Sritnme.
ALTOONA, PA
THURSDAY, MAY 1, 1862.
«rWe bsae oar paper a day earlier than tuna)
All week, in aider to gain time to execute a press
of Job wotfc.
The President and the Policy of the
Adminiwttation.
Awld the excitement incident upon so wide spread
* nMltaß, we are not withont charges of corruption
HA* men in higll places. Almost every member
ef the Cabinet, and many Generals in the field, have
Men charged with corruption, treason or ignorance.
Botjoet here It is worthy of remark that not a syl
lable has been whispered against the fair fame of
Abraham Lincoln. His loyalty and honesty have
never been questioned, and in his actions he ap
pears to stand aloof from, and above, all schemes
for peculation or party purposes, to the detriment of
the interests of the whole country. He has won
. the confidence of his political opponents by break
ing loose from patty ties and assigning good men,
of opposite political faith, to positions of honor and
responsibility. He has shown that he, at least, is
determined to do right.
1b regard to the policy of his administration he
has disappointed the ultra men of both parties.—
The opponents of the party which placed him to
power evince a disposition to incnlcate the idea that
emancipation is gradually becoming the main issue,
and that the acts of the administration and the ma
jority in Congress indicate a drifting in that direc
tion. It is, of course, impossible to say what may
happen while a great war lasts, but so far as bis
.news can now be discerned. President Lincoln
entertains no such designs, nor are his constitu
tional advisers in any way disposed to hurry the
march of time or anticipate the future..
To set free four million of slaves in a countrv
where they are denied the recognition of human
beings, and have never known anyjother state than
that of degraded servitude, leaving the rained mas- •
. ters and the deserted plantations to a fate as
.mournful as that of the helpless contrabands re
cently congregated at Port Royal, may suit the
chimerical notions of dreamers and enthusiasts,
but we are quite sure that it never entered into the
sedate and jihilosopbical minds of statesmen like
Mr. Lincoln, and those who compose his Cabinet .
Between that stolid conservatism which knows
no future but unending slavery and southern tronb
ies, and that wild fanaticism which is for inscri
bing immediate and unconditional emancipation
upon onr banners at all hazards, there is a happy
medium, which the well meaning masses of the
people have thought they say to be the governing
policy of Mr. Lincoln' and his advisers—a sort of
practical liberalism which readily accepts what
ever is safe and Jure in the search for true pro
- grass.
A recent speech of the Hon. F. P. Blair, deliv
ered in the House of Representatives, professed to
explain this policy of Mr. Lincoln, and we have
reason to believe that that speech was an author
ized exposition of .the views of the Administration,
tbongh'ih some degree tinged with Mr. Blair's fa
vorite theoiy of the deportation of; the entire black
nee to Central lt coincides in the tr»»in
with die above general ideas.
“Ail hail. Religion! made divine
FiXfuse. a bard, so mean as mine,
Wbb in her rough imperfect line
Tims dares to name thee;
To stigmatize false fiends of thine,
Gan ne'er defame thee.”
We pronounce the “phat" editor of the Whig a
hypocrite, and one of the worn stamp. Do we do
him injustice? A hypocrite is defined to be “a
direembler in morality or religion.” So further
answer, we imagine will be expected.
It was therefore qnite refreshing to see “J. B.”
in his Inst issue (duller and more sluggish than
nsoal) accuse us of “scoffing at religion,” because
we had been exposing his vile hypocrisy and
placing him in his true light before the world.—
Kotjiing, ip our judgment, so tends to injxre the
caase.of religion, as to have a man like the Whig
editor advocate it. Nothing so retards the spread
of Christianity as the preaching and practice of
meh dieiples. We know of noway we can, in our
humble sphere as editors, better promote the cause
of morals, as well as of religion, than by stigmati
' zing the ’ daily hypocrisy of such false friends as
this same editor. Better'had he be attempting, at
-Inst, to lead a proper life, before he undertakes to
set himself up as the righteous judge. Who made
him public censor of the world? Does his past
life .mutant him in patting on these airs? This
theoretical Christian! It is because we respect
and revere religion that we would have it nnpro
faned hy the obtrusion of such thieves and money
a changers as our Savior drove out of Bis Temple.
Tim sacrifices of the false prophets of old were not
accepted, and they themselves were utterly con
founded. Let the Whig editor take warning.—
Speedily let him repent of his recent government
peculations. Recent revelations made in Congress
drew the most astounding frauds practiced by
these heartless and soulless hone contractors and
other peculators. That one of them should so soon
have tuned preacher, is shocking to the moral
sense of the whole community.
Take the beam out of thine own eye, then thou
const see more dearly the mote in thy brother’s.—
This is gppd advice, Mr. “ Hard Cash;” Let it
bethy daily lesson for a while and your vision will
be Hearer, and you will rest better in the dark,
dark night.
“Thk CHWJtwos"—ThU is the title of a novel
Iqr Mu. Wood, just issued by T. B. Peter
* Br?., Of 306 Chestnut Bt, Philadelphia.—
Mtt. Wood is the author of “The Path’s Heim,” a
track which has created quite a sensation in liter
«iy eucke. “The Chttmings” is a domestic tale,
SWd b said, by those who have perused it, to be a
real Ufc. Price 50 cents, and
jiostage free, to any part rf the United States.
The Kew Ircm-ela#i Gunboat Galena.
