand, 4nd
wagons would often sink t, their sxlss
while standing still 10 the road. Upward
Of forty wagons we're thus s,nfortsbly
settled at one time. There va one thing
which Nature did NOT take into consider.
alton in making this region impossible for
. Yankee army to pass through. namely
That young pines make IN excellent cor
duroy. We left road much better than
the State had heretofore afforded.
There were . few isolated habisations
through this vast wilderness, the inmates
Of which must have been impressed With
q love of retirement surprising the her
mits Of old. II there be any Who are
longing for home in come vast wilder
ness. where the sun is sparing Of his Iigh,
where squirrel will not live. or birds
build their nests where the dark shades
J Of night may be found at meridian, sod
. where the "whangdoodIe mourue,h for It's
6rst born"-Iet them seek this land Of
flowers.
There vas but one place (until We
neared the Tenesaw river that would 10
. dicate life or that some one really lived
. there. and before We had oil passed rat
!. might toiss If be had but s'tbree grains OF
corn" for much of the forage for our an.
finals had been thrown away to Tighten
, our loads, and We were sadly in need Of
grain.
Il Irode up to house and was spoken to
BY . woman who had two eyes-I mean
BY this that she looked st me by casting
her head sideways and making her nose
the compass or line of observation. and
"going one eye" on me at time.
She professed to be q Union womsu
o and vas glad to see Us but sorry her corr
t was gone, and remarked, 10 answer e
Q some inquiries, that you 'uus dor lie me
good last fall when you come this way
but | do think you 'uns done me bad thi:
: time.' had no apologies to make. fol
: the army Is cruel, and can be no other
e wise.
d saw one woman who hoped we nigh,
: take Mobile without fight, for husba %
was there and she was confident he wou!e
0 be exchanged if taken. l did not blame
J; her for sacrificing patriotism to persona
: interest. for in her case have no doab
q she considered herself lucky 10 get bus
band, THAT is, if am any Judge of th.
cause or emotions which promp. men I.
y such actions, } and if she lost him she los
8 her sll.
Some contrabands, Who hearing of gu,
coming, left home on tho west side of The
Alabama river and joined US here, say
that the wealthy are moving to tho int.
rior, ~ they believe Mobile must fJu.
A dashing cavalry officer, more brave
: than prudent, accomplishes much By
dressing his men in rebel uniform, and,
= marching into their camps, demanding
| immediate surrender He captured two
trains on the Great Northern railroad. a
few hundred prisoners, as many horses,
r and considerable tobacco. This hsxard.
Gus mode Of warfare has it's good results
Ia approaching this place he sent squad
ahead, following closely with ! larger
!. force, and succeed in taking the ad
d vance post of the enemy, amounting to
I about seventy-6ve. Soon after . torpedo
exploded, but without injurinp auy one
These fellows then acknowledged ihatthey
= 1were burying them all along the road
when We came up. They were made TO
: Dig them up. With many q look of aegsr
8 d 'shlng from our boys eyes, who we're
/ waiting only too willingly for them TO
refuse, when they would have bored them
through. Twenty seven were dug up By
them
e'S5o VI this pidce commenced on
; the I'd inst, and We have gradually ad-
, vaueed until We are in plain view Of their
, works, which are quite strong for easth.
works. Our advance upon them in this
direction seemed to take them BY surprise.
. tor the bridges we're all in very good con.
, ditiou.
. The enemy favor us with shot and she'll
! row and then. and their ammunition is Of
the best quality, their shells bursting with
unerr'ng certainty just at the very iu-
slant intended. They have . peculiar
cartridge which is explosive, and when
fred makes no report in leaving the gun.
but cracks loudly when it bursts, but 60
far has been quite rs harmless q noisy. A.
they always explode away shove our heads.
A few nights Stree the following CONVEX
sation occurred
Hullo, Mig |" '.What does you
want I" What are you doing dovr
here fighting us'" i" Go way d.r; /
cum down here to marry your sister r.
This WaA ensvaped h. : h..flnA