The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-11-26
VOL. II.

! off their allegiance to the confederacy and
return to faithful duty in the Union. Repre-
sentatons of this nature being made to Gen.
Grant, he ordered the expedition with such
instructions as were proper under the sup
posed state of facts.
T. Accordingly, Gen. Steyens0arorgpnized his
Iexpeditionary force, eonsisting of ne Sd
Division Of the 18th corps, Brig. Gen. NJ. D.
Leggett, the Iowa Brigade of the 18th corps,
cavalry, Capt. E. D, OshAnd, I'd Illinois cav.
airy, and some other troops, the infantry
numbering, perhaps, 4,500, and embsrking
on steamers moved to Goodrich's landi ng,
| whence the march into Louisiana was com
menced about the middle Of August. The
troops moved in light marching order, with
little tsansportotion, taking sufficient qssn-
tity of small rations-sugar, salt, coffee, and
hard bread for twenty days, depending on the
country for meat and other substantial edi-
bles.
Thus prepared, the devoted troops of this
little army commenced an expedition which
for suffering, intense heat. thirst, unprece
| dented, unaccountable, andunnecessary fore.
cd marches, was without . parallel in the his
| tory Of "Logan's Veteran Division" or the
Iowa Brigade, which before and afterwards
| made high reputation. not only in fighting,
| far more serious matter-marehing. Con.
| slider, that the route taken was nearly due
| West from Goodrich s Landing; that the
country was low and marshy at best, densely
covered with heavy timber and rank under
growth of precocious and fruitful saplings
that the leyees of the Mississippi at Lake
| Providence and elsewhere above had been
previously cut, whereby all this section of
country through which Stevenson moved had
been submerged, the high water mark being
plainly visible to the troops AS they marched
through the bottoms, IN many places twenty
or thirty feet above their heads that when
the waters snbsided they had left a rich alln.
vial, from which had sprung dense, gigantic
growth of vegetation, coming up to the very
roadside, and shutting out all breath or sir as
etieetually as walls of stone; that aimv
oozy bayous crossed the line of march every
few miles, over which bridges had TO be re-
paired or pontoons laid; that from these
bayous alone could water now be had, and
when had il was nearly hot enough to blister
the tongue, and filled with animated nature Of
the mot repulsiye kind that when the march
commenced in the morning the hot rays Of the
sun fell upon the men with the most enervat-
ing influence, pursued them all day rs with
flames OF vengeance, leaving hundreds every
day PROSTATE on the road, completely over
powered, and other hundreds with hands and
faces covered with blisters, like the paint of
ships in the torrid zone that notwitIstaud-
ing bridges were built, pontoons laid, and the
enemy ia considerable force harassing the ad.
vance, the column marched from fifteen 10
twenty miles a dsy-consider all these things,
aud it will readily be seen how terrible was
this march. Upon the evening Of the first
day, when the 18th Iowa halted al BAYOU Ma
con- fifteen miles from the Mississippi, and
stacked arms 10 go INTO bivouae, there were
less than an hundred muskets in lime, out OF
m aggregate of tro hundred and eighty nine
The others had fallen Out from sheer exhaus
tion and want of water. So it was with other
regiments of the whole command, and rs was
the first day so were all the others of this ra-
pid march. But for the wagons and arnbu-
iances, crowded with worn out men, more
than half the troops must have been left on
the way.
The army several nights bivouaeked on the
east bank of a bayou, with the enemny inme-
diately opposite on the west side. Once or
twice when such was the fact, the troops were
addressed by Gen. Stevensoa, a they hled by
TO 60 into bivouac, with very encouraging
words, to the effect that the enemy had at last
been brought to bay, and fine fight would
take place in the morning But ia every in
stance the enemy showed his heels. At Point
Jefferson, hamlet about half way between
the Mississippi and Monroe, the onion col
umn came SO close upon the rebels that they
were compelled to abandon their sick and
wounded, who numbered one hundred and
sixty, with hospitals and considerable proper
ty, fell into our hands. The enemy WIS pur~
sued to Monroe, where he made AHshehf re-
sstance, and retired across the Washita river
into the wild regions between this point and
Shreveport. destroying the pontoons behind
him. &s
Gen. Leggett was made Provost Marshal of
the town, which proved to be small but
prosperous place, containing large quantities
of cotton. The stories of -CAion sentiment
in the country turned out to be unmixed fc-
tons, concocted, as the troops believed, in the
fertile brain of the general commanding for
the purpose of getting up this expedition in
the absence of his division commander, in
direction where it was supposed there would
be about enough fighting for promotion, but
without reaching the degree Of particalar .'un.
healthfulness. -
The army remained at Monroe two days
Much cotton was found, the destruction of
which was prohibited by STEVENSON. The
army then commenced to retrace its steps.
The countermarch was not SO rapid as the
auvance, Udt WIS Weu ufgu 6S eXn8uStlve, ana
disagreeable. The only visible affirmative re-
suits of the expedition we're large quantity
of forage and an immense drove of cattle Ia
ken at Monroe. The column reached Vicks-
burg on its return on the Sd of September,
whereupon Gen. Stevenson forthwith issued
congratulatory order, containing more glow
ing heroics than any ever issued by Grant or
Sherman, or Sheridan or Thomas, or all Of
them together The troops did not see It in
the same light Half Of them were COM
pletely worn out, From the effects of dis
march many became sick and died, and it was
long before those who survived it recovered
vigorous health and spirits; and to this day
it is referred to by all who took part in it Is
the expedition of the war, illustrating de
maximum amount Of physical suffering and
endurance that an army is capable Of under
going. AS for Gen. Stevenson, he was soon
relieved and sent into another department,
for failing, as was freely circulated in the
army, 70 destroy the ensmy's cotton, and fr1
marching his command nearly to death with
out any Necessity. wsssssl
s. KAssAa<-The bssvenworsh Bslzdin says
the Legislature Of Kansas is one of unusual
ability. Itineludes Coloueis 3. NJ Wood,
Blair and Phillips, Hon. Ira j. Locock, Sol.
Miller, and Click, of Atchison, and other
distinguished leading men in the State
Among the important measures that will come
before the Leg stature viii be the reconstruc.
tion Of the representative districts, and the