On Monday week the mail-clad Steam sloop-of
war Galena, built at Mystic, Connecticut, was put
in commission at the Brooklyn navy-yard, on
Tuesday she went out in tow of the steamship Bal
tic, and has arrived at Fortress - Monroe. ; We,
have now three armor-clad vessels in Hampton
roads-rthe Monitor, Naugatuck and Galena.—
These three vessels were all experimental in their
designs, and built upon no well established theory,
and intended to test new ideas. Those embodied
in the Monitor and Naugatuck are well known.—
The prpposition in the case of the Galena was
made by naval constructor Book, and is thus stated;
“ That a vessel could be built, two hundred feet
in length, thirty-six feet breadth of beam, and one
thousand tons burthen—the size and description of
a war vessel of the ordinary construction, which
would require a depth of water of about twelve feet
—and yet that the boat should be strong enough to
sustain a shot-proof covering, have a draft pf wa
ter of but ten to twelve feet, and contain engines
and machinery which would give her speed-of
twelve-knots an hoar—in short, that she shhuld be
entirely seaworthy, as perfectly adapted to the pur
poses of cruising as the “ wooden walls” in com
mon use, and, in addition, be impenetrable.
“To accomplish these objects a bull of peculiar
model, designed to effect a greater displacement of
water than is ordinarily secured, was built, and
upon it four hundred tons of armor have been
placed with entirely successful results. Experi
ments have been made with the machinery, .which
justify the expectation that the speed of the vessel
will be equal to what was originally anticipated—
twelve miles per hour.
“At a little distance the appearance of the Ga
lena is smooth and regular, her curved lines and
rounded form diminishing her apparent size. A
«k>se inspection reveals the joints of the longitu
dinal plates with which she is covered, but not a
bolt-bead is visible. This is one of the peculiari
ties of her mail, which is of a hew design. By
means of flahges and tongues the beads of the bolts
are entirely covered, and thus a source of weak
ness in . the iron-plating generally iii use is obvi
ated. '
“The ports are covered with heavy .armour, are
divided horizontally, open in. the middle, and
are moved by levers which may be worked with
great rapidity. In the middle of the port covered
boles are constructed of sufficient size to allow the
muzzle, of a gun to protrude; but these holes have
covers carefully fitted, and deemed to be quite as
impenetrable as the mailed sides of the vessel,
which have, in addition to the armor, an average
thickness of fourteen inch s of solid oak. .
“On the upper deck a pilot house of'a nearly
round form hits been constructed. It has seven
look-onts or uairow openings, and its walls are
composed of nine plates, the outer plate an inch in
thickness and the others half an inch.
“The hatchways apd skylights, of which there
are several on the upper deck, are secured with
heavy iron grating four inches in debth.'
“The smoke pipe—the most exposed portion of
the whole—is so constructed that a shot through H,
or even its entire demolition, would not only not
disable the steamer, big would not materially affect
her speed. An iron grating has been built through
it, and bands around it at the base, which will pre
vent any injury';to the boiler in case of accident to
the smoke stack. The top of the-pilot house is
covered with grating, which permits the free circu
lation of air, and abundantly protects it.
“The fighting deck, which is fully enclosed, and
apparently very low, the sloping sides of the vessel
almost lying upon it, is really quite roomy, and
there is abufidant space for the working of heavy
guns."
This description will show that this vessel has
been built upon no known model, and that she was
intended to he remarkable for speed, shallow draft,
and capacity, while perfectly seaworthy. Her ar
mour is like nothing else afloat, and is purely a
Yankee invention. The plans have been changed
by the Navy Department since she was commenced,
by increasing the thickness of her plates and cov
ering her entire bull above water with them, in
stead of only a part. Her size ami tonnage indi
cate that she is intended-' for heavy work anywhere
and evetywher.e Thus of all the, iron-clad rams
and batteries built in America by us or the rebels,
not one has any counterpart in Europe. all being
on original plans. The Kensington, ppw building
at Philadelphia, w\jll differ from the rest, and also
from the European plans, in hairing her armour of
hammered iron, and her sides above water at de
flecting angles, so as to cause the shot to glance
from her. The ingenuity of our countrymen has
never been more briliautly displayed than in the
construction of armor-clad vessels, a department,
too, in which it had been supposed that the efforts
of the English and French were so perfect as not
v to afford much room for our inventive powers.
Death of Gen. C. F. Sshth. ; —Gen. C. F-
Smith; who had been lying ill, at | Nashville, for
some time past, died at Pittsburg Landing on the
morning of the 25th ult. The Press thus notices
his death.—
The Union has lost one of its ablest defenders,
and Pennsylvania a noble, upright citizen, ever
zealous for the public good. Gen. Charles Fergu
son Smith died at Savannah, Tennessee, on Friday
last, from an illness contracted at the time qf his
occupation, of that town. The deceased Officer
was a son of Dr. Samuel B. Smith, of this, city,
and his name and fame have therefore been en
deared to many readers of the Press, prom the
date of his graduation at West Point, in 1825, his
advancement, not only in rank, but' in the esteem
and confidence of his fellow-officers, was merited
and rapid. Commencing his military career as a
second lieutenant of artillery. His distinguished
merit 6n the fields of Palo Alto and Resaca de la
Palmat Monterey, Cherubusco, and Contreras,
raised him in quick succession to the ranks of Ma
jor, lieutenant colonel, and colonel.. At the.time
of his death he was colonel of the Third Infantry
—one of the best regiments in the sendee. Such
worth as his could not lie dormant in the present
struggle. In August last he was matte a brigadier
general. At the taking of Fort Donelson his val
or was conspicuous, alike to friend ; , and foe, and
won for him the rank of major general. Such is
the noble record of a life devoted ‘ wholly to its
country. Pennsylvania has offered pp her first
general, and a dauntless heart, on the biter of na- 1
tional honor and perpetuity.
83" The Harrisburg Telegraph contradicts the
statement that Hon. Lem. Todd, lof Carlisle*
has been appointed to the Colonelcy of the 84th
Penn’a Regiment, and states that the regiment
does not now nmutter four hundred men, having
not been up to the maximum when it left Penn
sylvania, and having also suffered severely in the
-battles; in which it participated.
