Zhit *rat&
C : A.RLISLE;
Friday, Feb 20, 1863.
S. & CO.,
0. 37 Park Row, Mow York, and 6
Stato St. Boston, aro our Agents for the !lanai)
n thoSe cit les, and aro authorized to take Advertise
ments and Subscriptions for. us at our lowest rates.
ger The Bill to aid the State of Missouri
in emancipating its slaves was taken up in
the United States Senate and passed by a
majority of five votes. Previous to its pas
sage an amendment. offered by Mr. Sumner,
reducing the amount to be paid for each slave
from three hundred dollars to two hundred,
was adopted. Should this bill'pass the House:
- Missouri will take rank at once in the list of
free States.
M.lt is a well known fact chat persons to
whom money is owing, whether in town or
country, invariably prefer being paid in the
' greenbacks' to any other notes. The peo
ple take the notes of the Government in pref
erence to those of the banks. We mention
this significant fact, as a strong argument in
favor of the uniform currency scheme now be
fore Congress.
BM. GEN. Tom Trfumn was married to a
little Mies named Lavinia Warren—also one
of Barnum's pet dwartsat Grace Church,
New York, on Wednesday •last. The affair
created a great sensation, and the church was
crowded to its utmost capacity on the occasion.
The bridegroom is not quite a yard in height
and the bride somewhat less. The happy
couple are now in Washington on a wedding
tour.
lionAcn GREnELY of the Tribune has been
ordered by Judge Betts to find bail in the sum
of fifty thousand dollars, to answer the charge
of libel preferred against him by Postmaster
Cook of Chicago. no plaintiff, it will be re
membered was postmaster at Chicago under
Buchanan, and was mistaken by Mr. Greeley
for ono of the fraudulent paymasters of the
army of the same name.
You HEED IT I—A cold is thought to be a
too trifling matter to claim quick or serious
attention from some people: but, when 25 cents
can go so far to cure a cold, cough, sore throat,
-or hoarseness, hesitate not to invest that in
a box of Bryan's Pulmonic Wafers. Sold by
S. Elliott.
,Qt 'Since the publication of Mr..Boileatt's
card, in which he confessed that as publisher
of the Philadelphia Evening Journal, he was
made the tool of designing demagogues and'
traitors, he lens been attacked most savagely
by the Secessionists of Philadelphia and New
York, for avowing his loyalty and acknowl
edging the authority of the Government.—
They declare that he is no longer fit to asso
ciate with them and spurn him from their po
litical brotherhood. They have no fellowship
with a man who will not join them in libel
ling the Government and opposing the war at
every point. They have even compelled him
to abdicate from the Journal, which now ap
pears anonymou,ly, and is crammed with
treason in every line an,l paragraph.
tra.,.Prince John Van Buren, «h o' for a
year or more past has beau strongly Secesh,
and working in the same traces with Fernan
do Wood & Co., is latterly beginning to show
signs of repentance. Ile made a strong war
speech in New York last Tues lay evening,
to the great disgust of copperhead allies.
In the course of his remarks he as good
as endorsed the Emancipation Proclamation.
ilteferring to it he said:
"Now this Proclamation, therefore, in my
judgment, does nothing except what any Gen
eral commanding the army might 410. That
is to say, as oar armies advance, stares arc
set free. There is no escape front that con
elusion. Slavery exists to some extent by
superior force, and when our armies ad
vance against slaveholders in rebellion,
unless they choose to take the oath and keep
their slaves in bondage, they follow the./or
tunes of all the rest c/ . their p r op er ly, an d are
destroyed or set forever free."
—Pretty well for Prince John. If he goes
on in this way he will soon be, a redmouthed
Abolitionist."
The New County of Lackawanna
In some States of the Union counties have
become so numerous-that every session of-the
State Legislature brings a fresh batch, and no
one pays attention to the matter. In New Fn
gland and the Middle States, the case has
always been different. We have had compar
atively few counties, and they are all largo
and populous. Latterly Pennsylvania has be
gun to favor the creation of new ones, and we
have increased our array by such counties as
Forrest, Fulton, Cameron, Snyder and Mon-
War. Perhaps it is bettor to reoort to the cre
ation of new counties, than to condemn a
large population to endure forgiver that pesti
lential nuisance called a 4 ' Court-house Ques
tion." ~ The t location of the seat' of justice ex
cites the cupidity of land and real estate spoor
glisters and operators, and wherever there
are two or more important cities in one county
there will be a vexatious struggle for the
county-hottBe.
