Army Correspondence

FORT HOLT, Ky., Jan. 23, 1862

The 7th Regiment reached Cairo last Saturday evening.  We found Cairo one big, deep quagmire.  Mud, mud, everywhere, of the blackest and most adhesive character.  Although we had been a whole week on the road from St. Louis, yet the authorities had neglected to provide any accommodations for our troops on their arrival.  The Regiment was quartered on board the steamer City of Memphis for the night.  The next day (Sunday) we were ordered to Bird’s Point, but on enquiry it was found that the barracks assigned us, were occupied by other troops. – Next we were told to take quarters in Cairo but here also, we found the 8th Wisconsin Regiment had preceded us and taken the only quarters available.  Finally we were ordered over here.  Accordingly we proceeded very early Monday morning to invade the sacred soil of Kentucky.  Ground was soon marked out for a camp when our tents were set up, and tent life once more commenced.  The weather is pleasant and we manage to live very comfortably.  Our camp is on a sand ridge which borders the river, and on the whole a very charming spot.  In front we have Cairo and Bird’s Point in full view, whilst between rolls the broad expanse of water formed by the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.  In spite of poor tents and previous hard usage, we consider ourselves very comfortably fixed.

How long we shall remain here is entirely unknown to us.  We are under orders however, to be ready to march at an hour’s notice.

The men are in good spirits and eager for active operations in the field.  We have with us a little over five hundred men – nearly all fit for active service.  Many of those wounded ant Belmont are rejoining their respective companies, and never more anxious than now to do battle in their country’s cause – the cause of Good and humanity.

I would here take occasion to acknowledge the reception of many articles for the sick and wounded of our regiment, from the “Ladies’ Aid Societies” of Burlington and vicinity.  The Congregationalist Church of Burlington has laid us under many obligations for the many and valuable additions it has made to our hospital stores.  The Old Zion Methodist Church, which has made generous provision for the unfortunate sufferers by the fatal fight at Belmont.  More recently Mr. David Leonard, Corresponding Secretary of the Ladies’ Aid Society of the District in which he lives, consigned to my care a valuable box of hospital stores for our wounded in the Mound City hospital.  This box was duly received there, and distributed amongst the Iowa troops, according to the expressed wishes of the donors.  Colonel Lauman has just received a box of hospital stores from the Episcopal Church of Burlington, and also another from Mr. Wm. Lynn, of Pleasant Grove, Iowa, both valuable boxes.  By means of these generous donations and other smaller ones not here enumerated our Regimental Hospital has been well supplied and the comfort of the sick and wounded very materially enhanced.

I doubt not it will be a great gratification to our Iowa friends to know that their efforts to benefit the sick and wounded of our brave State troops are duly appreciated and effective in accomplishing the object assigned.

The river is rising rapidly and my soon drive us from our Camping ground.

J. H. CLARK,

Chaplain of the Iowa Seventh

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 1, 1862, p. 1