Shields was wounded at the battle of
Cerro Gordo, and was being raised up by his com
rades, when he said: “ Men, lamof no further
use to rny country—you are. Lay mo down and
let me die; J might its wed die here as to be taken
off to die. Yon are all strong, able-bodied men,
able to do yonr country some service. For God's
sake lay me down an<| do your duty,”
Atlantic Monthly, for May, contains a -
number of solid articles, among which may be en- I
numerated “Man Under Sealed Orders,” “Salt
petre as a Source of Power,” “Weather in War,”
“ Under the Snow,” “ Speech of Honorable Pref ■
served. Doe in Secret Caucus,” together with
choice poetical contributions. Price $3,00 per ;
annum. Ticknor & Fields, Boston,
Battle Field of Shiloh.
The special correspondent of the Philadelphia
Daily Inquirer, sends the follovring to that paper,
tinder date of Pittsburg Landing, April 14th:—
SHILOH FIELD AK HOLE AFTEK THE BATTLE.
It was canons to see the strategy resorted to by
some of the wounded rebels, or their friends.—
While surveying the killed and wounded in a
thickly wooded locality, but where trunks of huge
trees lay about in a half-rotten state, I stepped
upon one to look abonf the ground, and, hearing
something move at my feet, looked down upon
what was evidently the figure of a man, covered
np by a blanket, and lying close np alongside the
log. The ground was thickly strewn about him
with bodies, many of whom I found to be onlv
wounded. Lifting the blanket from the wounded
man's face, as I dismounted from the log, he im
mediately faltered out “Oh, sir, I’m wonnded;
don't hurt me, my leg is broken and I'm so cold
and wet.” ' ' : ;
Within three feet of this • wonnded Secessionist
lay a dead Unionist, with his hair and whiskers
horned off. J ust at this period two or three of our
men came up, and observing the horrid spectacle
of thcir dead brother-in-arms, with his hair, whis
kers and clothes so burned, addressed the wounded
man referred to, in violent terms, accusing him of
| aiding in setting fire comrade. For a mo
ment I felt apprehensive that they might retaliate,
but on his assuring them that many on both sides
were burned in a similar manner, quiet was soon
restored. 1 soon learned that the leaves and dead
undergrowth had been fired in various places bv
the explosion of shells, and also by burning wads,
the fire communicating to the bodies, burning them
shockingly. Some of the wonnded must have been
burned to death, as I observed one or two lying
upon their backs, with the hands crossed before
the face, as a person naturally does, when smoke
or heat becomes annoying.
Replacing the blanket over the face of the
wounded man, I proceeded to step over another
tog near by, and was considerably startled by a
loud exclamation of pain from .another wounded
rebel. Hating stepped on a small stick that hurt
a winded limb of his bv its s linden movement, he
was compelled to cry put. He, too, was snugly
laid up in ofdinaty, close alongside a fallen tree.
His wound was serious, and the poor man begged
for some assistance. The only thing I could do,
was to get him a little water, and promise that
somebody would soon come to his relief. Ido
not think he received any, however, before the
following day, as it waft more than we could do to
attend to onr own suffering men, night being near.
“ What will you do with us ?” said the wounded
man to me. “Take yon, dress your wound-, give
you plenty to eat, and" in nil probability when vou
are able, require you to take the oath of allegiance
and then send you home to vour famllv, if vou
have one."
“Oh God!" replied the suffering man; “I have
a family, sir, and that's just what rav old woman
told me. She said if the Northern men was so
ugly and bad as our Generals say, thev must ha'
changed a heap." Occasionally there was a pause,
accompanied by a distorted countenance, which
showed the painful character of his wound.—
“Stranger," continued the prostrate man, “I've
got six little boys at home, and the biggest just
goes of errands, I live on the River, in Al
abama (the name sounded so peculiar that I was
not able to recollect it;) 'taint further than that
cottonwood, from the bank, where my house
stands." “ What has your wife to maintain the
family with, or does the State help them ?” said I.
“O, sites ‘shifty,’ my wife is, stranger, she's
might}' ‘shift) ;’ she's a Northern bom woman, and
her father lives in Wisconsin now. I never was
North before: I married my wife in Alabama."
I w-asAibliged to leave this man, who possessed
an umjer-current of nobility, although his superti
ciajTtnowledge had allowed him to follow the for
tunes of his base leaders. He persisted in saving,
as I left him, that he was certain he* never had
killed a man.
THE STUDY OF ATTITUDES.
Perhaps a finer opportunity has not for many
generations occurred, than that after the battle, for
the study of .attitudes. There was the old
his locks sprinkled with grey, kneeling beside a
stump, as if in the attitude of prayer, his face now
resting in his hands, and head reclining on the top,
apparently having gone to sleep in death while, in
the act of devotion. A ghastly w*ound in the side
told of his end.
Another powerful looking man had just placed
a cartridge in the muzzle of his gun, and had the
ramrod in his right band, as if about to ram it
down. Death caught him in that moment, and
as he lay with upturned face, the right hand
clenched the gun, and the left one the ramrod.—
There were many instances similar to this last, —
One soldier had loaded his piece, and paused to
take a chew of tobacco. Beside his body lay the
gun, and in his right hand was a flat plug of to
bacco, bearing the imprint of teeth.
In one place lay nine men. four or fire of ours,
and about as many rebels, who, from indications,
must hare. had a hand to hand fight. They were
dead and bore wounds made evidently with bayon
ets and bullets. Two had hold of another’s hair,
and others were clenched in a variety of ways.—
One seemed to hare had a; gripe in 'the throat of
his antagonist, and been compelled to relinquish it
judging from the frigid marks. The most singular
attitude of any that I have ever observed, was that
of one Union soldier, the position of whose bodv
was similar to that of a boy’s when he is placing
at leap-frog.
