davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-04-11
"PooR WHITES, IN VIRGINIA.


The origin of class of inhabitants is
very interestingly stated. as follows, by
the writer of "I'hen and Now in the Old
Dominion " The most fatal ship that
ever cast anchor in American waters was
that which brought the first 20 negroes
to the settlement of jamestown. Like
the Indian in her own aboriginal legend,
on whom spell was cast which kept the
rain from falling on him and the sun from
shining on him, Virginia received from
that Dutch ship curse which chained
back the blessing which her magnificent
resources would have rained upon her,
and the sun of knowledge shining every
where has left her to-day more than so
thousand avhtte adults aoho cannot read or
aorite. 1t was at an early period as man.
ifested as now that slave population
implied and rendered necessary large
aohite population. And whilst the pill
grims of Plymouth inaugurated the free
school system in their first organic law,
which now renders it impossible for one
sane person born in their land to be un-
able to read and write, Virginia was
boasting with Lord Douglass in Mar
mion,' a
Thanks to Saint Bothan, son of mine
Could never pena written line
Sir William Be,kly, Governor Of Virgin.
ia for thirty six years, beginning with
l64l, wrote to the king as follows -
thank God. there are no free schools MOI
printing, and | hope we shall not have
these hundred years; for learning has
brought disobedience and heresy and
sects into the world, and printing has
divulged them, and libels upon the best
governments God keep us from both !
Most fearfully has the prayer been an
swered. In Berkley's track nearly al
the succeeding ones went on. Henry A
Wise boasted in Congress that no newspa
per was printed in his district, and he
soon became governor. 1t gives but
poor description of the poor-white trash
to say that they cannot read. The very
slaves cannot endure to be classed Oh
their level. They are inconceivably
wretched and degraded. For every ricf
slaye-owner there are some eight or tel
families of these miserable tenants Boil
sexes are almost always drunk. There il
no better man than the Anglo-Saxton maj
who labores; there is no worse ANNA
than the same man when bred to habit
of idlcness When Watts wrote,
Satan finds some mischief still
For idle hands to do.'
he wrote what is much truer of his owl
race than of any other. This law ha
been the Nemesis of the young Virginian
His descent demands excitement and ac
tivity and unless he becomes changed
into clay-eater, he obtains the excite
rnent that his ancestors got in war. an,
the New Englander gets in work, in gam
ing, horsc-racing, and all manner of dis
sipation. His life veri6es the provert
that the idle brain is the devils work
shop. He IS trained to despise labor
for it puts him on level with his father
Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-04-11
From the National Era.
CoMETH A BLESSING DOWN.
nv NARY FRANCIS TYLER.

COMETH A BLESSING DOWN.
. BY MARY FRANCIS TYLER.
Not to the man of dollars,
Not to the man of deeds,
Not to the man of cunning.
Not to the man of creeds {;
Not to the one whose passion
Is for the world renown,
Not in form of fashion,
Cometh a blessing down.
Not unto lands expansion, .
Not to the miser's chest,
Not to the princely mansion,
Not to the blazoned crest,
Not to the sordid worldling, .-
Not to the knavish clown, ..F
Not so the naughty tyrant,
Cometh blessing down.
Not to the folly blinded,
Not to the stepped in shame,
Not to the carnal-minded,
Not to unholy fame,
Not to neglect Of duty,
Not in the monarch's crown
Not in the smile of beauty,
Cometh a blessing down.
But to the one whose spirit
Yearns for the great and good
Unto the one whose store hobse
Yieldeth the hungry food;
Unto the one who labors,
Fearless of foe or frown;
Unto the kindly hearted,
Cometh a blessing down.
Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-04-11


