The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1861-12-31
HILLsDALE, MICH, TUESDAY, DEC. 81, 1861.

purpose OF acting as agent OF the Governmen
in collecting the crop. He has visited ST
Helena, Sadiss. Coosaw, Palla- -Wans, Paris
Dolto(D y and Port Royal Islands, and esti
mstes the value of the quantity to be obtain
cd at 81, 100000. Negroes are employed tc
gather the cotton--they receive % for every
neat hundred weight which they deliver
For that pay they work willingly aud well.-
The little MayAower, Capt. Phillips, is con
tinually running up the bayous for the starle
and transporting il hilher. Her first trip
was made to jenkins Island. whence sh'
brought $50 sacks, which are equal to abou,
SO bales. A cargo may soon be expected il
New York.
HILTON HEAD PosToYFIcE.
The Pos.office at Hilton Head in the three
weeks of its existence has sent North, q
round numbers, eighty thousand letters. II
that fact is not conclusive evidence of the
intelligence Of the men composing the army
and navy, what would be! Very D. arly the
same number of letters have been received
and distributed here, as well as many tons OF
newspapers. Mr.. Sears, the post master, is q
man of energy and tact, both of which quail.
ties he has had occasion to exercise in bring
ing his department, in the face Of every al
verse circumstances, to its present harmonious
working condition.
NEW EXPEDITIONS.
1t is positively said now that the new OK =.
pedilion for Somewhere. will leave here with
in week. Capt. Chas. E. Fuller, Assistant
Quar,ermaster United States Army, is busy
in arranging the transportation. The vessels
assigned are the Oriental, Catawba, Ariel,
Daniel w bster, Benz. De Ford, Belvidere,
E pire City, Matanz.s, Marion. Philadelphia,
Star of the South, and Roanoke. The Ori.
entail, probably the most comfortable vessel Of
the number, will doubles be chosen MS the
headquarters of the General commanding the
expedition.
WHAT THE REBELS ARE DOING.
Some information Of the rebel movements
has just been obtained from the negroes
Forester Thompson, belonging to Frederick
Cranston, Of Savsnnah. said that he left that
city with two other fugitive slaves, on the
eth ultimo. After suffering severely from
hunger, they managed finally to reach our
camp. He had been working at bis trade, as
ship carpenter, upon rebel gun boat which
is now aHoat in Savannah harbor. This ves-
sci is S5 feet in length, by 25 feet in width.
Her heights is Z FEET ont Of water, and her
draft not more than 2 feet. She is sharp at
both ends, carries three guns, and was built
expressly Tor running into the shallow creeks,
10 order to Sht land forces. Thompson sta
ted that Fort Pulaski is very unsubstantially
built, and that firing from il has cause fis
,urcs in the brick walls. Some Of the garri-
son are SO fearful that it cannot stand the
Of its own guns, that they have
hired substitutes and left. He says that but
Ter and coffee are both very scarce, and each
sells for rs cents per p und. Another reu-
gee from Coosawatchie, village on the
Broad River, where the railroad crosses, stat
I'd that tho rebels have erected a ba terry of
hrce guns at that place.
TOUCHING OFF SHELLS.
A stupid soldier, belonging to tho Round
read Regiment, met shocking death the
,ther day. He found in the woods an un-
exploded shell, and si'ting as,ride Of it, light
,l the fuse with his cigar. 1t hurst, cutting
lis hands off at his wrists, and tearing out bis
lo,nach. He languished two hours after the
occurrence. Eight others were slightly hurt.
mother dolt, belonging to the Forty y-eightb
Regiment, also touched off shell in marsh
,eir the camp. Sngnlsrly enough, the
'nly injury be exper euced, was the tearing
# his coat A fragment Of the iron was
brown three hundred yards, pas, ing through
he canvass Of a tent and smashing trunk in
pieces.
A TAME ALLIGATOR.
Did you ever hear of tame alligator for
'et. Soldiers must have something upcn
which to lavish their tenderness, and the
Forty seventh New York have ctosen an en-
'rmous alligator. They captured the hideous
resture in Skull! Creek, near Seybrooks
and really have made it quite tract
ble.
DEATHS IN THE EIGHTH MICHIGAN.
John II Davis, Co. X, Dec. 4.
Lumen Hare, Co. ii, Dec. 4.
Cyrus Ii. Dcano, Co. ID, Dec 4.
Jonathan K. George, Co. c, Dec. 7.
John Patro, Co. f, Dec. o.
VIM Smith, Co. X. Dec. Z.
VIM. Brown, Co. d, Dec, 0.
There have b en- eighteen deaths in this
egiment since its arrival at Hilton Head, the
nortality being greatly in excess Of any other