Some had lain down quietly with their heads
resting against a stump or tree, their caps resting
on their faces, and had thus died alone and unat
tended, Yet the calmness and repose of the coun
tenance, as one raised the covering, indicated a
peaceful departure to the spirit world. Death
caused by a bullet leaves a quiet, calm look be
hind, while a bursting shell, bayonet or sword carry
with,them a horror that remains depicted in death.
It "was an excellent time to choose a gun. All
the different patterns, I think, must have been
there, and in such large variety that an Arab even
could have found his chosen Algerine rifle. There
were the Harper’s Ferry rifles, old and new pat
tern ; Springfield rifles, with the Maynard primers
and without; the “Tower" Enfield 'rifles, Missis
sippi rifles, double and single barrel shot guns,
rifles bearing the Palmetto stamp, and made at
Columbia, S. C., and Fayetteville, N. C.; swords
of various patterns, reeking with blood; broken
and bent scabbards, partially-discharged revolvers,
and militaiy trappings in such endless variety, that
to have'possessed them would liave been tile for
tune of anv Individual.
In the clear field fronting the peach orchard,
before referred to, 4 variety of bullets might have
been gathered—and even’ the following dav—as
they were lying about on the ground like fruit from
a heavily-laden tree after a storm.
' O' - Treasury Notes are subject to a dangerous
mutilation by a society of rogues whose plan is to
tear off the comers and appropriate pieces from
them for the purpose of defrauding the Treasury
by making up an entire bill out of the detached
pieces, lias grown so - common that the Treasury
Department has resolved not to redeem any bill at
par unless it is whole, and to deduct one dollar for
every tenth part of a note tom off, 1 and in that
proportion for larger amounts removed. The best
way to deal with these mutilated Treasury Notes
is, for the public to refuse to take them;'just as
they refuse to take clipped and punched coin. By
refusing to take them, the loss will fall upon the
togues who originated the practice.
A Siege an Expensive Operation.—ln tliat
of Sebastopol the allies employed *587 guns, for
which were served 2, 381,0*2, shot and shells and
ll,*B*,Bo* lbs. of, [lowder, exclusive of what was
used by the fleets, on the day on which thev assist
ed in the bombardment. The bombardment lasted
five hours and a half, and .968,880 shot and shell
.were used. The French transported to the Crimea
309,268 men and 41,97* horses and mules; of the
men they lost 69,329 by sickness and casualties.
'Rie reader can make his own calculations as to
the number and tonnage of vessels it would require
To transport the men, horses, guns, &c.
The Great Battle-Fields and the Ad-
vantages They Give Us.
The rebels have decided to stake their cause upon
two great battles—at Yorktown in the East, and
Cornith in the South-west. At these points thev
have concentrated all their available forees in the
two sections. We certainly ought to be well sat
isfied with their decision. Upon both liattle-fields
it is vastly easier for the North to concentrate and
mass its forces, than for the rebels, Yorktown is
upon the extreme northern verge of the territory
held by them. 'The supplies necessary for the
maintenance and equipment of their armv there
are drawn from distant regions, and necessarily at
great cost and labor. dJy having command of the
sea, Yorktown is as accessible to the North, as
Staten. Island or Newport. The rebels conse
quently offer battle where we are the strongest and
they, (not taking into consideration the particular
position occupied,) the weakest. If their army is
defeated, it is destroyed. We do not have to ex
haust onr forces by marching hundreds of miles bv
land, over wretched roads, through almost impen
etrable forests and regions traversed by nnnaviga
ble but unfordable rivers to attack them, where
their defeat might only serve to transfer, the con
test to a more distant field, hot where a reverse to
our own army might prove fatal to it, surrounded
as it would be, by a hostile population, and unsup
ported by reserves. It was by avoiding a general
engagement, and constantly retreating, that the
Russians drew Napoleon so for into the interior of
the Empire that, in the end, hardly a man of Ms
vast hosts escaped. Had they hazarded all upon
the result of a single battle at the very outposts of
their country, the result of the campaign would in
all probability have been completely reversed.
So with the campaign in Virginia. If the rebels
had retreated, in force, to the south-western por
tion of the State, the great distance to be trav
ersed to reach them might have been an almost
inseparable obstacle to a successful attack. We
could not have raovtd vnh safety without a force
three,or four times greater than the one to be as
sailed. We should have been compelled to keep
on a line of communication which might require a
force much larger than that necessary to fight the
battle. But our communications do’ not now re
quire a man for their maintenance. Every soldihr.
consequently, is availed for the attack of the posi
tion to be carried. As we can certainly pnt two
or three men into the field for every one of the
rebels under arms, we could not have hud matters
arranged inore favorably for ourselves. We could
hardly wish them to be different in any particular.
We have a right to count upon success because we
have the advantage in everything upon which this
depends—superiority in numbers, in discipline, in
appointments, and in means of supplying reinforce
ments. and in retrieving a reverse. 'At Yorktown
we have a large fleet as the base of our operations,
which, in case of disaster, might serve the same
purpose as did our gun boats at Corinth.
It is apparent that a prolonged resistance at
Vorktowu may be a most desirable thing for our
cause. While this was being made neither Banks
nor McDowell would lx? idle. We can well imag
ine that the enemy is already turning anxious eves
toward Richmond, which is in no position to make
successful resistance to the columns'.moving south
from the Potomac. With Richmond in our hands,
every man at ’i orktown is a prisoner. We have,
unquestionably, forces enough operating in the
State for such a movement, and we do not see how
it is jxtssible that it should nor. in a very short
time, eventuate as we have indicated. In endeav
oring to resist an attack upon Richmond by way
of "i orktown, the rebels may find themseves in a
trap from which retrert in any direction mav be
utterly impossible: and with a great defeat in Vir
ginia, further resistance in the Eartem portion of
rebeldom is at an end.
In the West, in the same way, everything is to
be staked upon a battle at Corinth ; the defeat of
the rebels there ends the rebellion in the great
valley. Such is the confession of the rebel Gen
eral. But at Corinth we have the greatest facili
ties for massing troops and collecting supplies,
through the Tennessee River. Our lines of com
munication are kept up by steamboats, leaving our
whole land force available for the point of attack.
