Year: 1862

in cornfeld. Always ready for any emer-
gency, they pitched in, and gave them Hail


Columbia in short order. About two humid
red secesheis turned up their dirty toes, while
our entire loss was less than forty. When


we passed the place,I saw three wounded reb-
els at house near the battle field two we're


shot in the head and nearly gone under. The


other had a slight scratch on his left arm, and


was playing of for fear we should take him
prisoner. l talked with him. He said he


had no idea the Federals would fight So


We asked him if he thought We should have


a fight below there he said yes. Shall we


get swabbed out Not if you fight as those


did here. He expressed great wonder that


our army took cannon along when they 60


foraging. They are afraid of cannon and


bayonets. Before we got down to Duvol's


Bluff where they have been fortifying all


summer, and were said to have fifteen thous-


and men, they had all run like cowardly as
sassns and we had no enemy to fight. We
had an alarm last Friday, and stood in line


of battle with our batteries planted for some


time, but found no enemy but one poor sick


woman in an old log house, who said " as


sure as there's God in heaven, I'm going


North as soon as get able" We were near


ly out of provisions and expected to meet


our gunboats with transports Of rations and


clothing, at little place called Clarendon


They had been there, but Lot hearing any


thing of us had fallen back down the River


only few hours before the advance arrived.


Gen. Curtis had nothing left but to try and


reach some point where he could obtain sup


plies. Accordingly he struck out for this
| point, being fifty-fve miles, and we all made


it in three days. Our brigade marched "a


miles on Saturday, with the heat at SO in the
| shade. When the advance reached here,


there was one gunboat lying out in the river.


Gen. Steele had no blank cartridges and sa-


luted her by throwing shell over her; some


burst in the air, some on the other shore, and


some in the muddy waters of the mighty


Mississippi Not expecting friends from that


direction, and not relshing such compliments,


she rounded to for broadside but the poor,


tired and hungry soldiers by running up the


Stars and Stripes and by all the friendly sig.


nails they could show, at last made them,


selves known, end then there was such a


greeting as made the old woods ring. Wha'


our campaign thus far since the battle of Pea


Ridge has accomplished, is more than / car


tell. The enemy have acknowledged them


selves beaten by burning and destroying theil
own property. Thousands on thousands Q
bales of cotton have been burned, cotton gin
destroyed, hundreds of hogsheads Of suga


and molasses poured INTO the river or streets


and every where desolation and ruin mari


the foolish course of those whom the God
having destined to destruction, have mad
most desperately mad. On the other hand
all the country behind seems to be for tn
present left to the tender mercies of the mos
soulless desperadoes unhung. Indeed tn
progress of battalion of the Fifth Kansa
Cavalry, behind the army is the most memor
able march on record. They had to fgh
) all their way after entering the State. A
one place, weile in bathing, they were attack
ed by a large force Swimming to the shore
! some got shirt, some their shoes, and som
Q hat, while others were entirely naked br
!, all got their guns and freeing soon drove th
d rebels off, then went back and dressed q
e leisure. One of the Orderly Sergeants ha
!, got separated from all his comrades and jus
$ as he got his shirt on, was attacked by thre
+ and taken prisoner. They went shor
], distance, when, thinking one well arme
y rebel was enough for defenseless and n;
y ked Fed., two Of them turned about. II
d went on very quietly for a short distance
4 when, seeing good opportunity, he gave M
Sesher sickening pelt under the ear whic
% caused something to drop, and then shot hi
e through the forehead with his own gun, an
: broke the gun round tree, and cut throug
q the woods with all his might, till he met
:, negro, who told him where his master live
and he went boldly up and told pitiful ta
+ of how he had been attacked by the Nortl
"a ern Feds and robbed. The man gave hi
> some clothes, and he went on few miles fu
y ther and stole horse, and that night a
g rived in camp.