The Portland daily press., 1862-10-29
BY TELEGRAPH.
TO THE
Portland Daily Press.
FROM WASHINGTON.
Arrest for Aiding the Enemy.
Destruction of Rebel Salt Works.
Changes, Assignments, &c.
FROM WASHINGTON.
Arrest for Aiding the Enemy.
Destruction of Rebel Salt Works.
Changes, Assignments, &C.
Neglect of Duty by Officers.

WASHINGTON, Oct. e.
The steamer Jacob Bell arrived this evening,
bringing up young man named Thomas q.
Hutchinson, who was captured by her a few
days since while crossing the Maryland shore
with two negroes in boat. He represented
that he was going after package of theologi-
cal works with which to complete his studies
he being student of divinity, but it is thought
he was on the way to procure goods to take
back. He with the two negroes were sent to
the Provost MarshaPs office this morning, and
were committed to the old Capitol Prison.
The Navy Department has received the fol-
lowing information: The U. 5. forces in the
Gull have destroyed the salt works of the re-
bels at st. Andrews and ST. Joseph's Bay
Both were capable OF making over 400 bushels
of salt per day.
The U S. steamer Penobscot, on the 22d
inst, captured off Shelton Inlet, n. c., the
English brig Robert Bruce, of about 200 tons
burthen, loaded with clothing, medicines, &c.
Acting master Ii. A. Hurley, of gunboat
Tapoma, near st. Andrews Bay, died Oh the
18th inst, of yellow fever.
In consequence of the illness of Col. d. D.
Tompkins, Assistant Quartermaster General
stationed in New York city, the business of
his Office will be temporarily transacted by
Maj. Stewart Van Vleet Quartermaster Gen
eral q. p. Clusere. is assigned to duty in
Western Virginia, and ordered to report to
Gen. r. III. Milroy. Maj. X. II. Mcclure, As
sistant Adjutant General is ordered to report
to the Governor of Pennsylvania. ID. c. +. +.
Hidreth has been appointed Acting Assistant
Surgeon in the navy. Paymaster James Full
ton has been ordered to the Lackawanna.-
Boatswan j. r. Bartlett and Paymaster Mas
ton have been ordered to the Junietta.
Maj. Gen. Wool has been ordered to appear
before a court martial now in session here
engaged with the surrender of Harper's Fer
ry.
Assistant Secretary Harrington has return
ed to Washington, and resumed his duties at
the Treasury Department.
In general order lately issued from the
headquarters of the army of the Potomac, it is
among other things ordered, that all enlisted
or volunteers wishing to transfer themselves
into the regular army, will record their names
at the adjutant's office of their regiments at
once, or before the 9Th of November, 1862. No
officer of the regular army will in future enlist
volunteer soldiers whose names are not on
these lists Lists of volunteers wishing to en-
list in the regular army will be forwarded daily
through brigade and division headquarters to
corps headquarters. Regular officers desiriug
to enlist soldiers from the volunteer service,
will hereafter apply at the corps headquarters
for such lists, and will also apply at the head
quarters for permission to visit the regiments
10 recruit the men. Care will be had not to
tdhc HioIc tliH IAN pIopoft.Ou vi iileH lfoui
each regiment.
Too much laxity prevails with regard to
soldiers leaving their regimental camps and
wandering beyond the limits of their COM
mands. Hereafter not more than two men of
each company will be granted passes TO leave
camps. Provost guards will arrest all absen-
tees from camp without proper permits.
The reports of recent inspections exhibit
shameful neglect of duty on the part of many
officers of the higher as well as lower grades
in this army in those lesser details OF disci-
pline, failure TO attend diligently to which will
produce the decentralization of any body of
troops. Inspections in many organizations
are rarely made, drills are poorly attended, and
frequent cleanliness disregarded, the care of
arms and ammunition but little attended to,
and the instruction of officers in tactics and
regulations entirely neglected. Brigade and
division drills in some cases are laid aside.
The general orders published from time to
time by the War Department for the instruc-
tion and guidance of the troops, are not pro-
mulgated TO the regiments and batteries. The
prompt distribution and PRONUNCIATION of orders
is one of the first duties of staff officers, and
commanding officers are made responsible that
staff officers are not neglectiu in this respect
The commanding General is convinced that
some examples of summary dismissal of otfi-
GERS are necessary to insure attention to this
point Of duty, before the Importance of the
subject will be fully realized. He gives notice
therefore, that any neglect in this respect of
staff or commanding officers that come to his
notice, will secure his immediate recommenda-
ton Tor the summary dismissal of the delin-
uuent