USA > Iowa > Buchanan County > History of Buchanan County, Iowa, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 40
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LETTER NO. XXX.
CAMP HERRON, NINTH REGIMENT, IOWA VOLUNTEERS, October 24, 1861.
FRIEND RICH :- Thinking that a few lines from this, the land of secesh and the home of the homely, might perhaps not be uninteresting to the readers of your excellent paper, 1 will note down a few items and incidents which are common and peculiar to a soldier's life. We left Benton barracks on the morning of the twelfth, and took the cars at St. Louis about 3 o'clock P. M., for Camp Herron, arriving here about 10 o'clock at night. The road was very rough and uneven, and having probably the heaviest load the old iron horse ever drew, he travelled at a snail's pace, and we were somewhat astonished when we were in- formed that we were only thirty-seven miles from St. Louis. Along the line of the road the country is very broken and uneven, with timber in abundance; while here and there could be seen farm houses that beto- kened thrift and prosperity, with a plenty of fruit, that recalls scenes that have transpired in youth among the hills of the old Granite State, Camp Herron is situated between two bluffs that rise in splendid mag- niticence, the tops enveloped in dense ague fogs, while along their sides are huge rocks, enormous stumps and clumps of bushes.
The boys are enjoying themselves, passing away the leisure time in appropriating apples and other delicacies belonging to those whose loyalty is not above suspicion, and in scouting by parties of three or four up to fifty, according to the game we are in pursuit of. Five of our companies are stationed along the railroad, guarding the bridges from rebel incendiaries, and visiting those who are known to be enemies to their country. The sergeant that guards the bridge a mile from the camp arrested two last week, and brought them into camp. 1 had the pleasure of assisting in their capture, and, as pursued and pursners were mounted, we had an exciting time. But finally they were headed and taken into camp for inspection. The colonel dismissed one of them after administering the oath, but the other is still a prisoner. We have seven of the "eritters," and the number is still increasing. 1 would like to give you a description of a regular secesh, but that is an impos- sibility-to do him justice would be ont of the question. One who has been here any length of time can tell one, almost to a dead certainty, by their downcast, forsaken, yellow, and jaundiced countenances, occa- sioned in part, no doubt, by their close proximity to the Towa Ninth, knowing, as they must, that the day of retribution is at hand unless they repent. They have none of that noble manliness that can stand before the world and say, " 1 am an American."
I am one of a party that is going out to-morrow, and I think we shall have some sport before we return. There are a considerable num- ber of home-guards in this vicinity, and also a good many Missouri boys who are in the service for the war. I have conversed with quite a number of them, and they say we are too easy with those taken pris- oners. They think death, for traitors against such a government as ours, is far better than they deserve. The L'nion men see and feel the effects of this monstrous rebellion, and a great many have been forced to join the army to save themselves from the cowardly rebels. The army, they say, is the safest place for a Union man.
There was an alarm last night, occasioned by some of the guard
imagining that they heard or saw some one in the bushes near by where they were stationed. They discharged their pieces at the imag- inary something, gave the alarm, and in a very few minutes every com- pany was drawn up in line of battle, ready to meet the enemy. It turned out to be a false alarm. The only spy that could be found was an unfortunate hog, on a nutting expedition. This was quite early in the evening, and everything went on smoothly again until about I o'clock at night, when the guards raised another alarm. The lieutenant of the guard took a number of the men and went out to reconnoitre. They had not advanced far when they beheld a few rods in advance a crouching figure, ready to pour death, destruction and ounce balls into their ranks. A halt and the stern demand, "Who is there?" brought no response. The question was repeated, but the intrepid scout was not to be intimidated. A shot from the lieutenant's revolver sped on its deadly errand ; they rushed forward boldly to capture the prisoner and conduct him to headquarters ; but, strange to tell, he was still un- moved. The gallant officer of the guard had plumped the centre of a big black stump! It was the last alarm of the night.