In the present Legislature of Pennsylvania,
a project for a now county has found favor,
and will most likely be successful. It as
mimes the name of Lackawanna, from the
great, cold fields which it:contains, and is the
northeastern part of Luzerne. This county_
of Luzerne has, during the past tea years,
increased largely in population, in conse
quence of the sudden. development of the Min
eral vroalth, ndthe lioilding of thQ Delawaio
-Laoknwaim and—W-estormaailroad—,_lt—hal.
iii 1850 a population amounting to 56,072. and
in 1880 it had' 90,244—an increased of 84,172
in ten years. Vilkesbarre, irhiAh has remained
the country 'seat, has not much increased
in population,. while two towns' in the coal
region--Pittston ald'Soranton—have - pne far
ahead of it, and'Sorantonis now-as largo as
IPottsvkliii.
Under these' eiraumetances the coal region
welds to sat up,for itself, under the Il4nio. of
Laeltawanna,leaying the agricultural part of
imzeree. -to centre in, Wilkesbarre, as beroto
fore, which seems natural enouglwail• we
presume will be allowed, As will. be seen by
the figures given above tho population is large
enough to make both counties.itegartaut,.
GENERAL McOLELLAN.
As the friends of this gentleman are now
engaged in eihibiting him to the admiring
gate of crowds of worshippers in large cities,
it may not be amiss for us, who will not be.
fortunate enough to see him 01°84, tore
fresh ourselves with al glance at the military,
exploits which have Made him the_idel of the
Democracy, and the lover 'by 'Which politi
cians expect to lift the Democratic Party to
I power. Gen. McClellan was appointed to
command of the Army of the Potomac some
eighteen months ago. This army numbered
little short of two hundred thousand men.—
It was composed of the very best material the
country possessed. No braver men ever
fought than those whom McClellan kept for six
months inactive in camps, and finally led
forth to defeat, disaster and death. No ex
iconditure was too lavish in elle arming and
equipment of 'this splendid armament. The
world looked in amazement at the stupendous
efforts of a mighty nation to save its own
life. The result of this effort—this great
free-will offering of mon and means, was
placed at the disposal of this embryotio Na
poleon, Geo. B. McClellan. A reputation was
manufactured for him, to order. Every jour.
na.l throughout the country did its utmost to
inspire the army with confidence in their
leader and the nation with admiration for the
head of its greatest army. In this they suc
ceeded perfectly. The entire country, sol
diers and civilians, in a few short weeks be
lieved that McClellan was' the embodiment of
all the military and strategic ability of the
nation or of the world. The man who, pre
vious to the rebellion, had never commanded
a hundred men, was believed to be capable of
handling two hundred thousand or any great
er number conceivable, with complete and
entire success. With the immense force giv
en him, the confidence of die army manufac
tured to order for him, and the hearty co•op
oration of the government and the nation, it
was hoped that McClellan, in a few months, or
a year at most, would crush the rebellion .
,MionthS rolled SloWly along without the sign
of a movement by the grand army. The peo•
ple waited anxiously, " McClellan was or
ganizing his army and perfecting his plans.
Give him time." Time was given, months
more passed. Victories were gained along
the seaboard, the Gulf and throughout the
West. Burnside, Sherman and Dupont had
Scattered the rebels on the Atlantic coast and
had given the nation victory and rejoicing,
instead of anxiety and fear. Butler had ta
ken the greatest city in Itebeldom, was holding
it in subniission, and compelling traitors to
respect the flag and fear his government.—
Pope and Grant wore winning victories, the
news of which set bolls ringing, and bonfires
blazing throughout the entire nation. During
this time where - was our Napoleon ? Just
where ho was when he took command of the
army, nine mouths before. What was he
doing? Giving grand reviews, growing his
moustache and developing his strategic plans:
Finally he is ready to move and great event s
are expected. Are our expectations realized ?
Ile moves on Manassas, a place within the
reach of his scouts during nine months, and
finds Quaker guns and deserted rifle pits
The enemy gone without his having firetf a
gun at, them or harassed their retreat. lie
now returns to Alexandria, embarks his army
and sails for the Peninsula. Ile advances up
the Peninsula toward Richmond. Ile fights
a series of battles which result in a grand
straiegio change of base, and a masterly re
treat to the James river. He now finds that
his strategy requires him -to leave the Penin
sula. In order to enable him to do this with
out having his entire army captured, it is nec
essary to throw forward a force of men tow•
and Richmond, from the north. While this
army diverts the attention of the Rebels front
him, McClellan re-embarks for Washington,
leaving forty thousand men buried in the
swamps of the Peninsula. Before ho reaches
IVashingion, Pope's army has been engaged
by a superior force, and McClellan's divisions
are ordered to his assistance. Through the
treachery and disobedience of Generals who
were imbued with a double portion of Mc-
Clellan's spirit, Pope's,artny was defeated and
driven back to Washington. The splendid
army of the Potomac is where it was a year
before; defeated, dispirited, and with 'scarce
ly half its original number of men. Three
fourths of the year it was kept inactive,' to
allow its leader to perfect his plans; the oth
pr fourth was spent in swamps, battles, re
irelitiand-defea, Jo prove — thift in those
plans alone consisted the salvation of the
Country. A year has passed, the army of
the Potomac is in Washington and the rebels
advancing into Maryland and Pennsylvania.