W e have now collected there a force twice as great
as that which cati be opposed to it—a force that
has been under fire, and composed of the best pos
sible material. ' Our army has already achieved
great success in cutting off the most important line
of communication of the enemv. After having
weakened him in this manner, it is now preparing
for a decisive movement. Success destroys all
means for further resistance. We shall not be
compelled to pursue the rebels into distant and un
healthy and almost inaccessible districts The
hydra-headed monster presents himself l to our
blows where these are to be dealt in a manner
most fatal to him, and advantageous to ourselves.
The rebels, in staking their cause in pitched bat
tles, in which we can meet them with forces great
ly superior in numbers and discipline, have thrown
away the advantage that their widely extended ter
ritory might have given them, in choice of a bat
tle-field, The resistance offered by distance and
the difficulties of the country, might have been
much more insurmountable than any intrench
ments that they can construct at Corinth or York
town. But this vis inertia can no longer avail
them upon battle-fields of our own choice. Our
plans and means of attack are so _nearly com
pleted, that another week may bring us the re
sult, and effectually close the war—for a raverse
or defeat, with all’ the advantages in our favor,
and all the precaution against disaster, is hardly
within the bounds of probability.— l V. Y. Times. '
Poweb of Imagination. — A wealthy lady had
a tickling in her throat, and thought that a bristle
of her tooth brush had gone down and lodged in
her gullet. Her throat daily grew worse. It was
badly inflamed and she sent for the family doctor.
He examined it carefully, and finally assured her
that nothing was the matter —it was a mere ner
vous delusion, be said. Still her throat troubled,
and she became so much alarmed, that she was
sure she would die. A friend suggested that she
should call in Dr. Jones, a young man just com
mencing practice, She did not at first like the
idea, but finally consented, and Dr. Jones was
called. He was a person of good address and po
lite manners. He looked carefully at her throat,
asked her several questions as to the sensation at
the seat of the alarming malady, and finally an
nounced that he thought he could relieve her.' On
hii second visit he brought with him a delicate
pair of forceps, in the teeth of which he had in
serted a bristle taken from an ordinary tooth
brush. The rest can Ire imagined. Tile lady
threw back her head ; the forceps were introduced
into her mouth; a pick—a loud scream! and
’twas all over; and the young physician, with a
smiling face, was holding up to the light and in
specting with a lively curiosity the extracted bris
tle. The patient was in raptures. She -immedi
ately recovered her health and spirits,’ and went
about everywhere sounding the praises of “her
saviour,” as she persisted in calling the dexterous
operator.
Training a Gin.—The operation of firing on
board one of the Western gunboats is interesting.
Like all men-of-war, the crew, 2*o in all, are di
vided into watches of four hours each, with a fresh
lot for everv watch.
The guns on board are numbered, and each
gunner belongs to a certain number, and fills a
certain function. There is one who brings the
powder from the magazine—the powder-monkey
as he IS styled; another the shot; the second to
hand them to tire person whose duty it is to cliarce
the gun ; another to sight; still another to ram to
sponge, to depress or elevate, and an officer to’di
rect the firing. The gun being loaded, at the giv
en signal it is fired, and the gun bounds back on
its carnage several feet. The 'tween decks are
charged with smoke, almost to suffocation, and the
process is renewed. Everything moves like clock
work, the old rule being’ rigidlv followed: “ A
place for everything and everything in its place ”
Matters are arranged with perfect neatness and
onler on board, and what is cheering to relate,
there is no extraordinary hustle, (iut in tiie liegt of
action even-one js quietly attentive to his gup.
More Ht Its Horrors.
A corresdondent writing from Pittsburg Land
ing gives the following additional particulars of
the horrors now witnessed in that locality :
The most curious feature is a sort of Dental
hospital just this side of their lines. In it are
wounded from both parties, attended by the physi
cians of which ever side at the time has possession.
To their comrades the rebels seemed inhumanly
inattentive. Not a day: passes but numbers are.
brought in from the woods, some found close to
their pickets. Half a dozen were carried by us
this mothing. Exposed ■to the runs and worm
suns of a week, it was strange how life had clung
to them.
From loss of blood and: terrible privations they
were the most ghastly wrecks of humanity I ever saw.
Their flesh was white as paper, and scarcely thick
er, seeming merely a transparent tissue through
wMch the outlines of skeletons were becoming visi
ble. Suffering bad given, the eyes an unasol lus
tre, and they glistened in their sockets, the only
signs of life. One man, whose huge frame had
already taken a lease of the rough box and narrow
six feet of seal, was whispering curses against the
leaders who had led him into danger and neglected
Mm when he fell. They are generally dressed in
homespun, or; “ butternut ’’ —not showily bnt com
fortably. The Confederate dead and wounded al
ready found by onr forces are at least four thous
and in number, and they even now hourly in
crease.
The horrors of the Pittsburg battle field exceed
any idea description can give. . We yesterday
passed again over the grounds. The terrible stench
from its putrifying bodies is daily becoming more
sickening, so shallow being the graves that poison
ous gases escape easily from the mass of corruption
and settle down near the earth, seeming loth as
those lately living to leave it. Mile after mile we
met the same graveyard atmosphere, a head peered
from some rude mound, or a limb, rigid and
slightly corrupted was thrust into view. So great
had been the task that the army of sextons had
sometimes done their work lightly, and while we
were standing by, a man taking a stick, knocked
away an inch or two of soil, and exposed portions
of a bloody uniform. ■ Many of the graves showed
plainly the hand of friendship. One. that of a
chaplain, had a neat headboard, and by it lay the
fatal grapeshot that had given the mound its ten
ant. Some slabs had urns and weeping willows
caned upon them. Even - hill and: valley bore
tokens of the great battle, and a day's ride would
still leave many {daces unvisited, that witnessed
daring attack and stem resistance. Passing on
among the camps, the tents may be seen tom, and
hundreds rendered useless by the balls. In some
divisions, so much is this the case, that few are of
any use now in stormy weather. When the rebels
held jxissession they’plundered with remarkable
tact, and the Union officers and soldiers are minus
most of their private effects. Trunks and all were
carried off in the retreat.