The boys are all anxious to get their new arms and try themselves, We are getting tired of the old revolutionary fusees that we have now. The only capacity in which they excel is that of killing at the wrong end. One poor volunteer had his shoulder dislocated, was knocked down, and kicked three times after he was down. Another had one side of his face bruised; and quite a number have been jarred until their noses bled, while the catalogue of minor mishaps is endless. But this is not the worst aspect of the case. We can ontlive all such catas- trophies as these; but if we ever get into battle with them, the first fire we make will place us in position to be shot in the back by the rebels. We can put up with almost anything, but the idea of being turned right about face at every fire is too much; and, besides, it is a manœen- vre the lowa Ninth has not yet learned. We have splendid weather, warm and pleasant in the day-time, but cool at night. I received a Guardian day before yesterday, and it was quite a luxury to hear the news from so near home. H. P. W.
[The following are extracts from private letters from Lieutenant Jordan, of the Fifth regiment, written dur- ing the march southward to join the main force under Pope, destined to attack Price .- E. P.]
LETTER XXXI. CAMP NEAR QUINCY, MISSOURI, October 26, 1861. DEAR RICH: Ever since we left Boonville we have been on the tramp, marching each day from ten to twenty miles and camping at night. We are now, as near as I can find out, about twenty miles east of Osceola and seventy-five miles north of Springfield. We be- long to Pope's division, Second brigade. Davis' division is encamped near us. We suppose that Fremont is fifteen or twenty miles south. With great mortification and indignation, we hear that Hunter is to supercede him. The entire army has confidence in Fremont, and there is no doubt that in a few weeks, if left alone, he would defeat Price, and put an end to the war in this State. But the rotten politi- eians must have their way. I am afraid, if Fremont is superseded, that this army will rapidly become demoralized, and perhaps be beaten by Price.
The country through which we have passed the last few days is mis- erable. A few log houses, tenantless, the remains of slangh.tered ani- mals, and the debris of the camping regiments, are only and everywhere to be seen. This whole region has the appearance of being very thinly settled by half-civilized "pukes." We passed through the town of Warsaw, yesterday, and such a town ! but they are all about alike in this part of the State. The places of business are all closed, and a Sunday-like silence reigns supreme. A few straggling or sick soldiers and some slovenly-looking women and children, comprise the inhabi- tants. The north part of the State is quite different. Toward Colum- bia the people are educated and refined, and live luxuriously. It will take years for Missouri to revive from the disastrous effects of this war.
To-day is Sunday, a fine day, and we strike tents in about an hour. We have, alltogether, seventeen sick, fourteen of whom are scattered along at the different hospitals between here and Jefferson City. Carl White is under the weather, and I suspect has the measles. Quite a number of our men have them-got them from Indiana, the Twenty- second, nicknamed "paw-paw." I suppose you heard about the paw- paw battle, when they killed their own major and fifteen or twenty of their own men; and then reported that they had an engagement with the enemy. Our regiment is being rapidly reduced by sickness,
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA.
consequent upon sleeping on the damp ground with only one thin blanket. Almost all of us have severe colds. I have a rubber blanket, and every morning, when I get up, the under side is so wet the water will run off from it. Marshall has been appointed brigade quarter- master, rank of captain. Lewis is sergeant major: Dr. Martin is sur- geon of the " Hickory County brigade."
We have just pitched our tents again, about two miles west of our camp last night, on the headquarters of Hogel's creek, on a fine prai- rie. The weather is fine; hot in the middle of the day, comfortable at night. Previous to our last advance we had crackers, but now have flour; and as it is impossible to make bread, we mix it with water and fry cakes, which are very indigestible. The colonel is trying to get some ovens to bake bread in, and if he does, it will make it all right. What we need most is postage stamps; we can not get them here at all. The regiment has just got a new suit; and, in a short time, we are to get our overcoats and another blanket, so that we shall be well provid- ed for.
LETTER NO. XXXII.
SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI, November 4, 1861.
