The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1861-12-20
News and Other Items.

regiment, raising at Courtland, N. Y, was
shot BY bis commanding officer, last Friday,
in an attempt to escape from the guard
house. He had just been arrested upon his
return from Albany, where be had been to
prefer charges against Colonel Green. His
wound was mortal.
Rev, Phineas Rice, DID,, an aged and
highly esteemed minister of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, died on the 5th inst, at
bis residence in Newburg, NY. For more
than half century be has been widely and
favorably known as one of the leading
ministers of his denomination. His sterl.
ing good sense, fervent piety, popular ad.
dress, marked individuality, and rare execu-
tive ability, won him numerous friends, and
gave him powerful influence in the councils
of the church.
On Saturday last Capt. McF Farland,
merchant living at Elizabethtown, Hardin
county, ILL.,, intercepted Kentuckian, who
was attempting to smuggle large guam.
tity of goods south. The smuggler, with
his contrabands and stuff, was captured and
brought to Cairo, on the steamer Courier.
The goods consisted of 45O ounces of qui.
nine, and boxes containing variety of
articles, weighing 1900 pounds.
"A spicy and hot correspondence is go.
ing on between Captain Griffin, of Grffin's
battery, and General Barry, in regard to
the loss of the battle of Bull Run. The
capture of Griflins Battery was the begins
ming of the disaster on the illfated day, and
Captain Griffin has always boldly proclaim>
ed that the less of his guns was the result
of an unmlltary order of Major Barry,
who, as reward for his blunder, has since
been made Brigadier. The severe nature
of Captain Griffin's charges, and the sup-
port they receive from military men, have
compelled General Barry to open a CORE.
spondence with Captain Griffin. The re.
suit may be serious.
The Joliet (Ill) True Democrat says
that on Friday evening last, the 9th inst,
as Benjamin Pickel was leaving his black
smith shop, near the railroad depot, for
home, he was shot dead, and the murderer
who had approached stealthily through the
alley, at once fled. a German named Taft,
brother -in-law of Pickel, and between
whom there had been some contention, has
been arrested, and circumstances point to
him as the guilty party. Pickel leaves
wife and quite large family.
One of the Beaufort negroes advertises
bis runaway master in tie following clever
travestic:
$500 REwAnD;-Rund away from me ne on de
| 9TH Of dis month, my massa julian Rhett. Mas
sa Rhett am five feet 'leven inches high, big
shoulders. brack har, curly shaggy whiskers,
| low forehead, an dark face. He make big
fuss when he go 'mOng de gemmen, he talk
very big. and use de name OBJ de Lord all de
time. Calls heself Sudden gemmen," but
suppose will try now to pass heself off as a
brack man or mullatter. Massa Rhett has
deep scar on his shoulder from fight, scratch
cross de left eye, made by my Dinah when he
tried to whip her. He neber look people in de
face. / NOR dan spec he will make track for
whar magin he hab few friends.
| | will glib four hundred dollars for him if
alive, an five hundred if anybody show him
dead. If he cum back to his kind niggers
without much trouble dis chile will receive him
lubbingly. SAMBO RHETT.
Beaufort, South Carolina, Nov. 9, 1861.
--Centrevile is the key to Manassas. Its
heights overlook the rebel batteries, and are
easily made impregnable against assault.
The rebels would never have given it to US,
in their retreat of July, had they not ex-
pected We should lose it again at Manassas.
A spy, who has been over that region, gives
the following description of the stronghold
as it now exists in rebel hands
The village is on high ridge of land, and
! the works extend nearly half mile north and
| south. 1t was simple embarkment. InOtice
that some correspondents speak of such works
| as mere rifle pits, but the term is not correct.
| In the books it is a banquet or breastwOrk of
earth. The position is strong one, and the
| works have been made very formidable. l
! can very well understand why Gen. Mcclellan
| manifests no disposition at present to march
upon Centreville. A small body of determined
men behind those works could make sad havoc
in the ranks of our army, advancing up the
| long uncovered slope. There are no trees,
| fences, ravines or Notwithstanding for
| protection. There are no elevations, from
which the rebels could be shelled. 1t is possi-
BILE there may be great battle at Centrevile,
| but do not join in such expectations, as some
of the correspondents with the army, who
anticipate great engagement there. should
not be surprised, however, if there was
movement in that direction before many weeks.
Deacon Joseph Frisbie, of Kittery,
Missouri, committed suicide on Monday of
last week, by hanging. Mr.. F. was a Iead~
ing member of the Freewill Baptist
Church, and one of the Selectmen. His
age was fifty eight. He had recently
lost two of his sons and most of his proper
ty, which events are supposed to have de.
pressed and finally deranged his mental fac
ulties.
The Madison (Wisconsin) Journal, on
the strength of private letter from an in
fluential gentleman in one of the border
States, vouches for the fact that secret
Union societies have been organized in the
| States of X Kentuckv Tennessee North Car