The Daily Gazette City of Davenport Thursday Morning July 17, 1862 Local Matters The horse that Dr. J. A. Reid has driven so long, until he has almost become identified with him, died on Tuesday night last. Henry O'Connor, Esq., of Muscatine, delivered there one of his rousing speeches on the war, Monday evening last. We hope to hear Harry in this city ere long. If the Governor would send him out to stir up the patriotism of the people, there would be no need of drafting. Patriotic.-The Muscatine Journal says the roll was opened in that city on Monday, for the enlistment of the fifteenth company from that county. Muscatine is the most patriotic county in our State. The Journal says, that it is pledged to the last man and the last dollar for the suppression of this unholy rebellion. Harvest Hands.-Farmers are now making their contracts for harvest hands. The prices for hands range from $1.25 to $1.75 per day, and we have heard of some instances where $2 was demanded. Most of those who are engaged now are secured for about $150, which is about the same as was paid last year. We should judge those contrabands who are so plenty, and ready to work at ten cents a day, as we hear tell about, haven't got around here yet, nor anywhere else, we imagine. Hospital Matters.-On Friday last, the steamer Stephen Decatur left St. Louis with a large number of sick and wounded, destined for the hospital at this place. On arriving at Keokuk last Sunday, it was ascertained she couldn't get over the Lower Rapids, on account of low water, and her sick and wounded were taken ashore at Keokuk, and crowded into a school-house and other places there. Now we would like to know by whose authority those sick and wounded were taken from the Decatur at all. The Northern line boats, nearly every one of which is heavier than the Decatur, have had no trouble as yet getting over the Rapids, even when heavily loaded, and the Decatur could have come on to Davenport, we verily believe, if some busy people below hadn't exercised the little brief authority they are possessed of, and prevented her. A Returned Prisoner.-Friedrich Reckler, a German, formerly a resident of this county, who has been a prisoner in Secessia for nearly a year, was in town yesterday. At the time of the breaking out of the war, he was a resident of Wisconsin, and joined the Second regiment of that State, and was at the battle before of Bull Run, where he remained three months; thence he went to New Orleans and stayed there four months; and was finally removed to Salisbury, where, after a further detention of four months, he was paroled, and reached Gen. Burnside's lines about the first of June. His account of treatment while a prisoner corresponds with what we have generally been told by those who were taken at Bull Run. He hadn't enough to eat most of the time, and while at New Orleans he was allowed only a width of eighteen inches for sleeping room. After his release he was compelled to pay his own way from New York to the West. This is an evil which we hope to see remedied soon, so that sold! iers may return home, when wounded or released on parole, without having to pay a good part of their year's earning for traveling expenses. Mr. R. Has a brother living at Walcott, whither he goes to-day. ~~~~~~*~~~~~~ Elaine Rathmann ACC Scott Co, IAGenWeb Project List Adm: *IA-CIVIL-WAR *IA-DANES