The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-07-24
correspondence of the Free Trader
LetterJrom HE Editor.
NO. Y.

reigned among officers aud men here to some eA-
ten, for Il week Or two, was yesterday suddenly |
dissipated by the opening of the door Of Col.
Churchill's room at headquarters, aud the ssu-
ing thereilom Of the following "Ordors."
3" Inspector Generals Department, u s. Army,1 |
Alton, His, July II, lsl6. |
O,ders No. !. In compliance with instruc- .
tons from Bngadier.General John l.. Wool, [
charged with the duty Of organizing and order
ing Of Volunteers u Texas, the following named /
regiments OF Illinois volunteers, having been
mustered into the service OF the United States at
this place, AMI paid the advance Tor clothing, aud
furnished with necessary camp eluiP"ge and
medicines, will embark on board OF steamboats,,
10 he furnished by the quaT,ermas,sF's depart;
ment, with eight days ratlons. lone days cook
ed and in haversack, in the following order -
No. 1.-The second regiment under com
maud Of Col. VIM. II. Bsseli viii embark on
Thursday morning the 10Th inst; and the Bird
regiment, commanded by Col. Ferns Forman,
on Friday morning tho l7,h, for New Orleans,
and thence to Point Isabel, Texas.
No. Ill.--for any deficiency Of arms or equip
ments III either Of these regiments, tc Col. wll'
call on captain Whitley, Ordinance D"ro'. at
Baton Rouge Arsenal, on the way down the riv-
or, but wi,huu, landing the troops. On arriving
a, New Orleans the ColJnels, without landing
the troops, will report to Lieut.. Col. Hunt, Dep
ury Qnartermasier General, for transportation 10
Point Isabel, and to Captain Graysnn, Commits
sary Of Subsistence, for PROVISIONS; and o. land
ing at Point Isabel, they will report ~ the com
mauIinc officer.
No lV.-Thc first regiment under Col John
!. Hardin, will embark in like manner, nn Sa'uf-
DAY next the lSh, for New Orleans, and thence
! 4 + 4 a. "a, -. An,
tonic lie Bexarl This regiment, it is expected,
will be followed by the lth, under Col. Baker,
now a, Jefferson Barracks. Ga arriving at New
Orleans, the Colonies will report in the same
manner as is directed above, to the Quartcrmas-
ter aud Cominissary Of Subsistence, for transport
talion and subsistence to La Baca, and also Oh
tain oil necessary Information AMI means for
| landing, encamping, and subsisting at LA Blca,
which may not at the time be occupied By other
troops. $ CHURCHILL, Inspector Genea al
| Had it been announced that the Mcxicans were
within five miles Of W., it would hardly have ere
atcd more hustle in the camp than the reading
Of this document. Here we had been lying upon
| our oars for two or three wccks;-ihe officers, it
| Is true, were busy drilling their companies and
informing themselves as TO their duties, but
| luIlt w iNN''NiIS hihiNhihS ''h''S ~
! Texas within even weeks while the men were
vastly more engaged in devising ways and means
of rendering themselves comfortable here or at
the fur,hest at jefferson Barracks, than in making
preparations 10 leave for the seat of war. Be-
sides, not cent of money was paid to any Of the
men in this regimen, before I tuesday, aud the
officers have yet received no Pay; so tina, had
they even been inclined to prepare for leaving,
they would not have had the means of doing So
Their comes this Col. Churchill, distant, figd
| Ne Greenland, assocang with no one apparent
| y despsing all. aud as much believe dcspiscd
Ivy all, with orders 10 Inspect aud muster in the
| Illinois Volunteers, tn have them paid, and give
them marching orders, He performs these du-
ties one after another, beginning at one and no.
body knowing what came next -Four days are
consumed ia inspecting the volunteers, four more
in making out the muster rolls, two more on the
pay rolls, then four in paying the men their adj
vance for clothing, and at the end of the whole,
without previous hint or intimation To any of
the officers in command here, from Brig General
cUItNls upNiI W iItuUH inlS,-dll VI whom Udu
been in the same building with him, anxiously
inquirng even Of him as 10 the probable time Of
receiving orlcrs,-Comcs this final order for
marching, some in less than two days. aud the
longest grace to any not being five, while hut the
day before he had been hinting at the probability
Of one Of the regiments being mounted and sent
Ivy Santa fe. In the regular army doubtless, it
Ia the case that half dozen Of regiments can
strike their tents aud leave in day or two for a
long journey but it is most unreasonable to re.
I qure the same dispatch of Volunteers, Who hav,
never seen service, and have not the necessary
clothing and fixtures, and cannot procure then
here nor could have procured them before Tues
r day anywhere. Yet all is stir and hustle. an,
a we will be ready If we can. The grca, myster,
now is, why was the phlegma,ic old Col SO mys
FERROUS abou, all this What motive could Their,
have been to keep our commanding officers n
least, in the dark Were they unworthy to h
entrusted with little information that woul,
have been of great service TO them and the volun
= tcers, aud could have done injury in no quarter
g. Then there is another mystery. Two boats tn
Missouri and Convoy he says, axe 10 convey tn
;. ID regiment to New Olleans, but neither tn
captain Of the Missouri or Gen. Brooks in s.
- Louis, or the Commissary, or anybody else, had
up to las, evening, heard word Of it. Who
this Col, Churchill We have no lonb, he IL
" regularly authorized officer of the 4, S. bu
from the airs he puts on he ought to be at lea,
Is as big man as Gen. Jackson. Yet few appco
- ever to have heard Of him before. What has h
ever done Where is he from A little info
nation on these points would be very acceptabl
here abou, this time.
" The Faymastor got through yesterday, payin
be the privatcs their years allowance for clo,hin
Is (s42) They were paid in Missouri money an
five franc pieces, which has occusoncd a GOO
,s deal of complaint among the men. The smalle
cs bills paid were of the denomination Of $40, an
it is difficult. TO get them changed wihou, maxim