A Yankee Trick, -f
The Richmond iJispatch. of a recent date, con
tains the following startling intelligence, copied
from the Atlanta Confederacy. It showsuhat there
are a few Union men still in existence down
there:—
On Thursday last, while the regular mail and
passenger train on fh* State Road was. stopped at
Camp McDonald Or Big Shanty, and the engineer,
conductor and passengers were at breakfast, some
font men, as yet unknown, after having cut loose
ajl but the fonnost:three cars, got upon the engine,
put on steam, and: shot away like an arrow, leav
ing the baggage and passenger cars, passengers,
conductor, engineer and train hands lost in amaze
ment at this unparalleled and daring outrage.
Some distance above, they tore np the track and
cut down the telegraph wires, and went on, stating
to those who inquired what it meant that thev had
some car loads of produce, and had been pressed
by the Government that morning in great haste to
cany it to the forces near Huntsville.
At Kingston, where they met the down freight
train, they went upon the turn-out, showing that
they understood the schedule and minute work
ings of the road. As the train .passed them, the
conductor made the same inquiry, and received
the same answer—taking powder to Gen. Beau
regards army. As soon as the train passed .nd
the switch could be changed, they shot awav, with
all their speed and mystery. * ,
We learn that a train has been sent in porsiiit of
them, and hopes to overtake them before they
reach the bridges over the'Chickamauga and other
streams. It is supposed they are Lincolnites, sent
down among os to destroy those bridges to retard
the movements of our troops, and the thought is
a very serious one.
P* h. The conductor, as soon as he found bis
engine gone, brought into requisition a hand-car
and followed with all speed. ’
. At Etowah he obtained an engine, and pressed
on with it. -
Arriving at Kingston, he got the Borne road
engine, with its engineer and forty men, and pressed
on, twenty-five minutes behind the fugitive train
when he left Kingston. •
The Augusta Chronicle adds that eight of the
party were subsequently arrested, and after being
soundly whipped, confessed that they had been sent
out from Shelbyville by the Unionists for the pur
pose of burning up the bridge and tearing up the
track, so as to prevent reinforcements being sent to
the army at Corinth.
Eighteenth Wisconsin Regiment. —The 18th
W isconsin regiment, writes a Pittsburgh corres
pondent, was a raw regiment, recruited from the
pineries, and composed of the hardiest and best of
that celebrated locality, men’ who hunt and trap
all winter, and work in lumber mills all summer
Thcv went into battle less than two weeks after
leaving Milwaukee, 960 strong. Their Colonel
and Major were killed, and their Lieutenant Col
onel desperately wounded. Out of seven captains
who went into, the fight, only one remains, and
five hundred and eighty men, sick and well, are
all that occupy their camp. The rest are killed,
wounded or prisoners. Tliey were on the extreme
left, and their great loss is owing to the fact that
they would not fall hack. Their field officers were
brave even to rashness, and the men would not
tail them. Out of a company of seventy odd men
“•f'S' lUin ™ regiments, only fi've men are
left fit for duty. There are many such instances,
all of which go to show the unflinching bravery
and the unconquerable determination of our men.
. Shrewd —A letter in the Marble
head (Mass.) Ledger describes a shrewd stratagem
snewsafully employed by Captain Oregon-, ofthe
Lmted States brig Bohio, employed on blockading
duty m the Gulf of Mexico. On the Btb inst, a
schooner was discovered far away in the distance,
whmh, on the Bohio, displaying the stars ami
dm^r^-tt 0 All saU was crowned on
the Bohio, till twenty-one were set, but without
gmmng on the grange craft, which proved to be a
5?,*’ The n -i* 6 re “ ch of
guns The Bofuo s sails were then wet, when a
was made At last the captain resorted
ln r fi a" 3 a “ sraokt amidships
and built a fire and soon had -‘steam on” £
soon as the stranger saw this she hove to, tanking
the Bohoo. steamer, and that she must soon be
overhauled On boarding her she was found to be'
the //dry Trovers, of Nassau, N. P., with a eaigo
iw an , d ““J!: w,th , which slle intended tor un
the blockade, Sshe made a prize worth $50,000.
A Slaves Description.—A letter from New
port News gives a slave woman’s account of the
capture of the rebel batteries ou Gen. McClellan’s
advance upon Vorktown. On asking her if there
was much fighting at the battery, she replied-.
l ord /’ .y°" w °n’t We»ie me, massa, hut the
ferinl rl hc r ?i J mL? ne P ? I,Dd ’ (Je " 'Whence hol
fenng hke de debbel, qr,d fre* rite ober de breast-
Works i Ijat dey oouldu't ketch our folks, (secesluV
run so fast.” The njgger explained in thfrtv
seven words what a “special corresiiondent” would
have found impossible, probably, in half a column
Tone of the Rebels a Year Ag
The Colombia, (S. G.) 'OmmSw, a|
year ago, had an article which was '
and approved by tlie secesh press. show=.'
easy it would be for the Confederates to
destroy the soldiers of the Union. We ! ? il:
follow ing : |U "
“Months ago the minds'of onr .
settled resolvedly to meet any issue \
peo|>le of the North are in all ’the ■wild m T
confusion of war's first alarm. We coufm'
a cool, collected foe, that will never eiv'
tiine to recover from their surprise. We C
for action —they are getting readv to
act. They may raise plenty of men-mi' 1 "' 1,
prefer enlisting to starvation, scurvy , -n
the back slums of cities, whom Falstaff W{ /' J" 4
have marched through Convcntiy with—hut ■?'