The army is now reorganized and filled up
with new recruits, and again AlcClellan has
a chance to exhibit his ability. lie makes
forced marches to meet the enemy, and fights
them on South Mountain, and three days
later at Antietam. What is. the result ? The
two armies fight a whole day and both 000 u•
py - dtiring the night the positions they re
spectively held in the morning whori then fight
began, The next morning there is a truce
for twenty four hours, during which time the
rebels ilicross the Potomac, unmolested, and
undisturbed, carrying with them; eleVen
thousand •prisoners and vast quantities of
arms and ammunition. This ends MoClellan's
career. lie - is ordered, even entreated;- to
follow the retreating rebels and hal;asa and
khistroy them but refuses ; awl for • this dis
obedience he is relieved from his command.
This is, in brief, , a fair account of bis move
ments and 'strategy, ,and their results. An
army-afTifa-aditdfallidusliird=tiefi-hfuThien
kept inactive , for three fourths of a year to
allow McClellan to perfect his plans 'and then
has boon led through swamps, to disaster,
disgrace and defeat, to prove, that In those
'plans alorie consisted the salvation of the
country. A retreating rebel ariny has boon
allowed to escape, reinforce and r ,tintrertinh it
self so that,we might sacrifice thousands of
bravo men at Froderdsksburg—
We do not judge (h.n. *Malian. Wo know
not whether bp is a tuilitary 'genius or an id
lot—whether ho,is alatriot.tinldiar or soya
pathizer with rebellion and treason, we Intalm-
I ly state this as n; fact. Had our other com
manders. displayed the qualities of head and
heart' as did McClellan, treason would this
day be waving its stars and bars" ovor.our
Capitol. Our armies would have been driven
every where from Confederate 'soil, and all
our expenditure of blood and treasure would
have 'only proved that we lacked nothing to
crush tbe . rebellion except mon who were com
petent to command our armies.
" WHO DID IT ?"--AGAIN.
Last week we published an editorial with
the above caption, to which in this week's
issue, the Volunteer condescends to reply.—
We regret that we have not room to print
his entire article. We advise all our readers
to procure a. copy and read it. They will
find in it facts which are new to most per
sons, and arguments which have, at least,
the merit of originality. We have only space
to comment on one or two of his statements
which we copy for the benefit of our readers.
First.. "John Brown's raid was the com
mencement of the was• and the first blood was
shed by Abolitionists. Deny this who .can."
We were not previously aware that the "Com
mencement" dated further back than the
fall of Sumpter, but as the VUluntecr wishes
to call attention to occurrences of an earlier
date, we have Do objection to investigate as
far back as he wishes. Everybody knows
that before John Brown's name was heard
of, men were mobbed and lynched in South
ern States by men who were not Aolition
-ists. It is equally well known flint a-pro
slavery, and, we presume, Democratic mob,
entered the State of Illinois, murdered a
minister of the Gospel and destroyed his pro
perty, in spite of the efforts of the authori
ties and citizens to prevent tlfem. We all
know that Northern editors were assaulted
in the streets of Washington, and Northern
Senators struck down in their seats by men
whose principles were rather decidedly pro
slavery and Democratic. And we presume
it will hardly be denied, that an armed mob
of pro-slavery gentlemen, with such leaders
as D. R. Atchison, who was strongly sus
peeled q* being a Democrat, went into Kan
sas, burnt towns, destroyed property and
murdered citizens. Here is quite a number
of instances in which blood was shed long
before John Brown was heard of, and by
persons who - didn't exactly admire him. Do
yeu really think, Mr. ];radon, that the
,first
blood was shed by Abolitionists?'
