New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-12-25


" hence il Wac TO have been taken ACROSS the country
to Dogstooth Benz, on the Nssissippi-a wild place
II would be 1asv 10 get II thence 10 Secessia The
value Of tie quinine here is 50 O00 IN the Conieder-
acy at least $4,000.
Tue wa has furnished materials for innumerable
novels. ttiak shall 10 a service to many III Ger
tral New-York If relate he story Of Chss. Spencer,
native and long resident of Syracuse. j. &.
SPENCER, formerly Secretary Of the Navy, was his
uncle. and tue young Spencer who was hung for mt
tiny by M,Keuzie wss his oopsin I.
About two years ago NJ. Spencer started from
Pittsburgh with trading-boat, and, doing business
along the way, reached this place last Winter Here
he waited two or three months, expecting the war
would break ont; but several Of the leading citizens
Of Cairo old him there would be no war, aud 10 fear
nothing aud he proceeded down tie Mississippi.
Your Essen readers have but little idea of Tie
great amount Of business done by trading -boais on
these riyere. Iir Spencers boat wa. Of superior
kind IL did not hoat, but was propelled by an en-
CINE which power also ran q Tair Of burrs he lad
fitted up for grinding corn. A barge was towed by
mis- boat, AMI was used as a warehouse The upper
Fart of his boat was used as a tia ard guusmlth's
timing Lusness the lower partas dry goods store.
which WIS managed by his wife and daughter, a
Young LADY about eighteen. The large contained
amor other goods 900 ocokingstoves and the Value
of his whole establishment was sl5,G0.
hir Spencer II a machinst snd gunsmitb. ven
ture 10 say lie has more ingenuity shout him than
can be shown by tie whole OF So ia Carolina.
Mr. Spencer is literary lady, lceor p!ished aud,
Of course used 10 good sooioty. She nas written
several novels. They promised themselves much
enjoyment in their voyage down the magnificent
Mississippi.
When they reached Columbus, they found the
people highly excited ard uDfrently, and being tod
that Hickman, "a miles below, and IA from Cairo
was quite oyel, they went tbither must be short,
though their story is interesting aud long. After
being denounced as Abolitopisis and threatened with
hanging, though several Uaion men protected the N
all that they dared TO, Col. Cheatems men from
Union City, took possession Of all bs goods. denol-
ished his engine and took his wieand children away
as prisoners. Her intelligence was grea,l. against
her, and tine was fixed when ale was 10 have Ter
trll. Two or three times they were Gu the point OF
banging bin, and once lie VIA saved by ous tcous,
led by Canon. The rope was even lied Ia he Tree.
an net writing in ceiSil, and cannot eai lain minor
events Mr. SJencer's inal sentence vn' n these
words: we have Concluded TO put your case off a
spell; do you 20 to work making and fxing guns,
and wcrk rsH, OF by - we'll bang YOU About
Ills time they hung one Of HE own workm n. lie
wss lefi TO work in bis own boat, which they used In
the recruiting service for spell, guard was put
. h.. ,.ta t.l.t and
other things, lie constructed improved mods for
minnie balls This be did in order that he nj Lt gel
away. lie only succeeded in soitcping thoui enough
TO get an inieryiew with lie wife foI couple of
hours. 4 large sum Of money she eii kept, and he
ia sure che will keep IT, They separated, and be has
20, seen her lnce When he wac nOt Mt wod. he
was ready to drop down and die. but when ,ercs-
ing Lie nsoies and bio mind in bis calling h, party
forget his trocb'es
Ono day, when the wind was l. "a, to liver
rough ard biz guards stson,, he boosted fai and
started for Csiro. The wind failed al Columbus,
and he saw the bank l.red with az enngcd people,
who were Informed Of his escape }; telegraph.
Again be- was prisoner and eg,in be was sent 10
eunsmiiting end he coniesees that he worked well.
lie knew bis fate il he did not.
After a while, one Of our gunboa.s went down 70
Columbus, aud there wrs little ish;, which ended
VIGOROUSLY on our side and Mr Spencer was brought
hitler with his boat. II war reported thai we onp-
tuIed a Secesh gunboat. Thus be was in free
country once rore, and ono would supPoee tlis the
end Of bic Imprisonment. Not at all. He WIS con-
sdored captive. and Lis situation was change
only III the respect Of having rev masters. He WIS
siil guarded, still kept at work Runsintlng, and he
was actively employed 10 mounting AID in sighting
the guns OF our batteries, for no could 10 fueh
work 10 well as be. The reason for this was, that
he had used his skill and ingenuity in TIE rebel
cause. One Of the officers here remarked TO me,
4" Mr.. Spencer il rood Union man bore; nj
Columbus lie was good Secessiopist, md there is
10 doubt but lie deserves bis board and ciohss"
Mr.. Spencer told me that for sx weeks after his
arrival, and while ho was working for the Govern
uen,, here he could get no raoIIS and that il the
men in Tayl LORE battery had not divided with bin,
he and his men would have starved. Some fishermen
taking pity on him, bought four shirts FOR him and
bis four men, but ike brothers they took turns in
wearing the shirts. have tried TO find some officer
who knows this statement rot 10 be tue, and they
only say they know not how il H.
One day 10 got permit to 80 TO the expTsss Office
tia; lie might send 70 Chicago new kind Of bullet
which he had invented, and lie tooh Ire oooa,ion TO
relate to lie bystanders how he bad been treated.
When he 60; through an officer Put bis hand On bis
shoulder and tod him Gen. Grsut wanted TO go hi
at bis Office, for b. this time Gen. Grant bad been
cent hitler. The result Of the interview WIS, that
Gen. Grant was touched Will history, as adomestc
aud II good mGn, which he il. and should be, and he
supplied him with money. Times hsyo changed, be
lie becoming known and understand to-day, is to be
put in charge of the armory of the command.