The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-03-28
Gen. Halleck, on Wednesday last tele.

Gen. Halleck, on Wednesday last tele.
graphed to Secretary Stanton that scout
ing party under Lieutenant Colwood and
Major Drake, consisting of about $50 men,
of the Sixth Missouri and Third Iowa cav
airy, encountered near Salem, Arkansas,
about 1000 rebels, under Colonies Cole
man, Woodsides, and Mcfarland. After
severe fight the enemy was defeated, with
the loss of Colonel Woodsides and about
100 killed and wounded, and considerable
number of prisoners. Our loss is Is killed
and wounded.
The correspondent of the Cincinnati
Commercial, writing from Barboursville,
where our federal troops are encamped on
the road to Cumberland Gap, says loyal
Tennesseeans are coming in by the ffties
and hundreds, and that the town and camps
are literally swarming with them. People
who live not far from the Gap say that the
Secesh had their horses hitched to their
guns and wagons, ready to retreat, the day
We attacked them, and if we had kept on,
and not stopped till We reached the Gap, we
would not have found soul to fight with.
The enemy have since been reinforced by
five or six thousand men.
-Paymaster Mexican Buchanan, who
was on board the United States frigate
Congress at the time of the disaster, in maxi
ing report to the Department, says:
Just before the sanguinary engagement
volunteered my services to Lieutenant Com.
JOS. Smith for duty on either of the upper
decks, although the rebel steamer Merrimac
| lin Buchanan, late of Washington navy yard, ]
when l received an order to take charge of the
berth.deck division, which order l promptly
obeyed, and, thank God, l did some service to
my beloved country.
| 1t is estimated that the tax on articles
of consumption such as sugar, tea, spices,
meats, soap, oil, etc.,-as proposed in the
bill before Congress, will be equal to 81 a
year to each person, or $42 for family of
six members. This is in addition to the
income tax and the tax put upon luxuries.
A man of family, having 81 600 year SAL
airy, will hardly get off with less than $75
tax levied in one way or another.
King caucus still rules on the United
States Senatorship question at Columbus,
Ohio. At the third adjourned caucus last
W ednesday evening, the 3Sth ballot YVES
reached, when Mr.. Wade received AZ votes,
his highest yet, and majority Of two of
the whole number cast. but the caucus
had several weeks ago decided that a nom~
ination should only be made by majority
Of the Repu blican and Union members,
present and absent, and so MIR. Wade still
lacked two votes of triumph. The eau
Gus adjourned to next week Thursday eve
ming.
The Newburyport, (Mass.) Herald,
whose editor sincerely believes Fremont to
be great man, says:
The name of Fremont is to be glorious,
dashing like brilliant meteor from the clouds,
| or rapidly to pass into the thicker darkness,
|
the common herd of men that are unknown in
| life and unremember0d in death.
Although we have not the confidence in
his genius and capacity the Herald enter
tairs, we hope, now the President has
placed him in command, he will exhibit all
the ability his friends claim for him, and
his daring and skill, if he exhibits such
soldier qualities, be rewarded with brilliant
success and frank acknowledgement.
- The Springfield Republican declares
the attempts to destroy public confidence in
the commanding General dead failure,
and says some of the malignants are so ven
emous in their hostility that they would
doubtless exult in the defeat of our splendid
army in Virginia.
Allen McFall, engineer in Sheldon
Hale's combined saw and grist mill, at New
London, Wisconsin, while adjusting belt
to the drum of shaft on Tuesday last, was
caught by one of bis hands and instantly
whirled around the drum, passing through
space of about two feet between the drum
and solid timbers. He was almost instant
ly discovered and the machinery stopped as
soon as possible. He was completely tied
on the drum with pieces of the betting
which had broken and whipt around his
body. he was taken off broken, bruised
and horribly manglcd. His left leg was
crushed to jelly; his right leg broken off
midway below the knee; a piece OF the leg
bone thrown at distance from him, his
back broken and an arm torn of, besides
other bruises. In that awful condition LIE
lived a few hours, somewhat conscious.
| Prentice says it is shame that the
Southern Confederacy calls upon its women
to bear arms. 1t is enough for them to
bear children. F"
- The New Orleans True Delta, since
the recent naval victories in the West, has