W'e have been on the tramp ever since I wrote last. I have been up the past three nights. On Saturday last 1 was detailed with twenty men and six teams to go after flour. The distance was six miles, so they told me. I started at 2 o'clock, travelled the six miles, and found that the wheat was not threshed. We then had to go two and a half miles further, to where the wheat was, get it threshed, and go fifteen miles further to mill. We got to the mill at ro o'clock the same night, imloaded our wheat and filled up with flour, and the next morning started for camp. When I got to the camp at Humansville, I found only some four hundred sick men. The troops had started about two hours after I went to mill, on a forced march to Springfield. l rode on, and reached this place yesterday at 2 o'clock, My seventy- five miles ride on horseback, not being used to it, has left me mighty sore. There are about fifty thousand troops here, and there was an engagement yesterday between our advanced guard and some "secesh" as we came into Springfield. Fifteen of our Fremont body-guards were killed, and about fifty Secesh. The camp is full of rumors. We left our tents and baggage behind, and came through in double-quick, as we heard there was a general engagement. We are encamped in some brush, without tents or knapsacks. The boys have just received two days' rations of fresh beef, and the only way they have of cooking it is to put it on a stick and roast it in the blaze. They make coffee by putting it in a tin cup and holding it on the fire until it is boiled. The rumor is that Price's picket is about six miles off, and advancing, but I do not believe a word of it. I expect we shall start to-night for Arkansas, but we have no orders to march yet. There are here infan- try, cavalry, artillery, lancers, guides, sappers and miners, and all de- scriptions of arms in the service. There are some one hundred and twenty pieces of artillery. If we could but make Price stand and fight, it would put an end to the war here; but I do not think he will. We hear to-day the worst news we have heard since the war com- menced. Fremont has been superseded. He passed through our camp to-day on his way 10 Washington. Everyone, from general down to private, deplores his removal; and curses, loud and earnest, can be beard on all sides. He has the confidence of the entire army. The political knaves, high in the Government, will have to answer for it.
We have in our company some eight men sick with the measles, but so far the company has not lost one by death.
LETTER NO. XXXIII.
CAMP HERRON, HEADQUARTERS IOWA NINTH, } October 30, 1861.
It gives us courage to see the hosts of patriots that are rushing in to save this unfortunate State from the coils of the serpent 1reason. The cheering news reaches us every day that the Union cause is triumphant throughout the State. Quartermaster Winslow is in New York after our Enfield rifles or Minie muskets, and also to make provision for paying the soldiers. And we know that when he comes, he comes with what he went after, or the red-tape and shoulder-strap com- mission will get a blessing. He is a man of the right stamp. He will do his whole duty without fear or favor. . We are still at Paci- fic City, forty miles west of St. Louis, and hope to get away soon. We have a number sick with typhoid fever and diarrhoea. Mareus Scott, of company H, died on the twenty-eighth. His brother came from Marion and took his body home in a metallic eoffin. John F. Drips is very low with typhoid fever, also a young man named Frank- lin. The following are the sick of company C: R. Y. Bain, P. Riterman and R. E. Freeman-the two latter are getting better; D. V.
Coe and Stephen Holman, also of our company. Holman has the measles, Coe bilious fever; the latter very sick. We are having a re- gular time with mumps and measles. The boys fear the mumps more than they do the rebels; the rebels run away from us, but the mumps won't.
The Independence papers are anxiously looked for every week by the "infants." If one comes into camp you will see a dozen after it, and one of the number becomes the reader, until all get the news. It seems like meeting an old friend to get a paper from home. We are all in good spirits, and getting ready for any emergency. The boys are practicing on wild turkeys at present, and there are plenty of them here. Captain Powers' company killed a deer the other day, two miles from their camp, which made a fine treat for them.
