Year: 1865

KEoKUK, I wa, Feb. 81, '65.


Messrs Editors Amid the dull mono
ting Of hospital life our minds naturally
dwell much on the past. This afternoon
the following incident recurred TO me:
OUR FIRST FUNERAL.


1t occurred in the fall Of 1862; our regi
ment had been in the United States ser
vice about three months. Many of ou,
number had fallen victims to disease in
various forms, but they had died in hospi
tails away from the regiment and were bur.
led BY strangers. We had composed par,
of the expedition which started from Mem
phis under the command Of Gen. Sherman,
which was intended to flank Price, who
was intrenched on the Tallahatchee river.
When Price fell back Gen. Serman return.
ed to Memphis with part of the troops
and made his first attack on Vicksburg,
upon the failure Of which he returned and
captured Arkansas Post, thus turning de.
feat into victory. In the meantime our re.
giment with others was left to guard the
railroad communication in the rear Of Gen.
Grants army which was then at Oxford.
We were stationed some twenty miles be-
low Holly Springs to guard the bridge
crossing the Tallahatchee. Our camp was
on the edge Of one of those cypress swamps
which our soldiers have reason for dreadine
so much. II was here that one of our
number took sick and died, his name is
now forgotten; all that I can remember is
that he was from Allamakee Co. The fu.
neral took place at the close of a beautiful
Sabbath evening.


Attracted by the mournful dirge and the
sound Of the mufled drums, fell in with
the funeral procession and soon found my.
self at the grave. The place and its sur
roundings were Of such character as to
make deep impression on our minds.-
The sun was just setting, as we could
see by the FURNISHED tops Of the moss.cov.
cred giant trees. The heavy rumbllng
of Grants artillery and wagon train as
they were falling back across the river came
to us with subdued sound, while to the
right could be seen glimpses Of the white
tents and smoke from the camp fires of the
"armed hosts" Besides all this it was
Sabbath ece, the time Of all others when
the soldier thinks of home and the loved
ones there. Our hearts were full as our
Chaplain spoke Of the family Of the dc
ceased who were then probably gathered
at their evening meal, little thinking of the
loss they had sustained; perhaps the little
ones were enquiring "when father would
come home," or where he then was; per.
haps the wife and mother had just sealed
her weekly letter, not dreaming that the
eyes which she hoped would peruse it were
then closed in death. Every eye was mois-
tened and we believe that every heart join.
ed in the prayer Of the Chaplain. "That
the God Of the widow and the fatherless
would temper the wind to the shorn lamb"


AS we retired with sad hearts from the
grave, echoes Of the farewell volley were
reverberating through the aislss of that
dark swamp and the evening wind waited
mournfully in the tops Of the trees.


Since then our regiment has been on
many hard fought battle field and we
have become familiar with scenes of car
mage and death. Many who were on that
Sabbath evening gathered around that
grave and shed tear to the memory Of
&eir comrade, now sleep in southern soil
ann bitter tears have been shed for them
Such Is soar. Yet amidst all its horrors
the impressions made by our "First Fune-
RAP will never be effaced from the minds
of many Of the 9th Iowa Infantry.


JonN EvERALL.