How MoRTARs ARE LOADED AND FIRED
The following description of mortar
practice is by correspondent of the Gin
cinnati Commercial.
| took position on shore, near the
point and along side the mortar, to wit
ness their practice. The firing of NOR
tar is the very poetry of a battle. A bag
of powder weighing from IS to 20 pounds,
is dropped into the bore of the huge mon
ster; the derrick drops the shell in; the
angle is calculated; long cord is at
tached to the primer; the gunner steps
out upon the platform, and the balance Of
the crew upon the shore. The captain
gives the word, the gunner gives his cord
"a sudden jerk, crash like a thousand
thunders follows, a tongue of fame leaps
from the mortar, and column of smoke
rolls up in beautiful Aceey spirals, devel-
oping into rings Of exquisite proportions.
One can see the shell as it leaves the NOR.
tar, flying through the air, apparently no
larger thana marble The next you see
of the she'll, a beautiful cloud of smoke
bursts into sight, caused by the explosion.
Imagine / . of these monsters laundering
at once, the air filled with smoke clouds,
the gun-boats belching out destruction
and completely hidden from sight in
whirls of smoke, and shells screaming
through the air with AN unearthly sound,
and the distant guns Of the enemy send
ing their solid shot and shell above and
around us dashing the water upin glis.
tening columns and jets of spray, and you
have the sublime poetry Of war.
Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-04-11
THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

We are to have new department at
Washington-the department Of agricul-
ture. The bill establishing it, which has
ulready passed the House, has been re-
ported back to the Senate, and as it meets
with no special opposition, it will doubt
less become a law. The chief of this
new department is to be called the COM
missioner of Agriculture" and is to re-
ceive salary of $4,000. He will have
chief clerk, with a salary of $4,000,
and such other clerks and agents as he
may find necessary. He is allowed also
to employ chemists, botanists, entomolo-
gists, and other scientific experts. The
general object of the department is defn,
ed by the bill to be "to acquire and to
- diffuse among the people of the United
+" States, useful information on subjects
" connected with agriculture in the most
general and comprehensive sense of that
" word, and to procure, propagate, and
" distribute among the people new and
valuable seeds and plants This covers
the ground occupied by the agricultural
bureau of the patent Office, with an indef
nile extention of its powers and duties
Its efficiency, under system so general
and vague, will of course depend alto
gether upon the capacity of the mar
placed at it's head. ... .I. F..
Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-04-11

q Ga The great rebel cry Just now 49,
Backward 10 Richmond t4ite4e
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1862-03-12
COM NJ E RCI AL.

New YORK, March IL.
Receipts Of -four 5000 bbls. Market
dull and $5,5o@S5.6o extra state; $1,000
$40 sup. western; So, 3o@S5,SO sup.
extra r. II. o. Canada -four dropping -
Sales 800 bbls. Rye -four quiet and steady
$3,25@S450.
Wheat heavy and prices favor buyer
without sales Of Importance.
The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-06-20

In conclusion must here beg leave to
add that my officers and crew alI' without
single exception, behaved 10 most he
roic manner. Indeed, l was surprised to
witness their perfect GOODNESS and self.pos.
session as they stood at their guns, while
the rebels were hailing shot and she'll upon
US for nearly half an hour before l gave the
order to "Open fire p and have to copgrat.
ulate myself upon being so ably assisted by
my executive officer, Lieut.. B. B. Lowey.
He was everywhere, inspiring both officers
and crew with his own zeal and gallantry in
the performance of their duty. Lieut.. Jas.
O'Kane, who had charge of the first divis2
ion, was severely wounded soon after we
commenced the action but not until he
had himself primed, sighted and fired two
guns, and from loss of blood fallen to
the deck, would be consent to be carried
below.
Lieut. James Forney, commanding the
marines, had two guns assigned him, and
with his men fought most CALAMITY. was
early deprived of my signal officer and aid,
acting midshipman John Anderson, by a
shot which cut him and the signal quarter
master, Barney Sands, nearly in two.
Young Anderson was most promising and
gallant young gentleman, and had only q
few days previous volunteered from another
vessel, which had been detailed for other
duty, to join this ship. He was knocked
overheard and killed instantly. Immedi~
ately afterwards my young clerk, Mr.. j. G.
Swift, (who had been meanwhile taking
notes,) asked me to let him act as my aid,
and the prompt, self. possessed manner in
which he performed bis duty, in conveying
my orders, elected nv highest admiration.
The conduct Of Quartermaster James
Buck, stationed at the wheel, merits partic.
ular mention. Early in the fight be receiv-
ed ssvere and painful confusion by a
heavy splinter, but for seven hours after
ward he stood bravely at his post and per-
formed his duty, refusing to go below until
positively ordered to do SC; and on the
morning of the 25th,wthout my knowledge
be again stole to his station, and steered the
ship from early daylight until 1.3O, PM
over eight hours. beg particularly that
you will bring this mans conduct to the es-
pecial notice OF the Navy Department. OF
the part taken in the attack on the two bat
teries, on the morning of the 25th, by the
ship, you can bear witness, and it is uunec-
essary for me to write.
In conclusion, Sir, permit me to congrat
ulate you upon this most brilliant success.
The attack by our squadron upon two strong
and garrisoned forts, steaming within grape
aud canister range, and partially silencing
them, and the pursuit and destruction of al
most their entire feet of gunboats, has not
been surpassed, if equaled, by any navy in
the world. Under the providence of AL
mighty God, we have achieved most glo.
rious victory.
Very respectfully,
Your obediept servant,
THOS. 7. CRAVEN, Captain,
Flag Officer D. G. FARRAGUT, Commanding
Western Gulf Blockadng Squadron.
The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-06-20