R. W. W.
LETTER NO. XXXIV. CAMP HERRON, NINTH IOWA REGIMENT, PACIFIC CITY, MISSOURI, November 24, 186r. S
FRIEND RICH :- The greatest mystery of all is why our guns do not arrive. They have been looked for with the greatest im- patience for a number of weeks. Quartermaster Winslow arrived last Wednesday, and stated that they would be here in a couple of days but we are still waiting for them. Colonel Vandever, commander of this post, having learned that a very fine secesh flag, which had waved defiantly in the village of Manchester, distant from this place twenty- three miles, was secreted in that vicinity, dispatched Lieutenant Bull, on the fifteenth instant, to effect its capture. Ile selected fifteen men from company C, and your correspondent was ene of the lucky ones. \\'e left camp at 5:30 P. M. , and took the evening train in a few minutes for Merrimac, where we were to leave the cars and perform the re- mainder of our journey on foot. At this point we were joined by the home guards stationed there, and soon performed our three mile march to Manchester. Surrounded the house of Esquire Barry, who has been foremost in the secession movements of that strong secesh town, and who was reported to have the flag in his possession, he was politely re- quested to resign its custody to the representatives of Uncle Sam. The 'squire protested against this imputation ; declared that the flag was not there, and that he knew nothing of its whereabouts. His lady admitted that she had for a time kept it secreted in a box in the garden, but as it was likely to spoil, she took it up, dried it, and it was taken away by some ladies living "a great way off," whose names she re- fused to give. Finally, after a thorough, but fruitless search of the house, and after the lieutenant had placed her husband under arrest, and was making preparations to take him to headquarters, the wife, (probably hoping to save her husband) acknowledged that a certain widow Stewart had taken the flag from there. Esquire B. was escorted to the station by four men, and the rest of us were led by our gallant lieutenant to the house where the flag was secreted. The house was surrounded and the flag demanded. The lady would like to know who informed the lieutenant that the flag was in her possession-she was willing that we should search the house, which was done, but no signs of the treasure were visible. The lady then thanked the officer for the gentlemanly manner in which the search was conducted, saying she supposed he was satisfied. But he shook his head and said that he still thought the flag was in her possession, and that it would be better for her to produce it at once; but if she would not, as unpleasant a task as it would be, he should arrest her, and take her to headquarters at Franklin. Accordingly two men were despatched for a carriage. This was but a feint of the lieutenant's to scare her, and insure the giving up of the flag. The men waited a few rods from the house-the officer waited for the delivery of the flag, and the lady was preparing appar_ ently to go. Finally she asked if any indignity would have been shown her, had she produced the flag, and was assured that there would not have been. Again she asked who informed him the flag was there; and when told that Mrs. B. was our informant, she said, "Captain, you are a gentleman, and I will deliver you the flag." She went to a bed that had been fruitlessly searched, took a quilt, and, with the aid of her girl, soon had it ripped open, and there lay the flag which, pre- vious to the advent of our troops in the neighborhood, was floating over the town in triumph. It was a fine one, twenty-one feet in length and nine feet wide. It had been placed in her care by Barry's folks for sale keeping, as she was a widow, and they naturally thought she would not be suspected. The flag is now in Colonel Vandever's charge, as is also Esquire B., who is awaiting his trial.
We have received our overcoats, and also our pay up to the last of October. The great western army is moving this way and will be in St. Louis in a few days. George Sellars, Pete Putnam, and three or four others, of Captain Lee's company, who have been in the hospital
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY, IOWA.
at St. Louis, were here the other night in pursuit of their regiment. They expected to meet it at Tipton yesterday. They reported their company in good health when they left. Our own boys in the hospital are getting along finely, with one or two exceptions.
E. C. LITTLE.
LETTER NO. XXXV.
HEADQUARTERS FIFTH IOWA REGIMENT, } SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI, November 8, 1861.
MR. EDITOR :- Seated by the threshold of Captain Lee's tent, in- haling the fresh, morning air, on which is borne the melody of innumera- ble brass bands, mingled with the plaintive bray of mules and shouts of angry teamsters, I propose a pensive hour to spend communing with the Guardian. . On Tuesday, the first instant, our brigade left Humansville at 2 P. M., and took the main road to Bolivar. Prior to starting, our gallant colonel rode along the lines, and assured us that we would have a long march, scant fare, and almost certainly a hard fight. We had not asked him where we were going and for this he complimented us; said it was not his duty to tell; hoped that we would sustain our reputation for courage and discipline, which had gone abroad far and near, and concluded by saying that the report which the brigade should give of itself, would depend upon the action of each man in its ranks. We marched nine miles that night, and camped by a small stream, built fires and lay down to catch a little rest. The air was quite cool, and, in the morning, we found a heavy coat of frost on our blankets. Were soon under way and reached Bolivar at noon, where we took dinner. The town was a scene of desolation. The next day, when about fifteen miles this side of Boli- var, we were met by a messenger, carrying dispatches of great im- portance, for we were halted by the roadside, and ordered to cook dinner (having had nothing warm for twenty-four hours), and prepare to march all night. Knapsacks and every thing that would impede us in travelling, were to be left behind in charge of the teamsters. At 5 P. M. the cavalry company advanced, our regiment closing in immediately after, the Ninth Missouri next, and the Indianians bringing up the rear. The whole line extended a distance of more than three miles, and presented a sight really grand and imposing, as it wound over bluffy heights and through deep ravines. We were on a spur of the Ozark mountains, which lies just northward from Springfield, in a suc- cession of long, broken ranges. We kept on until 10 o'clock without halting, when we were met by another courier, who stated that General Fremont had been superseded, and a new condition of things inaugurat- ed. Messengers were sent back to prevent the further advance of supply trains and baggage wagons. We were ordered to camp by the road- side. As fortune would have it, the place chosen for our location was on a steep hillside, covered with brush. Into this we went, crawling, dodging, twisting, stumbling, giving vent to all manner of angry ex- clamations, and ready to cry out in bitterness of spirit, " Ye took us to Athens, to meet the foe that was not. Ye compelled us to wade through mud to Columbia, to encounter some abuse and a host of musquitoes. Ye fooled us at Lamine, and now instead of the battle ye promised, we are forced in an inglorious manner into the brush."
