The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-09-09
Glimpse at Some of the Hardshlps Of
the Soldier.


Fighting was not alone among the |
soldiers troubles. There were hard. |
ships besides standing up TO shoot and |
be shot at. Following are extracts
from correspondence printed in the ST. |
Paul Daily Press of Friday, Oct ID,
1864, which shows some of the routine |
of the soldiers life. The letter is
dated Cape Girardeau, Mo-, Oct. 6,
1864: We are out of the woods |
again. Imagine yourself shut out from
all come ctions with the outer world |
for the past three weeks while 80 much
of special interest is supposed to be
transporting, and you may be able to
form some faint idea of the thrill of
excitement which was experienced by
the weary soldiers in General Mowers
command when Cape Girardeau hove
in sight yesterday. The Mississippi
was suggestive of newspapers. The
latest paper we had previous to leav-
ing Brownsville, Ark, was the Chicago
Tribune of the 10th of September. A
| few days before we reached here Gen.
eral Mower had one of the 22d, oh.
tanned from a scout, believe, which
was but a ray of light which made the
darkness visible.
1--WE marched over 300 miles in nine
teen days over rough roads, in bad
weather part Of the time, and short ra-
tons most of it. We pressed supe-
rior force Of the enemy with week
the start and having the advantage of
being mounted, while a good part of
our command were infantry. We did
not fight and whip, for the good reason
that we could not reach him.
Many of the men and horses were
barefooted during the last week of the
march. do not understand how bare.
footed men and horses ever got over
those flint hills of Northeastern Arkan-
sas and Southeastern Missouri. For
age and empty supply wagons were in
good demand the last few days, while
many a plucky soldier hobbled in on
feet that man with weak nerves would
shrink from using at all We have
some noble men in our regiment.
Minnesota may well be proud of her rep
resentation in this command. Colonel
Hubbard, who commands the Second
brigade. First division, Sixteenth army
corps, has endeared himself to all the
men in the brigade by his untiring en-
ergy, activity and constant care for the
welfare OF the regiments under his
command. He is constantly on duty.
"Our mon are tired and footsore,
but very few are sick or discouraged.
They would like a little rest, but will
go on with will if their services are
needed Immediately, as we expect from
what we hear they are in Missouri"
The paper of the same date contains
a letter dated Little Rock, October 8,
1864, from another correspondents:
"We of the First division, Sixteenth
Army Corps, left Memphis, September
3, in transports for some point to us
unknown. Although in transports, a
feeling of sadness pervaded the divi-
sion. 1t was not at leaving Memphis,
sitting like queen among the ashes of
7 our camp fires. The paymaster had
failed to come to time.
! AT sunset we passed Helena, a
place of unenviable notoriety on &C.
count of its unhealthiness. All the
soldiers not in the hospital came out in
; front of two or three tents to gaze at
us as we sailed The Sixth Mime.
sofa is one of the regiments garrisonine
in this unhappy village. This and the
| Minnesota regiments in the fleet (the
! Fifth, Seventh, Ninth and Tenth), eX
& changed greetings. The sign of recog
8 milton was touching in the extreme. II
1 was the old Dakota war whoop, a fierce
Z 'yi-yi-yi' and sounded strangely enough
3 on the waters. This was also the battle
3 cry of our brave boys at Tupelo and
2 Tallahatchie.
8 "We left Duval's Bluff on the 10th
: for Brownsville, on the railroad tc
Little Rock, the regiment making G
hard march of twenty-five miles across
a prairie, the sick and disabled follow,
ing the day after in cars. The camp
was in a dense forest on the banks of q
creek or bayou, the waters of which
= were the color of lager beer. 1t was
undoubtedly the ooze from cypress
swamps. This water we we're obliged
to drink, and as a result there was ar
alarming increase of the sick list
Three hundred were sent from the di
vision to Little Rock for treatment or
( the 10th. On the 18th the division
6 moved off in the direction of PHO
7 Knob, Missouri. Your correspondent
= is unable to chronicle their movements
: farther, having been sent to hospita
/ along with the three hundred"