A gain. `• Had the Crittenden resolutions
or the resolutions of the Pcacc Congress pre
vailed 'there u•nttld hare been no secession, no
war. This trill be admitted by every man
who is not a bigoici/ . /;)e/." The editor evi
dently wrote these sentences hastily. He is
nearly always correct in his statements and
always gentlemanly toward those who differ
with him. This time he is neither correct
nor courteous. The vote on the Crittenden
resolutions was taken on the 16th of Janu
ary 1861. Every man who knows any thing
knows that before this date South Carolina,
Mississippi, Florida and Alabama, had se
ceded and made large apprupt iat ion s to place
themselves on a war footing. The Charles
ton rebels had even fired un a vessel carry
iug the National flag. The Peace Congress
met on the fourth of Februaty
That very day the rebel government was or
ganized. Here was secession and war before
the defeat of the Crittenden re- olutions or
the meeting of the Peace Congress. Could
even a "bigotedjio" admit What the Vi,tun
teer asserts? Until we saw it we could not
believe that a man who had even a moderate
regard for his reputation as a man of intelli
gence and truth, would make the assertion.
As this Crittenden compromise disease is
troubling our Dernecratic friends we will
ventilate it some day when we have time.
We do not wish to be disrespectful, but
we think the efforts of the Democratic Press
to excuse the treason of their Southern
friends, by charging. Northern men with ha
ving caused it, are exceedingly weak aml
silly. There is not the slightest palliation
for their crimes. Admit every thing that
Jeff. Davis asserts, to be true—grant even
that they have the right to secede—and yet
there is not a shadow of excuse for them or
a single cause for their commencing this
war. They were not menaced by_the
ernnient. There Wits no threatened coercion.
They commenced the war of their own free
will and pleasure. They did it from sheer
innate.wickedness and a desire to pleng,e
the country into war and ruin, if by so.doing
they could obtain position and power. The
men who attempt to destroy the government
which protects them are guilty of treason ;
the men who steal her property, of theft;
the men who kill her defenders; of murder;
and they aro guilty of these crimes (and sy
cophants and sympathizers who compound
such crimes and fraternize -with the crimi
nals arc equally guilty,) without any regard
to what other men may say of the system . of
slavery. Every intelligent man, South, who
wilfully engages in the rebellion is guilty of
all these crimes and every man who attempts
to excuse or palliate them is only -doing What
he - can . to wake crime respectable.
Anon= DRAFT.-A bill is now before
Congress providing for another draft. This
is right. The army must , be kept up ; and
as's° many disloyal meu are busily engaged
narupcnutlfe - -Govermn - eu rait - &
upon,the• holy cause in which itis engaged
—crushing the wicked rebellion, that is ftil
ineour land with lamentation and sorrow
—thorn may be - some• difficulty about filling
up the ranks with volunteers. Therefore the
only other alternative—a draft—tnußt be re_
sortedt c..—Chasitbersburg Repository.
A darkey was asked, the other day, if
ho did not wish to enlist in a colored regi
ment.- "-No, sa,"-he replied, "it am much
easier to stay, at, home, like my Copperhead
breddren, and 'base de—goernment. ' That
darkey, it is unnecessary to, say, is a Demo
crat in full and regular standing in the party.
Soldiers Against Copperheads. I
A Rebuke to Northern Trottors.
The special correspondent of the Saint Louie
Democrat, in a letter from Coritith, 'Miss
dated January 81, says that the prompt action
taken by the Indiana:regiments in General
Roseorans' army, in reference to "home trai
tors," has started the ball. The Illinois reg
invents in Gen. Grant's army have followed
suit. They held regimental meetings and
adopted resolutions sustaining the President
of the United States and the Governor of Ill
inois in all their efforts to put down the rebel
lion, and in favor of a vigorous prosecution
of the war. -2 1`he following preamble and res
olutions, reported by a committee of one from
each Illinois regiment. in Gen. Grant's army,
were unanimously adopted :
WIIEREAS, Our Governments now engaged
in a struggle for perpetuation of every right,
dear to us as American citizens, and requires
the united efforts of all good, true and loya.l
men its behalf and
WnEnnns, We have beheld, with feelings of
sadness and deep regret, the hitter partisan
spirit, that is becoming dangerously vindictive
and malicious in our State, the tendency of
which is to paralyze and:frustrate the plans
of the Federal and State authorities in their
efforts to suppress this infamous Rebellion;
therefore,
1. Resolved, That having pledged our most
cherished earthly interests to the service of
our common country, in this hour of national
peril, we ask our friends and neighbors at
borne to lay aside all petty jealousies and
party animosities, and its one man, stand by
us in upholding the President in his war
tateasures, in maintaining the authority and
the dignity of the Government, and in unfurl•
ing again the glut ions emblem of our nation
ality over every city and town of Rebeldom.
