CAMP TIPTONVILLE, Tenn., April 9.
FRIEND SANDERS:– I wrote you hastily on the 8th inst from the rebel camp at Island No. 10, which you may or may not have received. The 2d cavalry marched to the river on Monday afternoon, April 7th. At 2 o’clock Tuesday morning Cos. K and L, of the 1st battalion, were taken across by one of the transports that had come overland from above Island No. 10, by the canal made by Col. Bissell’s engineer regiment. The balance of the regiment was on shore waiting to follow. At three we were landed, and lay down in a field to await the dawn. Just at break of day we were up and on the move. After passing a few miles through timber, we struck the river at a plantation. The first house we saw, and while yet in the woods, had a shirt that had once been white tied to a pole. On emerging into the open field, a battery of one gun greeted our view, but nary secesh to man it. Soon we could see Island No. 10 in the distance, and the river was covered with pieces of wrecks. We also noticed three steamers which had been scuttled and sunk, one was going to pieces, the others can be raised. Another steamer, the Red Rover, came floating along, being partially scuttled; she was afterwards secured. We soon reached the fortifications opposite Island No. 10. Three rebel boats lay tied up to the Island, and on the Island itself the white flag floated. We took charge of the Admiral, a fine boat tied to shore, with several prisoners aboard. Some of the rebels were holding high carnival, opening the fine trunks deserted by secesh, and imbibing therefrom until gloriously drunk. The prisoners were secured, and the “contraband” thrown into the river. We passed on through the camp and secured ninety-one prisoners. Half an hour after our advance guard, under Lieut. Col. Schneteger, entered camp, the Graham, from our fleet above, landed, and some of Col. Buford’s men came ashore. They succeeded in picking up more prisoners and two beautiful, but hateful secesh flags of fine silk, each having a large field of blue, with eleven starts of white forming a circle, and inside the circle of one, in gold letters, the words, “Mississippi Devils – Our rights. Presented by the ladies.” How correct; for most certainly the devil’s own imps marched under that flag. From fifty to one hundred guns were captured, and an immense quantity of ammunition, tents, stores, &c. The fleet and transport troops at the Island will doubtless feel bad that a cavalry force from Gen. Pope’s command, marching from New Madrid in the early morn, should first enter the rebel works; but the “early bird catches the worm,” and the 2d Iowa cavalry have the honor of being the first into the enemy’s camp and showing the fleet that they could venture in with safety.
I noticed a pile of the famous torpedoes. They are formed of boiler iron, about six feet long and fourteen inches in diameter, cone shaped at one end. Also some of the new style cannon projectiles, with wings, that expand on leaving the gun.
At noon we returned to our place of crossing, below New Madrid, but the balance of the regiment had not crossed, having been ordered to return to camp. – After feeding our horses we marched to Tiptonville, eight or ten miles down the river. The weather was fine; the forests have put on their full livery of green, fruit trees in full bloom, and all through the forest the abundance of the beautiful red-bud trees in blossom presented a fine sight.
After emerging from the woods and nearing the river, we passed several large fine plantations, much finer than those we found in Missouri. And here I may remark, that in all our travels in Dixie, I have not yet seen a single school house. We soon reached Tiptonville. Below it is a lake and swamp. At this point the rebels had intended to take boats south, but our gunboats had interfered with their arrangements, and our infantry and artillery having been grown into that point the previous day and night, they came to a halt, and finally surrendered. They were the same sort as are all secesh, though armed with a better class of arms generally. Six brass field pieces of Memphis manufacture were finer than I have noticed. They had plenty of ammunition, all the cartridge boxes for small arms being full. There were over 5,000 taken prisoners.
We proceeded on to a large plantation and camped. Just at night it commence to rain. We were without tents, and had only cold rations. It rained all night long, and in the morning got quite cold; though we had no sleep scarcely the night before, there was very little that night. One great consolation was, that our secesh prisoners were in the same fix. I think had a battle been on the [tapis] that morning, we could have whipped by the Southern rule five to one.
THURSDAY, April 10. – Yet in camp here waiting for transportation to New Madrid. The prisoners have all been sent up north, and the infantry are now being transported up to-day.
CAMP NEW MADRID, April 11. – We had orders at eight o’clock last night to march to the landing to take boat. On getting there she had het to be unloaded of Government stores. We picketed our horses and laid “around loose” until daylight, when we went aboard and landed here at 10 o’clock.
On our way up we passed the floating battery. Our boats could not tow here ashore, so they sunk her on a sand bar in the river: her steamworks and guns are above water. She has now eleven fine guns. We conversed with a prisoner form the rebel hospital, who had been on her – impressed at New Orleans. When she left there she had twenty guns; they distributed on fortifications all except ten. When being towed she was six feet out of water, and in five minutes, with her steamworks, she could scuttle so as to present but fourteen inches above water. He said the rebels hated to lose her. They had turned her adrift, no doubt thinking it would run our blockade and they catch her. They could have scuttled her in five minutes.
It is cold and raining hard. The infantry are embarking. Our regiment, except those who were away, have been paid off. The chaplain, Truesdell, has $10,000 to remit to “friends at home.” There is nearly as much more due – next payday being nearly around. He sells to our regiment monthly postage stamps to the amount of $150.
We have just received orders to hold ourselves in instant readiness with four days rations to march. Col. Hatch and Lieut. And Quartermaster Hannum secured a fine boat floating by scuttled on Tuesday morning, and saved her – the Ohio Belle. Expect to hear from me at Memphis soon. In haste,
DIFF.
– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, April 17, 1862, p. 2