recruits are not soldiers, least of" all the sols
meet the hot-blooded, thoroughbred,
men of the South. Trencher soldiers,
listed to war on their rations, not on men th"
—such as marched through ?
wretched, ragged and half-naked, as
pers of that city report them. Fellows wh
not know the breech of a mnsket from it, °
zle, and had rather filch a handkerchief than
an enemy in manly open combat. White
peddling wretches, small change knaves aL T
grants, the'offscourings of the populace—the,.
the levied “ forces" whom Lincoln suddenly
as candidates for the honor of being slaiiir
by gentlemen—such as Mobile sent to battle
terday. Let them come South, and we wiif.t
otir negroes to the dirty work of killing
But they will not cpme South. Not a wt«iV ~
them will live on this side of the border
than it will take ns to reach the groail
drive them over. x ’ ;
Mobile is sending forth to wage this war
dependence the noblest and bravest of her „ '
It is expensive, extravagant to put such
against the riff raff of mercenaries whom the v,7
lition power has called out. We could aim.*,:7*7
that a better class of men would fall i WI , 77
Northern ranks, that o«r gadiemen might tin! ,7
men worthy of their steel, whom it would he
difficult to conquer, and whom conquering
he more honorable. For the present, however 7
must not expect to find any foe worth tHri'
with the exception of a few’ regimeuts. for 7
North is just getting ready, and will likek
whipped before it is ready." ’ '
This was public opinion among the rebels a i
ago. They are probably undeceived as to'7
stuff of which Union soldiers are composed bv 77
time. > •
An 1812 war Story.
Ogden Hoffman, who was in the great tight
tween the Constitution and the Guerriere, used;
tell the following stoiy of the engagement, h 7
said that as the British ship came sailing down ~a
them, as they beard the sharp orders when -7
guns were run out, and the men could be ,777
ready with their match-locks, an officer came 7
haste to Captain Isaac Hull and asked for onlr
to fire. “Not.yet!” was the quiet response As tb7-v
came still nearer, and the British vessel pouted ;ri
her fire, the first lieutenant of the Constitution one
on the poop and begged permission to return tie
broadside, saying that the men could not be re
strained much longer. “Not yet," was the indif
ferent reply; Still nearer the British ship rank,
and the American prisoners, who were in the cock
pit of the Guerriere, afterwards said that they h
gan to believe that their own countrymen "wen
afraid to measure their strength with that of lb
enemy, and this thought gave them more pri
than the wounds which some of them were
suffering from. In a moment the Gucrrirs
gallantly came forward, showing her bumshec
sides: and as the swell carried her close toib
very muzzle of “Old Ironsides,” Captainlirii
who was then quite fat and dressed in full tighi-.
bent himself mice to the deck, and with ever;
muscle and vein throbbing with excitement, shocri
ont as he made another gyration, “ Now, boy.
pour it into them." That broadside settled it
opponets, and when the smoke cleared awav.ia
Commodore’s tights were to be seen split fun
waistband to heel. Truly the Commodore hau;
soul “ too big for his breeches.” Hoffman used o
add that Hall nothing disconcerted, gave hi- or
ders with perfect coolness, and only changed hi.
tights when the British commander’s swoni ivi
was gi ven up to him.
Table op Distances.— Taking Richmond i
the centre, the following table shows at a glanrt
the diiitance of different points in Virginia frois
there;—
From Norfolk to Richmond is
From Suffolk to Richmond is..
From Cape Henry to Richmond is
From Hampton to Richmon is
From,Fortress Monroe to Richmond is.
From Yorktown to Richmond is
From Williamsburg to Richmond i 5....
From Fredericksburg to Richmond is...
From Washington to Richmond is
From Winchester to Richmond is
From Gordonsville to Richmond i 5......
From Staunton to Richmond is
General Scott’s Opinion. —Gen. Scon, oa
Saturday last, gave an expression of his confident
in the skill and loyalty of the young commander c
our army at Yorktown. In speaking of General'
McClellan and Halleck to his friends at Elitatek
Gen, Scott said: .“There are two men who can
bo depended upon under all cirenmstances and b
every emergency—l mean General McClellan and
General Halleck. There is no doubt they mo*
take things as they meet them, and they hare
great opposition to contend with; but McClellan h
at this moment at the very work his heart loccs
and which will call forth all the abilities of hi'
powerful mind—that of trenching,' engineer:;
and besieging. And in regard to General Halleck
he will do his work like a soldier. There can t>‘
no fear of these two able soldiers doing any base or
disloyal act. Thev are honest to the core, and
wUI never betray their country.
A Secesh Woman’s Trick. —Onr readers, saw
the Louisville Journal, ho doubt remember the
statement as to General Tdghman’s mother calling
to see turn at Fort Warren with a pass from Sec
rotary Stanton, and- bitterly npraiding him, in the
presence of the officers of the fort, for his treason.
But all this, it would seem, was only a tehl
woman’s trick. The Boston correspondent of the
Chicago Times says that the old lady, the momen l
she found an opportunity, slipped a revolver inw
the hands of her rebel progenv, and that it *■-'
for the possession of that weapon that he h*
since been kept in close confinement. So trick
good woman, like the son in whose behalf y o * l
practised it, seems to have been one of vour tail*
ures.
Rebel Gathemns at Gobdoksviu-k —F[" 01
latest Richmond papers, it would appear us if l
strong rebel force was- being concentrated aho ut
Gordonsville, in order to dispute our passage eti
that side. This news is confirmed by a federal
officer from near Warren ton Junction. General
Ewell is said to be at the crossing of the river,
where the railroad bridge was burnt, with eight
thousand men; Gen. G". W. Smith at Gonioni
ville, strongly intrenched, with thirty thousand
men, and Gen. Jackson crossing over from the
Shenandoah Valley to unite c^ght. thousand men
to the force—making a total Column of forty-si*
thousand men, if the figures ore reliable.
