Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-09-21

caper with might and main, and with
much skill kept just ahead of the
marching band. This, of course, en-
couraged and stimulated our black
musicians. Many of the whites in the
Village were returned rebel soldiers
and the rest-all, or nearly all-were
bitter enemies to Yankees, and negro
soldiers in particular, and our men
and musicians knew it well now,
this and the dancing maidens induced
the band to put forth all their musical
powers as they marched through the
village.
The Adjutant went to see the Pro-
vost Marshal, and the Quartermaster
galloped ahead to look for place to
camp, leaving Col. Gelson and me to
ride alone. Now, of course, we ought
to have kept our feet in the stir,
rnps and at a certain angle, our bod.
les and heads erect, faces toward
the heads of our horsA. In a word,
we ought to have rode through the Sc
cesh village of Fayette in a digmifed
manner ! but we didn't In spite of
dignity and rules and regulations, we
did ride, part of the time, with our
faces the other way Col. G.'s neck
being somewhat longer than mine, he
seemed to look back with ease and a
little grace and dignity. With me il
was otherwise my neck being short
and sitter" than his, perhaps,
couldn't bear the twist-it was too
painful to bring my face on an angle
of IS or so degrees with my breast
and keep it there for any length of
time. So, preferring ease to "digni-
ty," just threw my right foot out of
the stirrup, and putting my right hand
on the back part of the saddle, rode with
ease and looked behind with great
pleasure and delight.
Though we marched through the
main street of the village in the cool
of the day-about 6 p. M.-very few
whites We're to be seen, either men,
women or children. They didn't want
to be seen looking at the Yankee
niggers.' (This is the name given to
our soldiers.) But, our "boys," as
we call them, seemed to shake the
ground with their solid tread and
measured step. Though they had
marched twenty miles that sultry day
in cloud of dust, and without suffi-
cient water, they showed no signs of
fatigue or thirst, now, though they had
little while previous. Covered with
dust from foot to head, on they came,
forms erect, chins up, cheered by the
music. Every member of the band
seemed to play for dear life, as he
watched the movements of the dane
ers just ahead of him.
The graceful motions of fine, tall
yellow girl about eighteen years old,
carrying a baby, Were quite attract
i've The baby seemed to be no inn
pediment at all. One minute you
would see the little thing perched up
on the right, and the next upon the
left shoulder of its nurse then she
would hold it high above her head,
regulating every move and motion by
the music. She scarcely rested an in
slant till we got about half mile
beyond the village, when the music
ceased playing.
Half an hour more brought US to
the margin of the stream where we en-.
camped for the night. The next morn
ing, between three and four o'clock,
we We're on the march. again. About
III o'clock we halted in the vicinity of
good spring of water. Having ta-
ken dinner and a siesta till about
p NJ, the order was to fall in" and
away we went again. About six
o'clock we came to little place call
ed "Union Church." twenty-one miles
from Fayette, and encamped in nice
grove, where, a few months ago, that
cruel murderer and rebel, Gen. Forrest,
had held picnic the large booth
under which he and his officers, with
the rich planters from far and near,
had feasted and spirited"
Long before sunrise, next morning,
we were again on the march, and con-
tinued our march, with our occasional
rest, till we reached sluggish stream,
about noon. We were now within
nine OR ten miles of Brookhaven, but
having marched fifteen miles, Col.
Gelson thought it best to remain here
till next morning, SO we encamped ac-
cordingly. Before the peep of day
next morning, We were again on the
way, and at about nine o'clockentered
Brookhaven. The place where we
were to camp lay nearly two miles be.
yond the village. Without halting
we pushed on and reached here a lit
tie before 10 A. NJ. How long we may
remain here, is among the things un
known to us.
In my next, I will endeavor to give
you a sketch of the people her.
and the country around. will add
however, that the two companies de
signated for Monticello, started mex