2. .11 , -.rotc ,, d, That we tender Governor Yates
and Adjutant General Fuller our warmest
thanks for their untiring zeal in organizing,
arming and equipping the army which 111
inois has sent-to the field; and for their timely
attention to the wants of our sick and wounded
soldiers; and we assure thorn of our steady
and warm support. in their efforts to maintain
for Illinois the proud position of pre eminent
loyalty which she now occupies.
3.-I?eeobted, That we have watched the
traitorous conduct of those members of the
Legislature of the State of Illinois, who, mis
representing their constituencies, have been
proposing a Cessation of the war, avowedly to
arrange terms of peace, but really to give
time fur the nearly exhausted Rebels to recov
er their strength, and pluttin to divest Gov
ernor Yates of the rights and authority vest
ed in him by our State Constitution and laws,
and to them we calmly and firmly say :
" liewar'e of the horrible retribution that is
falling upon your coadjutors at the South, an•l
that, as your crime is tenfold blacker, will
swiftly smite you with tenfold horror, should
you persist in your demon like deeds of trea
son."
4: Re. , olerfl That in tenderriug our thanks
to Governor Yates, and assoming hint of our
cordial support in his efforts to crush this in
human Rebellion, we are deeply and feelingly
in earnest. We hart. left to the protection of
the laws he is to enforce, all that is •dear to
men—our wives, our children, our parents,
our homes—and should the loathsome treason
of the madmen who are trying to wrest from
him a portion of his just ant hority,,render it
necessary, in his Opinion, faFdis to retorn and
crush nut treason there, will promtly obey a
proper order so to do, for we di..spisell sneak
ing traitor in the rear much more'than an
open Rebel in front.
5. RPsolve,l, That err hold in det.'station and
?cif rxerra e Inr/ who, in t h r urig e for
nor 71 , 7 annul l!fe, o!TerN faction, opposthon to
el' her (he red,ral or S , a le ant 11 ,, rit leg, in their
earn its err measHreyfw• pro irrq fI ,
war fon thr surprex,i ,, n this G odless
`re
ii 1 lite, 1
Tltql trr arr ‘77wv ,, i to all pro.
pa.cition.v for n eesx•rit, , n ,111,,t11,!res, or ,t ram
othrr thqa thox , M.?
(lON rninent h,s• otrer,": —R e qurry to
I ,, Yail/ and ohediener, the laws, on a common
level other of the under the
Consttlation a.l emrlatherr made N.
—Copies of the above resolution were after
wards sent to the commanding officers of each
Illinois Regiment in the district, and were
read to the men, by whom they were unan•
itunnely endorsed, without a dissenting vote.
The Springfield Journal has received a letter
from on officer in General Grant's department,
dated at Memphis, Tennessee, January 30th,
1863. In it occurs the following passage:
'• General John A. Logan says he would
like to take his division tip to Illinois and an
nihilate the traitors there. The army gener
ally would like to send those traitorous scowl
drels in our State and Indiana to - that place
where a drop of cold water would be more
agreeable to them than the sign of the "Gold
en Circle."
—From the recent bold front manifested by
the Copperhead leaders in Pennsylvania, we
should not be surprised to hear of the Penn•
sylvania Regiments, now in service, adminis
tering to the traitor . ; at home a similar rebuke.
CONGRESS
In the United States Senate ou Thursday, a
petition was presented asking for a law to
prohibit the circulation of dislova newspa..-
pers in the army. The bill to increase the
number of major and brigadier generals was
discussed. The National Currency bill was
taken up and passeit- T yeas 23, nays 21. The
Missouri Emancipation bill VMS taken up and '
passed—yeas 23, nays 18. The bill to in
crease
the number of generals was passed.
In the house Representatives, the bill pro
viding a temporary government for the terri•
tory of Montana was passed. The Naval Ap
propriation bill was discussed in the Commit
tee of the whole. The Fortification bill was
also discussed. $200,000 are appropriated
for fortifications at Washington.
In the United States Senate. on Friday,,
Mr. Sumner's bill for raising additional sot
diers was regularly reported by the Military
Committee. The bill to prevent and punish
correspondence with the rebels was passed.—
The bill to provide ways mid means for the
support of the government was discussed.—
The section making coupons on government
bonds receivable for customs was stricken.
out. An amendment was adopted making the
interest on the notes and certificates of in
debtedness payable in lawful money instead
of coin, and reducing the amount of. notes to
$150,000,000, The amen'dtuent reducing the
tax on 'bank circulation was adopted. The
I bill was then passed—yeas 32, nays 4.
