Newbern weekly progress., 1861-10-29

tillcrv and our tnfantry are naW IA goo3 tFfN
Il il said that NOS; OF the teoeFaa FORCES
haze JeN Missouri for Kentucky that they are
moving South Tie inieretsce IS that we wall
20 either towards St Louis or Kansas
1t is impossible to even surtaise what VIII
be the future disposition ct our forces here IN
the West. That. of course, depends aitogethS-'
er on the movements of the enemy. bnt 4.
doubt if there viii be much more hghtIng III
Missouri unless it be, perhaps, ct st Lou1S
General McCdlloch has BEEN at his post nil
the time. He is viglant IS a tiger. Every
r3ay. at some time, man dressed in dark
clothes wearing brown hat, with thin flow
ing locks, may be seen going across the Prai-
ric One evening last week, as we were out
ON resinIental, drill, just before sundown, u
vast multitude of spectators, belonging TO the
various companies battaiions, &c, having cornc
out a horsernan was seen c1ming up towards
l,s at n fast gallop. Every person knew hm.
1t was General MeCulloch. He rode up to our
ietl wing and spoke kindly and faItllIariT To
our Captain, and then said good evening, po-
litelv and cheerf,1ly to all. Our Lieutensnt-
Colonel Hysms. beng busy making some re-
marks, the General rode up to The Adjutant
and remark ed .'why are You not on daty. are
yuu sick p Yes wss the reply. After cons
versiny few minutes he said II must go and
see the Colonel The Colonel by this tine
had the line at shoulder arms. AS the Ter
ersl passed, present arms" was The command.
The General. Of course, acknowledged it in his
own unique and Immortal style. Perhaps the
character of none of our public men is so much
misunderstood as that Of General McCulioch.
He is a Tennesseean by birth, and Texan by
adoption He is u border man. an Indian
fighter and ranger. Is this all mad fan-
cied him perfect devil, oacS"oooSiL.Stl; u
rutfian, an unpublished desperate. Gen. McCua-
och is a medium sized man perhaps he might
be called small man. with brown hair and
whskers. He doubtless has been handsome
and still is good looking for man OF his age
A nice boot well fitted 10 his foot I; close, trim
made clothes and as before mentehcc, a Drown
hat. neither high nor low, but of the planter
styic with very clean, nice vest, shirt, sleek
boots, gloves and spurs, are the characteristics
of his dress. His person is very neat and
pleasant, slim, thin and small roundnesS OF
shoulders He is as fine a horsetnan as ever
saw. Age has left its marks on his countcn-
ance. His face is weather-bcaten and brown
from exposurei numerous crow-teet creep ont
from his somewhat sunken eyes. think he
would weight about l4O pounds, and ! would
take him to be about fifty years old, Judging
from his looks and he is all that he has ever
been representcd-a bold, graceful rider, des-
perate fighter, reckless charger, border man
and an Indian fighter of the highest type
Had he lived in the days of chivairy he would
have been knight OF the most superior class.
More than this, Gen. Ben McCulloch is great
man. Mentally he is of the sanguine bilious
temperatnent--a perfectly positive man. There
is no halfway ground about him, no medium
decision, no compromise. no guessing. it Is
| or it is not with him. 1t can or it cannot be
and if the wo Id should decide against him or
all the officers of his division, believe his own
conscientiousress would prompt hiIu to say,
| would Jackson, "Tll take the responsibility.
One of the strongest features in his mind IS
| its precision, It's clcarneSS. Individuality u
! strongly marked. He is not talkativc man,
Al. l,lC
seems to be separate, selt-eXistant, independent.
original do not think any one ever knows
his plans and thoughts. He is indefatiga
| BILE student, and thinker, and never loses any
I time whatever. OF whatever subject his mind
is directed to he has very exalted idc;s He
seems desirous of bringing his troops to the
| very highest point of discipline and military
power. He detests stragglcrs and loafcrs.
| He loves order and decency. Tie threatened
TO turn q battery loose the unarmed Mis-
sourians who hung around HIM at the battle
| of Wilson's Creek He Nould have nothing
to do with the fight unless there head
command TO the forces on his side
The first time the command was called oft
in line of battle, at Crane creek, about tho first
of August as we formed, the &" long rolf beat
ing vigorously and our backs being toward 81
rayiuc. down which the enemy's cannon balls
were expected the command passed down the
line, viz: STEADY, men, General McCulloch
is loading the cannon himself" On ttIG next
day General Rains attacked the enemy, and.
as we were formed on a hillside to protect
our battery, vast numbers Of stragglers came
in laundering past us. Finally Captain McTn-
tosh, with 150 scouts, came in endeavoring to
draw the cucrny after them, and TO US on the
hill side. 1t seemed as if the enemy would
come in immediately, but Gen. McCuloch
came in finally, with two companions, the very
last man. AS he passed us he said, the enemy
has stopped to take dinner, come on boys,
we will go and take dinner, too" lie has very
fine rifle, which he always carries. This
is his only weapon or soldiery insignia.
AFFIRS IN NEW YORK