The next morning we were assured that we should go on to Spring- field at all events, and after a fatiguing march reached there on the third instant. The country around Springfield is rough and broken, but poorly cultivated, well timbered, well watered, and affords good facilities for grazing, The inhabitants are a mixture of Irish, Scotch, and Dutch descent, speaking a variety of languages, and possessing principles, manners, and customs wholly dissimilar to ours, and shock- ingly barbarous to the quiet, suggestive(?), quid-loving yankee. Quite a number of Kentuckians and mongrel southerners manage to eke out a scanty living on the profits arising from the sale and hire of niggers, which, with them. is a laudable speculation. The fields, orchards, and gardens of the town have suffered severely since the war began, while many of the houses are tenantless. Naturally it is a pretty place, and was once the centre of a flourishing trade.
On the second morning after our arrival, we had an opportunity of seeing a company of Lane's renowned Jayhawkers. They are from the frontiers, regular pioneers and trappers; dressed in a loose hunting- frock, black hats with feathers, and moccasons. They are armed with Sharp's carbines, capable of doing good execution at two hundred yards, knife, sabre, and Colt's revolver. Altogether they are a formida- ble set of fellows, and will do to match against anything McCulloch can produce from the prairies of Texas.
But the most interesting spectacle of all was to witness the departure of Fremont with his body-guard, which occurred on the fourth instant. Ever since the news of his supersedure reached the public here, the
people have been in a state of excitement, bordering on insanity; and this increased as the time for his departure approached.
The first intimation of his coming was the music of the band float- ing out on the early morning air, and soon the road and every avenue around the camp, was lined with an eager crowd of spectators, anxious to catch a glimpse of the general. Soon the cortege came in sight, and in the following order: First the band, preceded by an aid-de- camp, with a drawn sword; second, the body-guard. These are most- ly half-breeds, from the Delaware tribe, straight as arrows, defiant, self-possessed, and haughty in demeanor, and evincing the most perfect discipline. There was nothing gorgeous, no flimsy glitter or tinsel about their arms or equipments, but everything looked as though it was meant for service, had seen service and could do more. They were mounted on Indian ponies, with thongs of dried leather for bridal reins, and all had Mexican saddles. Next came the general, dressed in the garb of an ordinary citizen, and mounted on a gray horse. As I stood near the road-side, and the train moved slowly, I had a good chance to see his features. His countenance was pale and care-worn, with silver threads mingled with hair once of raven blackness. The whiskers, with which most of the pictures represent him, had been cut off, with the exception of a slight moustache. His eyes are keen, bright, almost looking you through. He saluted us all in the kindest manner, and with such familiarity, gentleness and solicitude of expres- sion, that all felt like rushing forward and seizing him by the hand. Many of the soldiers wept like infants, and all was solemn, silent and sad as a funeral. Last of all came the baggage-wagons, followed by the soldiery, in some places amounting almost to a mutiny; and it will, 1 fear, result in the most disastrous consequences to our cause.
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