In the House of Represenatives the_Naval
Appropriation bill was passed. An° amend
menti--a_p_propriatiag—rrearly
dollars to the - Now Yorknavy-yard, was
stricken out. The
,consideration of - private
bills occupied the attention of the House un
til the ltdjournment. ,
Li the United States 'Senate - on -- SatUrdaY:
the bill_for. the punishment of frauds on the
government was called up,° and after some
slight discussion an amendment was passed.
'A bill to fix the page of the Pacific railroad'
at four foot eight and a-half inches was dis
cussed and (bob postponed until- Thursday.—
The bill authorizing letters of marque was
taken up and considered. No conclusion was
arrived at, and after an executive session the
Stinate adjourned.
In the House of Hepresentntives an adverse
report was made froth the Committee on Eleo•
Lions in the case of Jennings Pikgot, claiming
a sent in Congress from North Carolina. A
bill to establish a navy yard at St. Louis was
referred. The report of the ,Election Com
mittee adverts() to the claims of J. 13 McLoud,
claiming a seat friim the Second Congression
al district of Virginia,. and against W. W.
Winn, his contestant, was adopted. Another
report adverse to the claims of J. 13. Rogers,
from Tennessee, was also adopted. The New
York and'Washington railroad bill was taken
up, elicitited some sharp debate and was post
poned.
Legislative Proceedings.
In the State Senate, on Thursday, a report
was recei, eat from the Adjutant General, giv.
ing the number of persons exempted from
the draft on the ground of religious scruples.
A number of priv to bills were passed.—
Adjourned. In the House, a message was
received from the Governor recommending
the passage of a resolution to define and pun
ish treason, and providing for the trial of per
sons charged therewith by a jury. It was
ordered to he printed, and will be found. in
the Lecislative proceedings.
In the State Senate, on Monday, consider
able discussion took place upon the resolu.
tions instructing our Senators and requesting
our rept , sentatives in Congress to urge the
passage of a law to punish treasonable offen
ces. It was finally passed, after which they
adjourned, In the House an act was intro
dueed to authorize the Philadelphia and Erie
Railroad to reduce the par value of that stock
to fitly dollars a share. Also one to establish
a Statistical Bureau. A resolution calling
upon the Adjutant General to report the
number of militia who responded to the call
of the State in September last was adopted.
WAR NEWS.
Stonewall Jackson is announced as com
manding the rebel army at. Fredericksburg.
The tebelt are said to be at Okolona. en
deavoring to repair the railroad destroyed by
General Grant. They have also built a new
railroad, by which they are enabled to con
centrate their forces at Vicksburg.
General lielley reports a skirmish between
a detachment. of the 12th Pennsylvania Caval
ry and a number of gueillas, in the neigbor
hood of Harper's Ferry. The rebels retreat
ed.
The War Department has issued an order
directing the assembly of a military commis
sion, to inquire and report whether any officer
in the sarvico has 'been engaged, directly or
indirectly. in cotton buying in the Department
of the Mississippi.
Our y forces have cut the levees at various
points on the Mississippi river,, and when the
waters rise higher the country will be flooded.
A passage will t hus be made by which our gun
boats can get Within a shelling range of Vicks
burg-
It appears from the official reports that. our
succes at the late battle of Fort Donelson was
mainly owing to the timely arrival and
Lance of the gunboats.
A rumor is afloat at Washington that a
battle had occurred, in the neighborhood of
Pert lluds in, between the rebels and General
Banks' farces The rumor, which comes
through rebel snlreCS, says that the rebels re
tired to their fortifications, while our troops
fell hack to their camps.
An attack is contemplated on Roanoke Island.
The rebels are reported to have a large !Ma
bel' of small boats secreted along the coast,
with which the landing is to be made.
Au official report from Capt. Turner, of the
New lronsides, enclosed in a report of Admiral
Dupont. to Secretary Welles, contains some
sharp hits at the foreign counsels at Charles•
ton. The raising of the blockade is shown to
have been the merest bosh.
WAsniNuroN. Feb. 17.
Their is generally a more hopeful feeling
with regard to our military and naval opera
tione t hat has prevailed for several mouths
past and this arise from the favorable accounts
ree.-ived from all quarters. The weather,
However, has impeded immediate operations.
No change in the command of the Department
of the Pacific is contemplated. There is the
hest authority fur saying t h at Generel Shields
will not be sent thither to supercode Getter
Wright. TAI
Capture of Six Hundred Robe
near Fort Donelson
Capture of Mrs. Captain Matt Ward
SHARI' SKIRMISH OE GRANT'S TROOPS
WITH TUE REBEL'S NEAR LAKE PROVI
DENCE, &O.