War Office, with the imprint of the Depart.
ment, in the manifest handwriting of Mr..
Watson, Assistant Secretary, to the pur
port as above named.
The Secretary declared his entire igno.
rance of the matter, and touched his bell
A messenger responded. The messenger was
sent for Mr.. Watson. Mr.. Watson enter
ed. Secretary Stanton handed Mr.. Wat
son the envelope, and requested to know
what it all meant.
Mr.. Watson opened the letter, looked at
it, and was astonished. This is my wri-
ting" said be at first, +" when did write it?
What does it mean ?" He read the signas
ture, which he scanned closely. Ali doubts
were now removed The crossing of the ct"
betrayed the fraud. "This is not nv wri.
ting" said Mr.. Watson. it is a forgery,
and the most wonderful one l have ever
seem"
"You are sure ?" said the Secretary.
"Can it be possible? p echoed the aston.
ished Marshal.
1t ia forgery-pure and simple"
Here was scene at the end OF which an
inquiry arose as to what was to be done
with Colonel Cross. -... "a
The Marshal settled the matter by direct
ing Colonel Gross to come again to the car
rlAge to be taken to Philadelphia.
Colonel Gross put on the indignant and
demanded by what right be was taken
back.
"By my authority" sold the Marshal,
"because your pardon was procured by
forged papers"
"Then, sir, you are transcending your
powers" said Cross. "My pardon is gen.
uine one at any rate, and you have no right
to 60 behind it." .....
"Take him back" said Secretary Stan.
ton.
"By what law?" demanded Gross, to
whom the air of liberty had gained an adj
ditinal sweetness from the few moments that
he had enjoyed it.
"By military law" replied the Secretary
and the redoubtable Colonel was again
placed in the carriage. He was brought
back to his old quarters and yesterday the
Governor revoked his pardon.
Here is the dilemma. 1t is not yet Ger
tain that pardon can be revoked by its
author, and on this point grows an interest.
ing question. If it cannot be revoked, the
Government will take charge of the Colonel
and send him to Fort Lafayette. In any
case be will serve out his five years. impris.
onment, of which only about eighteen
months have expired.
The documents in question, it is not
doubted, were prepared by himself; but how
the blanks were obtained, who was bis con-
federate, and how access was obtained to
the convict, are matters beyond our ability
to conjecture.
The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-06-20
General Banks Report

