The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1861-12-13
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT.
-of e4o,ooo soldiers, the estim.ted

-Of 640,000. soldiers, the estimated
strength Of the army, according to Secre-
tary Oamerons report, Illinois furnishes
10000, Ohio $1,000, New York l0l 900,
Pennsylvania nearly $4,000, and Indiana
$1,000. There are over 10000 regulars.
The cavalry amounts to nearly 60. 900, and
Secretary Cameron recommends its grad
ual reduction. Secretary Csmeron also
recommends the abrogation of all distinc.
tions between regulars and volunteers.
The Utica O5seryer announces the
death of Hon. Henry Wager, at bis resi-.
dence in Western, Oneida County, at an
early hour on Monday morning. He filed,
during his life, many prominent positions,
among Others that of member of the Leg
islature, and President of the State Agri.
cultural Society. He was an uncle of Maj.
Gen. II. w. Halleck, U. s. A.
1t is stated from perfectly authentic
source that bill has already been prepared
and will soon be introduced into the Legiss
lature of Kentucky, confscatipg the Slave
property of Kentucky rebels-and that it
will undoubtedly become law. "A similar
bill will be put upon its passage in the Leg.
islature of the new State of Virginia, west
of the mountains, now in session.
Major Slemmer, of Fort Pickens fame,
is so dangerously ill at Huntonsvile, Vir-
ginia, that at last accounts bis life was des.
paired of.
The first official act of Hon. Samuel
Hooper, representative elect from the Fifth
Massachusetts district, was to appoint to
the United States Naval Academy, Chas.
Henry Davis, Jr., son of Commander
Charles FL. Davis, who was second in com.
mand of our fleet at Port Royal.
The following is brief synopsis of
military bill introduced into the Senate on
the 4th inst. by Senator Wilkinson of this
State:
Section one grants all rights and privileges
privates of the regular army TO volunteers of
the same, who are to form, and to be hereaf.
ter considered part of the regular army.
Section second provides that all volunteer
reg iments be considered as regiments of infan-
try and numbered in the same series as the
volunteer regiments to be numbered goth, and
the next Oldest 2lst, and so on,
Sections third and fourth apply the same
principles to cavalry and artillery.
Section fifth provides that promotions here.
after be made as heretofore, except that no
regard be had to the fact that the vacancy to
be filled occurs in an old regular, or new
volunteer regiment or that an officer promoted
belongs to an old or new regiment.
Section sixth provides that all commissions
issued by the Governors to volunteer officers
be considered the same as if issued by the
President and officers 10 take rank according
to date of their commission.
Section seventh provides that the President
fill all vacancies henceforth OccasiOned in vol
unteer regiments.
"A gentleman from Rolla, No., states
that the order against fugitive slaves enters
ing campis not observed there, the colored
contrabands being treated as strange white
persons are, neither allowed more liberty or
restricted to less. The blacks, dismissed
by Halleck's order, are just outside the
lines, and that is all. They could easily get
in again if pursued by rebel owners.
The Chicago Tribune publishes the fol.
lowing incident of the war in Kentucky:
Scene-The headquarters of Gen. Paine at
Paducah. Enter elderly Kentuckian in quest
of his fugitive chattel.
D,.,,o Wall CIV
family loyal?
Kentuck.-I have one son in the rebel army.
There are two at home.
Gen. P.-Well, are you and your boys at
home aiding the Government
Kentuck.-No, sir : we remain strictly neu-
tral.
Gen. P.-Then you must excuse me if re-
main strictly neutral between you and your
niger. I cannot allow you within my lines.
Exit Kentuck, in digust deeming this a
Paine-ful application of strict neutrality.
"A young Clevelander named McKen-
ma, a volunteer, was accidentally killed by
the discharge of the gun of a comrade at
Fayette Uourt House, Virginia. a few days
since.
A late number of the Richmond Ezs
aminer contains an elaborate article, insist
ing that the South must raise 100000 men
by CONSUMPTION, on the plan of European
States, if it would fight united North,
with fair prospects of success. The article
points out the disadvantages of all volun.
teer and military systems, and emphatically
declares that the North is united more and
more thoroughly by every defeat and sac.
ri6ce.
The Missouri Democrat says that on
Wednesday last j. G. Buell., lawyer, and
Edward Murphy, surveyor of st. Francois
county, Missouri, had rencountre in Far.
mington, in which shots were exchanged
without injury, when Mr.. Murphy drew a
bowie knife and stabbed Mr.. Buell., fatally,
it is supposed. The cause of the difficulty
was not stated. Both gentlemen are highly
respected.
The Montreal Advertiser says General
Williams, the commander of the forces in