Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1898-12-23
Des Moines Company
Heard From.
Special to the Rystander.

Special to the Bystander.
MACON, GA. Editor Bystander and
many readers l take pleasure to write
a few items and give YOU an idea of our
new home at Macon Georgia. We have
been here three weeks VT landed here at
night in the middle Of large crtton
field. There was nothing but cotton and
soldiers to be seen amidst few scattered
log houses inhabited by old colored settlers
This camp is situated about three miles
from Macon and q half mile from jeff
Davis old prison where men work for
40 and 30 cents day. Co. NJ. has been
doing guard duty around there for several
rights. but failed to see Jetf's Cost. This
is an old fashioned country. You can see
men driving oxen hitched to buggies and
wagons coming down the pike every day.
They ride and drive them to church,
horses are scarce here. We'll we just seen
the Sixth Virginia regiment released from
prison they number in all about eleven
hundred and the cries and howls of joy
could be heard for miles. The 3rd, 9th.
9TH, and 10th regiment are all camped in
one field, moking about five thousand
colored soldiers in one body. You can
Judge what noise we can make The
9th vas arrested for mutiny and was
released the Sth of December and ono,
more restored to free American soldiers.
This is fine weather here. flowers are
in bloom, trees are green, men go to and
fro in their shirt sleeves everyday. Sick
ness in our comp my todate none, except
Henry Swan who is at Fort Thomas
Hospital where he has been about thirty
days. Dan Jackson came back to his
company aud regiment Sunday 4th. of
| December. There has been one accident
/ in our regiment since we arrived, one
| VIM Hamilton 4 member Of Co. X. killed
himself by shooting himself through the
| heart with a Springfield rifle. We had
| no accident or trouble on out way from |
Lexington as was stated by some papers.
Well we are proud as we have just re-
ceveu our new guns, they are called krag-
joryr~ons and they are very pretty SIX
shooting guns shooting 4 30 calibre steel
ball and will shoot three miles. We are
proud of them and could be seen next
morning at day brake in line waiting for
roll call, some stayed up with them all
night.
Lieutenant McAiee is adjutant of the
second battalion, he is Just what the tailor
ordered. But Wilburn is all .. X. Todd
in kitchen as usual but is not as good Il
cook as in The west. The cattle here are
raised on cotton seed, which does not
make the meat the best. Co. Nj. has
fine quartctte composed OF the following
boys Elmer Wabb, Robert S,l-uels,
Erarcisco .Jetlries, Marshall Townsey,
Sargent Geo. Parks and John Williams
and others to numerous to mention.
They sing the songs that are late and
upto date only. When they open up to
sing they cause hundreds to flock to listen
to their voices. Co. M. does not look as
she did when located on fourth St. in Des
Moines The boys are soldering now
and stand second TO none among the
thousands that are here. We took the
prize for having the finest decorated and
elegant street here last week. None OF
our boys have done anything to disgrace
themselves or their regiment since they
have been soldiers, SO we are proud OF
one another. Capt. Amos W. Brandt is
always with his company as mother
with her child. A tender hand of Capt.
Brandt can be found at the sick call OF
any one of his men. We will entertain
President Mckinley here on the 18th and
will be reviewed by him. Trip to Caba
doubtful. Pay day tomorrow. Amas
is near at hand we wish all our friends a
Cherry Christmas as we can not be with
YOU, we will have some fun in the cotton
Just the same.
JOHN W. RAlLEY.