From The 11th Iowa Regiment

FRIEND SANDERS:  In your issue of yesterday morning your types made two mistakes, rather mortifying to a correspondent.  Two say that two men were “mortally wounded,” while one of them still survives, with a fair prospect of recovery, is hardly correct.  I intended to say “mutually wounded.”  Instead, also of saying that certain ones “hug slavery as the dearest part of their souls,” it should read “dearest pet,” 8c.  Illegible manuscript was probably the cause of these mistakes.

The 11^th regiment has been again subdivided.  On Saturday evening last, an order was received by Col. Hare to send two companies, together with two companies of the 3^rd Iowa Cavalry, all under command of Major Caldwell, to take post at Mexico, on the North Missouri railroad.  The two companies of our regiment (D and F,) marched, of course, on Sunday as usual.  The cavalry followed next day, and all reached Mexico on Monday evening.

We had been informed by acting assistant Adjutant General Wm. T. Clark that the Iowa 6^th, 8^th, 11^th, and 13^th, together with a battalion of the 3^rd Iowa Cavalry and an Ohio battery, were about to be brigaded under Gen. McKean, and moved to Tennessee.  This was good news to the boys, and when the order above-named was made known all seemed disappointed.  It may be, however, that the forming of this new brigade is only temporarily delayed.  It is understood to be the plan of Gen. Halleck to move the Federal troops from Missouri just as fast as the State militia shall be organized.  The Union people of Missouri fear as to the results of this plan, inasmuch as so long as Price is alive and at large the secessionists will still consider their cause as hopeful, and these rebels have little respect for or fear of State troops.  One regiment from Iowa is more formidable in their estimation than four times their number of Missourians.

Secessionism is by no means dead in Missouri, but everywhere, in every neighborhood, rebels and desperadoes are ready at any moment, either singly or in bands, to pounce upon the property of Union men, and would not hesitate to take the life of any who should stand in their way.  Nothing short of the death or capture of Price, or the complete subjugation of the rebels in nearly or quite all the other States, will finish up the work in Missouri.

The health of the 11^th has greatly improved within the last month, though, I am sorry to say, there has been quite an increase in the number of cases of small pox.  This disease however, much as it is dreaded, has proved to be far less fatal with us, than measles or pneumonia.  We have lost 33 in all, and only 2 of small pox out of more than 50 cases.

I am at home – Durant – for a few days, on leave of absence, expecting to return, if improving health permits, about the 20^th of the present month, when I shall be happy to carry messages or tokens from friends to any of the boys or officers.

But “O my!” what a winter you are having up here in March.  On Monday last.  I road 15 miles in an open buggy, and found myself covered with mud.  Yesterday – Wednesday – I reached your city, and found the Railroad blocked with snow. – We had in Missouri, the week before Christmas, about four inches of snow, which lasted nearly a week, since which time the ground has scarcely been covered.  I saw but very little snow on Tuesday, on the line of the Chicago and St. Louis Railroad – much of the way none.  In several instances the farmers were dragging down the corn stalks preparatory to plowing. – But here in Iowa king winter reigns supreme.  Still I would rather live in Iowa than in Missouri.  To say nothing of society and other things, the weather is far more even, and the climate more healthy. – And so far as the state of society is concerned – morals, religion and everything which goes to make up good society – Missouri bears no comparison with Iowa. – Should our more southern sister ever get rid of slavery, as undoubtedly she will, the way will be opened for an improvement in many respects.  But a generation must probably pass away, and a large number of a different class of people must enter the State before she can overtake Iowa in many things most desirable.  In the matter of fruit raising, Missouri is ahead of us, and will remain so.  But all things considered, a residence in Iowa is and will be at least for one or two generations, for more desirable to right minded people than in Missouri.

Yours truly,

CHAPLAIN,

11^th Iowa Regiment.

DURANT, March 6, 1862

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, March 10, 1862, p. 2