Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-07-05

THE CoMET.-Many persons suppose there
are two comets now vsible-as one, apparent
ly, is to be seen after midnight in the north
east, and the othcr::from dark till midnight in
the northwest This is mistake. 1t is well
known fact that the tail of the comet is
always from the sun. 1t is caused by the sun
shining through the nucleus of the comet, and
of course appears in an opposite direction.
The apparent change of position in the comet
now visible is owing to its proximity to
the North Pole.
Mr.. Thomas Bassnett, scientific gentle
man of Ottawa, ILL.,, sends the following con-
corning the comet to the Chicago Jou, nal.:
Last night (Junc 30th,) after veral clou-
dy evenings, the great comet of 1854 and
1856 suddenly presented itself, shorn of none
of its ancient splendor. Its tail is almost
straight, yet if anything, convex to the west,
and full 80 degrees long, terminating little
south Of the bright star Lyra and passing
over it, The comet is within two or three
days of its perihelion passage, and will pur-
sue track eastward, favorably for exhibiting
its magnificent proportions for two months
to come. 1t will probably not attain it's full
size and brilliancy until about the first of
August.
| question whether its tail is not a little in
advance of the prolongaton of the radius
weston of the orbit, and curved the wrong
way, contrary to the accepted theory.
MORE About TIE CoMEr.-Mr Bassnet, of
Ottawa, ILL.,, whose remarks concerning the
comet now visible we published yesterday,
writes again to the Chicago Journal, under
date of the I'd, as follows:
The splendid comet now nightly visible in
the northwestern heavens, cannot be, as was
at first supposed, the comet of Charles VI
When first seen on Sunday evening, it occu-
pied a position, in right ascension and declina-
ton, similar to that Of a point in the latter's
orbit, as viewed from the earth June 3Oth,
and its physical features well correspond; but
its rapid motion North and West, as seen in
the evening sky. forbidS the supposition of
its being the expected comet. 1t appears to
be new retrogade comet or very eccentric |
orbit, which has shot up like rocket from its
perihelion, and is passing outwards, in our
neighborhood - much nearer than the comet |
of 1864 could be at this time of the year.
THAT PALMETTO FLAG.-The rattlesnake
flag captured by Capt. Cummins arrived
by express, and may be seen at
Compton's store. The following letter accom-
panied it
BooNvMLE, Mo-, June "a, 1861.
T I. \. L.. ri
anarchy and confusion was captured by COM
pany A, 1st regiment Iowa volunteers, at the
town of Renick, Howard county, Missouri. 1t
is the secession flag taken by the regiment,
and is supposed to be only palmetto flag
that ever hoated in the place of che glorious
stars and stripes over the soil of Missouri. We
raised the star spangled banner on the same
staff from which this was torn, and left it
floating in the breeze. Company a places
this in your trust until its return ana requests
that you, on the 4th day of July, 1861, raise
the stars and stripes in the court house yard,
and then with your own hands raise this un-
der it, reversed; and give the good people at
home view of the monster their husbands,
sons, brothers and friends have gone forth to
conquer. We march into Arkansas in few
days. Truly yours, G. E. COMPTON,
Sergeant Major LIST Iowa Regt.
The flag was exhibited on the celebration
grounds yesterday
The THIRD MUsCATISE COMPANY GONE TO
THE WARM cdncsday afternoon the Fontenoy
Guards, Capt Mackey, departed on the cars
to Join the Chicago Irish Brigade. The fol-
lowing are names of the Guards
T. B. M,cKEy Captain.
S. A. WILSON, LIST Lieutenant.
FRANKLIN sELoR ID Lieutenant.
Wm. Foley John 7. Ellis
John P Gantle Il. Blake
II cnry Farr Richard Livingston
James Putnam Solomon White
Charles Price John Dodson
Ma, han Jones VIM Hotter
} vun Tucker josiah Smith
Thou as pomeray Richard Histanty
joseph Zines James F. Smith
8. NJ Smith Michael 5. rnfey
David Noble John Ba
George W. McNatton VIM. F. Emory
James Denham E. l.. Simpson
Lon,s Springer w. l.. Grimes
q P Lacey Edward Bennett
Thomas Brumage W. S, Denham
Hiram Bennett ThCs. J. brewer
Tunes II. Stewart Henry S:ahi
James A. Lindsay Z. ". Nirth
Martin Lee W. /. James
Thomas A. Beeney VIM Armstrong
Patrick OMara Edwin Powell
Martin Walman
We nope to hear good report from the
Guards on the battlefield.
1st Lieutenant, S. A. Wilson intends to stop
a few days TO try and till up the company.
He may be found at Peter Loucks', on Sec
ond street.
The Vacant Chair.
u. C. CREAL.
There is no home-no earthly home
However bright and fair
But hath some aching, bursting heart;
1t has one vacant chair.