Following Scit._Xo higher compliment to
the efficiency of onr sharpshooters can be found
than in the action of the rebel Congress just P 1 *'"
vious to adjournment, in the passage of a bill pry
viding for the organization of a battalion of Hu
same character. It is doubtftU, however, whether
they can procure the guns which make the Betd* 0
regiment such a terror to their forces in the P fn '
Insnla,
gjtoaua in'
I.OCAL ITE
Pictoklal EsvttopßS.—The rage fore
decorated with patriotic and humorous c
mr .*i ]s subsiding. For a time, aboui
g^oi {( was impossible to supply the denuu
patriotism of th* person indicting ah e|
intended to be conveyed to the mind of tl
ent, (if d was not expressed in words in
mutucation,) by the national or patriotii
lishment on the envelope containing it.
less, the originators of the engravings mad
thing” of it at first, but the competition
<S' eanie so great, that the getting up of net
no long* P“>d. People are again ro^
plain envelopes, and lctters pow travel wi
protection of a flag, and portraits of duti
personages cease to occupy the corner op)
physiognomy of Washington. The h.
says, that curious speculators have accui
groat variety of specimens of these illnsi
velopea, and the time will doubtless coi
such collectidns will be examined with tl
interest by antiquarians desirous of i
glimpse of the feelings and humors of <
as they were displayed during the great
of our Western continent. What a re
jumble of patriotism, sentiment, htunonr
mosity does such a collection present!
ters are valued, not only for the memor
writers, but for the historical and;
mattir which they contain. And even <
theirdty husks, which enclosed ajprecK*
become themselves fresh with vitality w
bear upon their faces marks of the feel
great nation; The modern writers of
with more comprehensive views than
their predecessors, do not regard the life
tion as consisting entirety in tbeintrigi
rulers and their straggles for power, but
the doings of the people in their virions ■
domestic, commercial, and the like, as
importance to the completion of the recor
A Sion- of Progress. —An exchange
marks that a man need not live long in i
discover who are its entepriaing and s
merchants and business men. Let him c
a {dace a perfect stranger, and shut hit
from all society except the society of the
pers, and, as a rule, ho can gain as ac
knowledge of its business men as a six
residence ordinarily gives others. The i
plain—your sharp business man always iu
He judges-rightly that if a “sign” is nete
which his name and business are to be emt
which only the few persons who happen
will read, much more is his sign needi
newspapers, which are seen and read
whole population. What narrow-minde
prise to hurry to put up “a shingle,” whic
passer iu a hundred reads, and toomit uiii
No sign, no customers; little sign, little
great deal of advertising, great deni of cn
profits. Advertising costs, but it comes bi
—nothing purer. If yon doubt it, ask B;
Ask thousands of men who have made toi
spending hundreds of thousands of dollars
tcr’s ink.
Building. —lf any of our readers w
convinced that old “hard times” has n
Altoona this spring, let him take a strol
town and count the number of new bni
course of erection and foundations being c:
We have not taken time to count then
know that we are within the number who
that workmen are now engaged on twenty
buildings—a pretty good sized town,
individual enterprises, the Bail Koad
ny has made, and is about to make, i
improvement in and about its works. A i
shop, ICO feet long by 30 wide, has bee
inside of their line on Branch street, at
painted. The Cor Shed which formerly
allel with Main street, below Annie, has
ken down to give room to increase the hi
house, at the East end of the works, to a ft
The car shed is about being put up on
street, below Annie, 1 and will be an impn
to the appearance of that street.
Mils.
.. IK
Jv
The Pictorials. —The pictorials for th
just received at Fettinger’s Oak Hall, are
larly interesting. Frank Leslie gives enf
of the surrender of 5,000 rebels at Island
the advance of the army toward Yorktt
bombardment of Fort Pulaski, a scene a
burg Landing, on Sunday afternoon, jus:
the arrival of Nelson's Division, the Unit
under Gen. Pope crossing the Mississipf
No. 10.. Harper’s Weekly contains portra
heroes of the battle of Pittsburg Landin)
around Yorktown, 3d Vermont Regiment:
the rebel battery at Lee's Mills, Island N
ter the surrender, bombardment of Fort
Gen. Buell’s army crossing Duck River
around Fortress Monroe, &o. Laugbabi
illustrations in both papers. Can be hat
at any time.
Go to Thompson's. —As this is the i
the year when ladies and gents" look out
boots and shoes to take the place of the I
tides they have worn during the winter,
to whisper in their ears a fact well known
viz: that Mr. Thompson, the Boot and SI
*T> ‘1 Brant’s Row,” three doors below the
fice, has just received his spring stock, e
a greater variety than can be found else
the town. He gives his attention to th
business exclusively, and buys stock, no
to sell, but to give satisfaction and kee
reputation of his house. He boys none
•rest manufacture, and sellout the most n
figures. Work made to order, on short no
repairing neatly executed. Call on Thou
tBTThe local of the Philadelphia Pre*
oompamed Parson Brownlow in bis Jou
Pittsburgh to Philadelphia over the Pi
Road, on Thursday week, relates the folio
dent as having occurred at GaUitzin:
p ‘ At Gallitzin, on the Allegheny Moun
c arson was approached by a man who
of his guards at the KnoxviHe jail
nadsnbseonemly escaped, and rejoined 1
He shll wore hi# secet
bnt warmly greeted by Mr. B
rvLi 8 * h ® fa ad been impmaet
“ rvb *» and, being ordered oo picki
remote pomt, had escaped. He bomb
JJ," of the latter’s family,
aiSuS*®’ ****% walcomod. The fern
bS~'- rparte<l wit, ‘ * hi*