General Banks has sent to the War De.
partment his official report of the retreat
from Western Virginia. He received i'm
formation of the advance of the enemy on
the evening of the 23d of May, and imme-
diateIy sent achievements to Colonel Ken~
ly, Of the First Maryland regiment, who
guarded Front Royal. Later in the even.
ing, however, additional information was
received to the effect that KenIy's force had
been oVerpowered, and that the rebels were
advancing on Winchester, whereupon the
reinforcements were recalled and detach.-
ments were sent to explore the roads and
ascertain the strength OF the hostile forces.
The General then gives report of the
combats which occurred during the retreat,
and says of the battle of Winchester
The forces engaged were very unequal
1ndispOsed to accept the early rumors con-
corning the enemy's strength, reported to
the department that it was about fifteen
thousand. 1t is now conclusively shown
that not less than twenty-five thousand men
were in position and could have been
brought into action. On the right and left
their great superiority of numbers was
plainly felt and seen, and the signal officers,
from elevated positions, were enabled to
count the regimental standards, Indicating
a strength equal to that have stated.
My command consisted of two brigades
of less than four thousand men, all told,
with nine hundred cavalry, ten Parrott guns
ard one battery of 6-pounder smooth bore
cannon. TO this should be added the Tenth
Maine regiment OF infantry and five CONS
panies Of Maryland cavalry, stationed at
Winchester, which were engaged in this
action. The loss of the enemy was treble
that of ours in killed and wounded.
Officers whose word l cannot doubt have
stated, as the result of their own observa>
ton, that our men were fred upon from
private dwellings, in passing through VIM
chester but am credibly informed, and
gladly believe, that the atrocities said to
have been perpetrated upon our wounded
soldiers by the rebels ere greatly exaggera-
ted Or entirely untrue.
Of Our losses he says:
The whole number of killed is thirty.
eight wounded, one hundred ard 6ity-tiye;
missing, seven hundred and eleven. Total
loss, nine hundred and five. 1t is undoubt.
eddy true that many of the missing will re.
turn. and the entire loss may be assumed as
not exceeding seven hundred. 1t is also
probable that tie number OF killed and
wounded may be larger than that above
stated, but the aggregate will not be chang
ed thereby.
All our guns were saved. Our wagon
train consisted OF nearly five hundred wag
cps. Of this number ffty-ive were lost.
The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-06-20

awoke to . realizing sense Of their huge
sell. Going on, they came upon q lot Of
rebel deserters being escorted back to Cor
NTH by rebel cavalry, bagged both, dis.
mounted the cavalry and let the desertera
ride. Then it was the joke on the cavalry,
who had been pushing the poor fleeing con-
scripts hard, and they made use of the OBJ
portunity to twit their aoalking friends up.
on the sudden changes that sometimes occur
in this lower world.
Our boys lost hats and caps and coats,
and it is not much wonder we were taken
for secesh. We hardly would have known
them ourselves, as they had gathered hats
and coats of Confederate stock, and looked
the rebel all over.
I consider this feat of the cavalry as a
feather in the cap of every man in the army
that rides horse, for heretofore have new
or seen any very remarkably brave and
daring movements from this arm of the sers
vice.
Colonel Elliot did not know Corinth was
evacuated until he was long way on bis
journey back. A large force was sent out
by Beauregard to intercept and cut him of;
but General Pope looked ahead, and Or
dered him to return by widely different
route. So winding our forces through
woods and deep ravines, or daripgly dasbing
through villages and over hedges of as
tonished planters, by the black harems of
massa and massa's sons, the people general
ly, and the astonishad negroes particularly,
looked on; and saw and wondered, and
rubbed their eyes, and as the hOrsemen van.
ished believed it almost dream.
The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-06-20

Several steamers are advertised in st.
Louis for Memphis whilst one or more are
up for 'Memphis, Vicksburg, Natchez and
New Orleans" We anticipate general
re.opening of trade along the Mississippi
Valley.
The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-06-20

sioners whom he know are under no circum.
stances to be received or listened to.
have the honor to be, Sir, very respect.
fully, your obedient servant, s.n,sr "a.
"~' 90 "~- P. J. ROST.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-10-28
r. FIGHTS

