The Daily Gazette Thursday Morning September 4, 1862 >From the 2d Iowa Cavalry Camp Near Rienza, Miss August 26, 1862 Editor Gazette:--Cannot and will not our Provost marshal pass an order against the selling of Liquors to soldiers? This evil is growing to be a serious one and is leading to constant broils in the streets. One soldier of the 20th regiment, had his head cut open at one of these dens on Front street, yesterday and turned out into the street beastly drunk. Yours &c, Citizen. Painful Accident.-Mr. Jacob Litzen, of this city while driving a horse and buggy down to the ferry-boat at Rock Island yesterday, was thrown from his buggy, and his shoulder broken in three places, and his collar bone broken. He was brought over and conveyed to his home on Third street, near Iowa, insensible. Dr. Olshausen attended him and dressed his wounds. The accident caused by the horse taking fright at some bales of wool on the levee, and starting upsetting the buggy, which fell on top of Mr. Litzen. He has a large family, to whom this accident is a serious blow. Friend Sanders:--I wrote you hastily last night of yesterday's proceeding, and to-night give you to-days. The regiments started out at daylight this morning, taking different roads; the Iowa 2d took the Kossuth road and penetrated some ten miles beyond Kossuth, twenty miles from camp, but found no foe. The 7th Kansas, on a different road were fired on from an ambush and had five killed and several wounded. They sent to the 2d Iowa, some five miles distant, and they came at the top of their speed, but could find nary secesh. Last night in a house near the guerrillas arms were found, and that house soon became an ash heap. To-day one near this bloody scene met a similar fate. Does any of your Iowa Vallandigham candidates think this too cruel, to our "Southern brethren?" What say Augustus Caesar Dodge, Jones, Thayer, &c? If you don't like it gentlemen, please step down this way, head the column of the 2d Iowa cavalry through Mississippi jungles, and as your "southern brethren extend their greeting, advocate to them your "peace policy." I might extend to you that invitation gentlemen, personally, but in behalf of the 2d cavalry, ask pardon, they prize their reputation too high, to be caught in such company, even in Mississippi swamps. I think what our country needs at this time is a regiment of Butlers, make them all major Generals, and if some of them have their headquarters in cities not far from even Iowa, some might get their just deserts. There will probably be some work done in this country this fall, probably some thrashing done on a larger scale and with larger machines than are used in Iowa, though our State has a life interest in the massive one improvised for this occasion. I am not a "Major General," and have not yet determined that I ever will be. But if I were, there are some thing I wouldn't do and yet again there are some things I would do. And to keep from getting things mixed I'd do one thing first, and that would be this. As we swept onward in our march, I would say to every man between fifteen and sixty, we are Union men, we are living for the Union, we are fighting for the Union, and if necessary we will die for the Union. If you are a good Union man, here is a musket; join the hosts of freedom, fight for yourself, for your suffering family, for your country and your God. If he chose the "starry emblem" for his banner, we would greet him as a brother, and believe him a union man. Did he demur, I would say, we know no neutral ground, flee quickly to your master's domains, and share the fate of the traitor crew. But lest I say something harsh, I'll adjourn sine die.~~Diff. The 16th of Iowa Regiment on Duty The following is an extract from a private letter received from an officer in the 16th Iowa regiment, now near Bolivar, Tenn., dated August 31st.- The 16th were ordered out Friday afternoon to get ready with three days rations and all their teams, to march to Summersville, about twenty-four miles distant. In a couple of hours they started under command of Col. Chambers, with about fifty cavalry and a howitzer. The camp guard, and fatigue and guard details out of camp were left. The regiment returned at 1 o'clock Tuesday morning. Pretty well tired out. They had marched over thirty miles on Monday, the weather hot and the roads rough and dusty. They brought with them one hundred and twenty-nine contrabands, including a few women and children. Also, some horses and mules, and twenty four bales of cotton. This was a pretty successful expedition, and the only expedition sent out from this brigade recently. They met no guerillas, but several thousand rebels were reported within a short distance of the 16th. Of course no Negro was taken against his will, none known to belong to Union men. They would come. They came to Headquarters, and begged to be taken. On the return, they were waiting at the fence corners with their bundles. The boys halloed "come on," and they came kicking up their heels like freed horses. The women and children piled into the wagons without asking anybody. One old fellow was asked how he could leave his wife and children. He replied that he had to leave them to go either South to be sold or North to be free, and he preferred the latter. He said he would die before he would return to slavery, and so would plenty of others. The owner of several of the women followed them to Bolivar. He was told that his slave could return with him if they wanted to, but could not be forced away. He went to them and begged and reasoned-tried everything in the way of bribes and good promises, and aid if they did not return they would be sent to jail. They refused to go most em! phatically, sassed him scandalously, and declared their perfect readiness to go to jail, and there they did go temporarily. ~~~~~~*~~~~~~ Elaine Rathmann ACC Scott Co, IAGenWeb Project List Adm: *IA-CIVIL-WAR *IA-DANES