The Portland daily press., 1862-11-19
BY TELEGRAPH.
TO THE
Portland Daily Press.
FROM WASHINGTON.
The Capture Of "a Cotton Laden
Schooner.
Presents from the President to the Sover-
eigns Of Denmark and Sweden.
CHANGES, PROMOTIONS, sc.
ia - Y-x
FROM WASHINGTON.
CHANGES, PROMOTIONS, sc.
Stringent Measures to be used against De-
inquent Officers and Soldiers.

/
linquent Officers and Soldiers.
| The Navy Department this morning re-
! ceived information of tie capture of the rebel
schooner Emma, of Veasco, Texas, loaded
with III bales of cotton, and bound for ia
maica. She was taken by the armed boats OF
the United States schooner Kittelling
Our Ministers at the Courts of Denmark
aud Sweden having recently observed in the
| possession of the sovereigns of those countries
presents from European and other govern
ments, but none from the United States, sug-
gests that some appropriate marks of respect
be forwarded to them. Accordingly the Pres
ident has procured two beautifully manufac-
tured rosewood boxes mounted with silver,
each containing two of army pattern Colts
revolvers, the stocks ornamented with silver
and the barrels deliberately chased with gold,
and bearing figures of Agriculture, Commerce
and the Arts. They will at once be sent to
our Ministers for presentation to the sover-
eigns for whom they are intended. Each case
and contents cost about $500.
Capt. j. p. McKinsey has been detached
from the command of the steam sloop Daco-
tab, and Capt. b. F. Sands ordered to the COM
mand of that vessel. Capt. S. c. Rowan has
been ordered to superintend the outfit, &c, of
the iron-cad steam frigate Roanoke at New
York. Lieut.. Commander Milton Paxton has
been detached from the command of the Con-
necticut, and ordered to the command of the
gunboat Penobscot. Lieut. r. w. Scott has
been ordered to command the gunboat Mar
blehead. Commander T. II. Kitterson has
been ordered to the command OF the steamer
James Adger. Lieut.. Commander c. c. Car
penter has been detached from the steamer
Flag.
The following officers have been promoted
to fill vacancies, viz:-Capt ID. b. Hitchcock
and Jos. Lanman to be Commanders; Com
manders b. +. Sand and III. s. Stellwagen to
be Captains; Lieut. Commanders Pierce,
Crosby and j. b. Creighton to be Command
ers; Lieuts. Rush r. Wallace and Chester
Hatfield to be Lieut.. Commanders.
Assistant Surgeon William b. Gibson died
on board the Connecticut on the Sth of Nov.
1t having been variously stated that the
Commissioner of Internal Revenue had esti-
mated the receipts for revenue during the pre-
sent year at three hundred and sixty millions,
there is authority for saying that no such esti-
mate has been made, and in no such instance,
it Is thought, will the receipts excead one hun
dred and fifty millions or one hundred aud
seventy-five millions.
Phillip Speed of Louisville, has been APP
pointed tax collector for the third collection
district Of Kentucky, comprising the 9th and
1th Congressional Districts.
Gen. Halleck hes resolved to adopt the most
stringent measures for compelling officers to
pay that attention to their duties which nat
ural pride and sense of duty would seem in too
many cases unable to enforce. Delinquent
officers are TO be taught by prompt and mex
ofable punishment that their superior rank
and higher intelligence, it should argue, will
only be regarded as aggrayations OF every
FAULT they may commit, 1t being resolved that
the soldiers and non-commssoned officers of
Our armies shall have no reason to complain of
being held accountable for offences which are
committed with impunity by those who should
set them examples OF strict subordination and
discipline. Provost marshals policemen, and
military policemen, aud officers specially de-
tailed for the purpose, are now being sent to
all the cities, and over all the lines of railroads
throughout the country, to collect the names
oil officers absent from the armies In the field.
and in garrison, and all officers SO found absent
without the proper and specific authority pre-
scribed in general orders of the War Depart
ment, will be either Immediately and iguomn-
iously dismissed from the service, or will be
placed on trial for desertion while in the pres
ence of the enemy. 1t is understood a long
list of names for dismissal has been already
prepared, and that numerous dismissals for
cause will be made in few days. Indeed the
rumor prevails, and there is reason to believe
it. that more than one thousand commissioned
officers are now absent without leave, and SO
iCpOflcu, all Vi WuOiu Will Dt ustDlSSeQ uuupr
circumstances attaching disgrace to their
names, and leaving them no possibility for
return to the service, or any other employment
under the national government. One of the
fayorite subterfuges practiced by officers
anxious TO skulk from their duties, has been to
quit their commands on surgeons certificate,
or on pretended leave of absence signed by
some subordinate officer-colonel or brigader
general-who had no power to give it, and
flaan he,
OF the orders and regulations on this subject;
but all leaves of absence to be of avail must
emanate from the very highest source, as pre-
scrlbed in general orders, and all officers alb
sent on medical certificates must be sure that
their certificate is issued by competent author
ity, and that they do not remain absent after
being sufficiently, physically, re-established TO
join their commands, even though not re-es-
tablished enough to return to active duty
While these steps are being taken with regard
to officers, measures of an equally stringent
and effective character are in progress to ar
rest the immense number of deserters now
scattered through the country, and to hold to
the severest penalties prescribed by military
law for their offences. 1t is the determination
OF the authorities to make examples which
will cause every soldier to consider seriously
before exposing himself to the chances of am
Infamous death, as the penalty of deserving his
deserters from the army in the field, and not
few OF them, lured by the bounty, have enlist
ed in the new organizations, but their re-en-
listment, as they will be taught, is no excuse
for their deserton, and all officers of the re-
Gently raised regiments knowing such desert
ers TO be in their ranks, and not sending them
back under guard to their old commanders,
will be held strictly responsible.
Others OF those now absent are men who
were discharged from hospitals to return to
their regiments, but who have skulked to their
homes. All of the above classes are deserters
and will be punished as such.
But there is yet another class, and one to
which no mercy will be shown, namely: Those
who Joined new regiments recently receiving
the enormous bounties given, and then deserted
before their regiments were placed in the field.
The country has suffered deeply from this
latter class, various States having paid boun-
ties for their full quotas, while their effective
force at the headquarters of the army is still
short by many thousands of the required num-
Der.
1t is said, on high authority, that the Presi-
dent, on being recently shown by the Secreta-
ny OF War and General-in-C Chief, the immense
lists Of deserters and roll calls of absentees.
sternly pledged himself hereafter to pursue
the most vigorous policy with these offenders,
and by executions and dismissals to all, and
chain labor for the whole term of enlistment.
and otherfof the severest penalties He is re-
solved dpnriya tho rphalS of l,a .rra,. al