N - NJ IL i -
By thisronte, freights OF all descriptonsesn be
baltimore, 10 or from any point on the Railroads
Of Ohio, Kentucky. Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin,
Iowa or Missouri. BY RAILROAD DIRECT.
The Pennsyiranin Railroad also connects al Pitts
ourx with steamers, by which Gooas tn forward
sd 10 any point on the Ohio. Muskingum, kentucky
Tennessee Cumberland, Illinois, Wisconsin Missile
ttppf, Missouri Kansas, Ark and Red kivers;
and RtCievelAnd, sandusky and Chicago wiihs steam
srs TO alt ports on the North w estern Lakes.
Merchants and shippers rntrusting the Transports
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confidence on its speedy transi,.
The kntes Oh Freight
To and from any point The West By the Pennsyl-
vsnta Central Railroad, are Al ali times AS FA-
90RABLE As ARR CHARGED BY OTHERRAIL-
goAD COMPANIES.
III Be particuiarto markpackAges, s'vIAPRxH.
For freight Contractor Shipping Directions, zp-
ply address either OF he foi oflhs
Company.
k. r. SASS, 81 LouiH. Missouri
ID. saEWART Freight Agent, Pittsburgh.
CLARKE q co, ,TFai.sf Agents, -
ii. W. ERuN q Co, Cincinnati, o..
R.C. NELDRUM q Co. Madison, Ina.
}. x. MOORE. louisville, ny.
w. AIkMAN b CO., Evansville, Ind.
CLARKE L. CO., Chicago, ILL.,
w. Il Il. l.. LA NGLEr Gatipolis, %.
q. b. NEAL, Park ers6urg, Va.
- HAi1L co Marietta, o, Q,~---=-
S. PIERCE l. CO., GAINESVILLE o.
M'DoWELL 4 M'CoLM Portsmouth %.
.M'NLELY, Masssiiie, Ny.
]. Y. JOHNSON Ripley. o.
JOHN TODD, Covtngton, ky.
&. L. HEATaN- E4es eisnd o.
r. c. MELDRuA. Genl Travelling Ag'uor
he South aneWest-
Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1862-05-10

by HORACE GREELEY.

At the narrowest part of the peninsula
which separates the waters Of the James
River from those of the York, two great
armies, together numbering hardly less than
Three Hundred Thousand combatants, now
closely confront each other. A strong line
Of feld-works and more elaborate fortifica-
tions covers the rebel position and forbid
further advance Of the National forces, save
at the cost of deadly conflict under cir
cumstances which secure great advantage
to the ehtrenched and defending army
The ground is historic-it was there that
Washington and Rocbambeau gave the
| finishing blow to British domination on this
continent in the capture of CORVALLIS and
bis army more than eighty years ago A
conflict equally arduous, involving conse
quences still more momentous, between
forces more equally matched, ten times
more numerous, and at least equal in pro-
portionate eGficiency,is now chiefly imminent
nay, may have taken place before these
words can have passed through the press to
their readers. Some of the abest officers,
trained at West Point and disciplined on
the former battlefield for the defense of the
American Republic-Lee, j oseph Johnston,
Samuel Cooper, with JEFF Davis himself,
will here direct the traitor host that fights
for DiSunion. That the struggle will be
desperate one, none can doubt let us
humbly hope that its result will be auspi-
cious to the speedy return of Peace and the
universal prevalence of Justic, Truth, and
Liberty.
Far Westward of the Virginia battle
ground, near the north line of the State Of
Mississippi, but more than a hundred miles
east of the great river, two other great
armies face each other so nearly that any
hour may see them grapple in dendy strife.
Here Beauregard, Polk, Sterling Price,
Van Dorm, Hardee, and other noted Rebel
chiefs, have collected rapidly increasing
army of not less than One Hundred aud
Fifty Thousand men to resist the National
forces of equal strength led by Halleck,
Grant, aud Buell. Here again the Rebels
await attack in position strong by nature
and made far more so by art and industry,
unlessIthey can again precipitate their en-.
tire strength upon a surprised and unsup-
ported fraction of their opponents, as they
were enabled to do on that mournful Sunday
morning three or four weeks ago. This,
however, is not conceivable and battle
must ensue between nearly equal numbers,
with the advantages OF position very great
ly on the side Of the Rebels, while in arms
and other important particulars there is a
countcrbalancing superiority Gu the part Of
Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1862-05-10
WHOLE NUMBER GIG.

days longer, we should have been prepared
for you.
Here some one brought iu bag OF coffee.
from one Of the enewy's tents, and remark.
cd We shall not have to drink rye coffee
to morrow morning.
Prentiss--We have not come to that
yet. Our people at home are mixing rye
with their coffee, but the army has pure
Rio yet.
Here Gen. Beauregard returned and re-
peated his regret to find Gen. Prentiss
fighting against people only claiming the
right to govern itself and especially to end
Gen. w. 7 Sherman, who bad enjoyed the
hospitalites of Louisana, and personal
acquaintance, in front Of him.
Gen. Beauregard being called of again.
Gen. Prentiss asked the privilege of walk
ing about the quarters, which was granted
bin upon giving his parole. Thereupon
the captured General mingled freely with
the whole party, and made himself remark
ably affable for prisoner