Cmno, Feb. 15, 18G:.
Gen. Turtle has received the following- dis
patch today from Col. Lowe:
,` Four 11 EN Ity, Feb. U.—The forces of
General Rosecrans' command have captured
six hundred of General Morgan's men.
" We are still picking up the dead and
wounded in the neighborhood of Fort Donel
son. The dead now number more than two
hundred.
•• W. 11. LOW E,
" Colonel Commanding "
Letter from the Reseiwes
Co. A, 7ih Mal. P. V. R. C ,
CAMP NEAR ALEXANDRIA, Va.
('Ph nth 1861
Dear lisaato-For an indefinite period pre
vious, rumors had bean4ife, and speculations
profuse, in regard to the probability of the
Reserves being relieved from active field duty
and ordered back to recuperate. By a great
many the_illea was scouted as impracticable,
others entertained the belief that this retire
ment in prospective might at no distant day
be realized ; and finally the misgivings of the.
former wore dispelled, and the predictions of
the latter verified in the practical execution of
the long coming order. At ono o'clock on
Sunday morning we wore ordered to make
immediate preparation for leaving, and after
the usual preliminaries incident to camp
breaking were gone through with, were on
the march to .Ftetle Plaine,,Danding, at which
place it was ititedded to embark. It needed
no incentive or inducement to urge the troops
along that morning; no straggling, could bo
observed, and those auxiliaries-Rush's Lan
cers (alias turkey Arivore") weresdispensed
with. Although intensely dark, the roads
muddy and the weather cold, nothing but
mirth and gladness prevailed, and expres
sions such . as "Why don't the Army move'?"
!. How are you Hooker" &c., were good hu•
moreilly enunciated along the route. For now
the division, or the remainder of It, having en
dured the privations and sufferings of a nine•
teen months active campaign—having fought
in its country's defence no less than ten son
guina•ey-battles-'-is -about , roturning to rest en
its laurels, which the many emaciated forms
and 'thinned ranks demonstrate to have been
dearly won. In due time we arrived at the
wharf, and embarked on board the barges (a
high sounding-name for - canal - boats) which
,had been lying in wait.. By sunrise wo were
fairly under way and jogging along as rapid
ly as a diminutive steamer could tow six
heavily latien.barges. The trjp up the Po.
tomac, in consequence of the' cold weather
and crowded state of the boat, was devoid of
interest. Fort Washington, Blount • Vernon,.
and other noted places were paised in dark•
noes; so slowly had we travelled.. The
home of Washington, which so many bad boon
desirous er viewing was invisible. Arm-.
ing off Alexandria at a late hour in the night,
we remained on board until the neat morn
ing, when disembarking, marched to this place.
The several departments, viz—Quartermaster,
Commissary
remain FtalOrdnance, with their attaches
'lle field, and be connected
with the new division To Chief Commissary
n
Capt. J. D: Anittia, ana Asst. Adj't.
Capt. E. BAIRD. Ido no mort, than repre
sent the feelings and sentiments of all, when
I say that by their genial conduct, efficiency
and true manliness, they have gained an en
viable reputation and endeared themselves in
lasting chains of true brotherhood to the en
tire command. They accompanied us, to the
wharf, and after many exchanges of courte
sies and sad farewells, We gave them three
hearty, cheers, with a pathos that told of the
appreciation and esteem in which these gal
lant officers were held. To the division or
troops that relieved us, we 'wish all the
joy and comfort that their new situation can
afford. The regiment that rusticates on the
camping ground formerly occupied by the
" Seventh," will not consider it the most de
lectable locat ion, or t ho adjoining scenery very
romantic. They will find water hard by,
with which to perform their culinary voca
tions, but they must hectrno satisfied with its
consistency, for in truth it is not—" the
spring that in purity flews."
Fatigue and picket duty will also come
among their favorite pastimes,—particularly
the latter, when during Lae watches of the
night, they can reconcile themselves by rumi-
nating on the vagaries of soldiering generally,
and—wish themselves at home.
After having been away from any enlight
ened town for nearly two years, it can not be
wondered at that the Reserves, on arriving
near Alexandria, would be allowed a little
liberty, and that that restraint and discipline
which has ever been among their chief char
acteristics, be relaxed. Having been paid a
short time previous to the departure from the
Rappahannock, the men were fully prepared
to see the " elephant, - ,and did observe that
animal in his most prodigious dimensions. We
happened in at the " circus"—(Nixon's, a sec
ond class establishment but now having a quite
extensive run) and found the place filled to
overflowing wi.h soldiers. The audience, (an
apprecaitive one) greeted t hejokes of the clown
and the tumbling and riling-of the performers,
with tretnendous applause. One individual,
having drank nearly all the whiskey in his
flask, and retaining but little of his sense,
threw the bottle with the remneut, into the
ring, when the aforesaid clown picking it up,
drank to the health of the Pennsylvania
Reserves, and fAirly brought the house down.
