Army Correspondence

HAMBURG, TENN., Night, April 29, ’62.

FRIEND SANDERS:– Once again I write from this point, though I remain behind with the stores, the regiment being five miles out on the Corinth Road.  Two days since while on picket guard, Corp. Miller, of Co. G, was taken prisoner.  Today the 3d battalion, while out on a scout, was suddenly opened on by a masked battery.  Wm. Faxton was instantly killed, by a grapeshot through the head, and three of Co. I wounded by grape.  Corp. J. B. Smith, in leg, James Bontriger in thigh, and Wm. Bremner in the shoulder.  Bremner’s horse was killed the first fire, and while retreating on foot he was struck.  Co. [B], of first battalion was advance guard, and after a slight skirmish captured twenty prisoners.  The 2nd Cavalry are in front, and will endeavor to prove worthy.

The river which had fallen some, has risen four feet in the past two days.  Most of our forces have advanced from the river, but more arrive daily.  Last night rain again, and to-day has been cloudy without rain.

Perhaps many are asking why don’t Gen. Halleck advance and attack Beauregard?  Why don’t he move? &c.  Let me describe faintly my ride out to camp, a few hours before dark, and return.  Leaving the river I pass through a slough, where the water runs into the wagon box, then up a bluff of thirty feet.  In the distance of a mile and a half, I count two hundred and fifty six mule, and four horse teams, loaded with powder, shot shell and ammunition of all kinds, camp equipage, stores, forage, &c., &c.  For this distance the road is level, with many mud holes; here is one larger than others, with four teams stuck at once, and one of four mules so deeply imbedded that but for ears, one might think them lumps of mud, just beyond we pass a slough that in places swims the mules.  Here is a jam, some teams are coming, others going, some wait for a chance, others don’t.  There are on these sloughs no “mill dams” but at these particular points the other kind is unlimited.

A few rods and the road stretches for four hundred yards up a smooth bold bluff, at an angle of thirty degrees at least.  On the top of this bluff were five thirty pound Parrott guns, that had been brought from the river over this road, and drawn up this hill by twenty four horses to each gun.  These will go to the front, and send pills to the rebels not easily digested.

The clay on the bluffs, and in the cuttings is of a red color.  For three miles we pass over a fine gentle rolling country; covered though not densely with timber, then down a hill as steep as we came up, a valley with a stream of beautiful clear spring water – and over the same bluff or hill, higher and rougher yet.  This is the country we are in.  These are the roads that not only the troops must march over, but up and down, must be drawn all the camp and garrison equipage, the rations for a hundred thousand men, forage for thirty thousand horses and mules, those heavy guns, and tons upon tons of shot, shell, grape and canister.  As I returned after dark, the mud holes were filled with wagons, stuck teams unhitched, and drivers in despair, and a wagon blockade for a mile, camping for the night as they stood.

This jam and bustle is not for an hour.  It begins with daybreak, and closes as just described only when darkness draws a curtain over the scene.  Besides fighting a formidable enemy inch by inch in front, this difficulty of transportation lies in the way of an advance of twenty or thirty miles a day.  It is further necessary that an army should eat as well as fight, and they can travel no faster than their rations can be transported.

We have a rumor from secesh prisoners that New Orleans is ours.  May it prove true.  In a few days, perhaps Corinth will be ours.

A few days since, an order was received to muster out regimental adjutants and quartermasters and battalion quartermasters.  Lieutenants and quartermasters Samuel Gilbert, J. M. Hannum, and George R. Ammond, formerly of Cos. A, K, and F, were ‘mustered out,’ and left for Iowa a few days since.  Better men are not in the service.  They had won for themselves, not only the respect and confidence, but the love of the regiment.  Could the unanimous loud voice of the regiment avail, they would be called to return, and fill honorable positions among a body of men that part with them with sincere regret.

I am writing this in a wagon, and the mules hitched to the tongue are playing smash with my periods.  Besides owning to the breeze and original shortness, my candle is nearly out.  More next time.

DIFF.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Friday Morning, May 9, 1862, p. 2

Found

Some papers of use to James M. Hannum, Second Lieutenant Co. A, 2d Iowa Cavalry.  He can get them by calling at this office.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 8, 1862, p. 1

From The Second Iowa Cavalry

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