But I fear toy letter is already too long and
will have to terminate—Siucti writing the
above we have removed to Upton's MI), sit
uated about 7 miles from Alexandria, and
the same distance froMWashington. Whether
this will be a permanent loeat•'ion, or whether
our ultimate destinatintris noLyet reached re
mains to be seen. E.
The British Periodicals
Scott & Co , of New York, continue to re
publish the leading British Quarterlies and
Black wood's Magazine. By this arrangement
the American public is enable to obtain them
for $lO, while the English people are obliged
to pay s3l. It is scarcely necessary to speak
of the merits of these periolicals. They con
tain the richest fruits of the scholarship, wit,
and genius of the literary men of Great Brit
ain, and are alike of great value to the scholar,
the p tsioual mut, ur the intelligent reader:
The' .‘bound with elaborate criticisms,
profound speculations, and
interest may be found in
-- ‘orality, and religion.—
'^knowledged represon
-1 principles.in politics, they
~eing grossly partizan. In this
Lney occupy a position we should he
goad to see our own periodicals assume—at
position which would enable them to disonss
great questions of governmental policy inde
pendent of party trammels•
THE EDI:CRUM:II REVIEW,
In point of age at lutist, is first on the list.
Everybody knows that it was established by
Jeffrey, Brougham, and Sidney Smith for tho
purpose of combating the ruling Tory power,
which was carrying everything before it. with
a high hand. Sustained by the soarco of brill
iant intellect, and uphold by a strong public
.'nion, it carried on its contest single hand,-
until its voice made the Tory leaders quake,
3 the very throne trembled It is still con
•acted with much vigor and ability.
TUE LONDON QUARTERLY
Was established to meet this hold and daring
champion on its own ground, and such writers
as Southey, Scott, Lockhart, and Wordsworth
enlisted as its contributors It still represents
conservative principles, hut its pages are by
no means confined to their advocacy.,
I=
Belongs to a more liberal school of polities.—
Its position is a step' In advance di the Edin
burgh, and its views come nearest to the
American standard. It devotes itself partic
ularly to the topics most interesting to the
people, and denounces boldly and fearlessly
exclusive privileges, hereditary rights, kingly
prerogatives, and all the abuses of fturlaisal.
As a literary and progressive periodical it
now stands unequalled.
E=
Made its:Lppearance as a sp.!cial advezate of
evangelical religion. It was founded by Dr.
Chalmers, and since his death has been under
the editorial charge of Dr. Hanna, and more
recently of Prof Fraser - Tor some time past.
it has been less evangelical than in its earlier
years, but it has now got back to its first faith
and is conducted on the same principles and
with the same vigor which characterised it
when under the care of Chalmers.
BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE
Everybody knows to be the embodied genius
of Toryism, yet its witching rhetoric, profound
disqiusitions, slashing yet brilliant criticisms,
poetry, biography, historical and fictitious
narratives, render it the most readable'tnonth
ly in the world.— [Bangor Pt-as/3c./IM.]
otu anb Counter Riatttrs.
JUSTICE OF PEACE.—We are au
thorized to announce that A. L. SroNsmen,
Esq., will bo candidate for Justice of the
Peace, at the ensuing spring election.
Isten_ln another column of our paper
will be found the Dividend notice of •the
Penn Mutual Life Insurance' Company of
Philadelphia, and we take pleasure' in en
dorsing it as one of the safest and most reli
able institutions in tho country. Without
giving any details we will mention 0 . 130 in.
- SULU OW 0 - CO uringlu our benefit--of
this Association. Most of our citizens will
roeolleot that estimable young man, • JA3IEE
RONEY. Toiler in the Carlisle, Deposit Bank,
Who died within the last few mouths, and who
previous to his deAth had insurud forthe.bou•
efit 'of his mother, his life, for the sum a
whioh upon his death was promptly
paid by this °cid:Tani to ,Mrs.• RONEY, thud,
rendoring her comparatively comfortable for
' life. - This is Mit ono insfiince of tho benefits
occuring.from such institutions.
For tioll information of the working of this
company, we refer our readers to A. 'L.
Spopincit, who is the agoti,k` of the company.