Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-01-02

DIR. Reed and three companions came from
three miles this. side of Kenton yesterday
They saw no rebels. 1'@a sFi@'" ''' 5'
Persons have reached Columbus, Kentucky
who report that jackson has not been taken.
Grand Junction is also still in Federal hands
It is reported that Van Dorn's rebel com.
lnand had come North Of the Memphis and
Charleston railroad, also that Grant had fallen
back North of the Tallahatchie River. Il give
this as a rumor only. "a. = .a
It is said that Van Dorm and his men have
burned 5000 bales of cotton, or nearly
/ 81, ,500,0n0 worth. 7''-'. ' ''"'
Forests rebel force-7,O00 strong, con-
| sisting of i, 900 cavalry, 1000 mounted men
armed with Colts's revolving rifles, and
also ten pieces Of artlllery-instead
of attacking Columbus have passed down
behind Hickman a@ .-s2 sti aa.
A gunboat and two transports went down
from Columbus to-day, After passing Hick-
man the gunboat shslled the shore on the
Tennessee side.
It is reported here that an order has been
| given to spike the guns at Island No. 10,
blow up. the magazine and evacuate the
| place. ,......- a,ie.=.sE f b
| .... New York, Dec. 27. ..
| The following are jeff Davis allegations
against Gen. Butler - -'
| Peaceful and aged citizens, unresisting
captives and non combattants, have been
confined to hard labor, with chains attached
to their limbs, and are still so he'd in dun
geons and fortresses" Others have been
submitted to like degrading punishment for
selling medicine to sick soldiers of the Con-
federacy. Soldiers of the United States have
L toI 4
to insult and outrage the wives, mothers and
sisters of our citizens. Helpless women have
been torn from their homes and subjected to
solitary confinement-somei in fortresses and
prisons, and one especially, on an island of
barren sand, under tropical sun-have
been fed with loathsome rations that had
been condemned as unfit for soldiers, and
have been exposed to, the yilest insults
Prisoners of war who surrendered to the Ma
val forces Of the United States upon the
agreement that they should be released on
parole, have been seized and kept in close
confinement Repeated pretexts have been
sought or invented for plundering the inhabi-
tants of captured city by fines levied and
collected under threats of imprisoning re-
cusants at hard labor, with ball and chain.
The entire population of New Orleans have
been forced to select between starvation by
confscation of all their property and the TAX
ing of an oath against their conscience to bear
allegiance to the invader of their country
Egress from the city has been refused to those
whose fortitude alone preserved liie--eyen
aged women and helpless children, after being
elected from their homes and robbed of their
property, have been left to starve in the
streets or subsist on charity. e.a s- e
Slaves have been driven from the planta-
tons in the neighborhood of New Orleans
| until their owners would consent to share
their crops with the Commanding General,
his brother, Andrew J. Butler, and other
officers, and when such consent had been
extorted, the slaves have been restored to the
plantations and there compelled to work un-
dur bayonets of guard of United States
soldiers. Where that partnership was re-
fused, armed expeditions have beer sent to
the plantations to rob them of every thing
that was susceptible of removal, and even
slaves, too aged or infirm for work, have in
spite of their entreaties been forced from
houses provided by their owners and driven
to wander helpless on the highways. ', j
By recent order, No. 81, the entire prop
erty in that part of Louisiana west Of the
Mississippi River has been sequestrated for
con6scation, and officers have been assigned
to the duty, with orders to gather up all per-
sonal property, and turn over to the proper
officers, upon their receipts, such of said prop
erty as may be required for the use of the
United States army; to collect together all
personal property and bring the same to New
Orleans and cause it to be sold at public auc-
ton to the highest bidders; an order which,
if executed, condemns to the punishment of
starvation at leasta quarter of a million Of all
ages, sexes and conditions, and which,
although forbidden to military officers by the
orders of President Lincoln, is in accordance
with the confscation law of our enemies,
which he has enforced through the agency of
cruel officials. H te,H,-.. ttf ~ d.
The African slaves have not only been in
cited to insurrection, but even license and en-
couragement has been given them, and num-
bers of them have actually been armed for
serving in the war a war in its nature far
exceeding the horrors and most merciless
atrocities of savages-and the officers under
the command of said Butler have been, in
many instances, active and jealous agents in
the commission of these crimes. -la e
r- NEW York, Dec. %.
The steamer Roanoke, from New Orleans,
18th, via Havana, 22d, has arrived. The
news is important. T'9i sT #t u
The North Star, with Gen. Banks and staff,
arrived at New Orleans on the 14th. The
news transpired the following day that Gen.
Butler was superseded, and it occasioned the
utmost surprise among all classes. Even the
registered enemies were sorry to part with an
officer who at least had brought order and Sc
curity to the city. t"s -l-@
On the 10TH Gen. Butler and Gen. Banks
met at headquarters. Gen. Butler welcomed
Gen. Banks to the Department of the Gulf,
and assured him he would find here troops
who were ready to yield cheerfu|ly to every
order. Banks respondsd that the only pleas
ure he had in taking the command was in
|obeying an order of the Government of the
United States.
Gen. Butler addressed his staff, requesting
each member to take pains to enlighten and
assist their successors. He spoke in the most
| generous manner of Gen. Banks and staff
Gen. Buffers parting address to the troops
bears date Of the 18th, alluding in eloquent
terms to their successes in the field and in
restoring order and quiet to New Orleans, and
to the feeding of the starving wives and chill
dren of the enemy, stating that that expedi-
ton has cost the Government less by four
ffths than any other. He spoke of the word
farewell as the only sorrowful thought he
had, and commended them to their COM,
mander as worthy Of his love.
On the 10th Gen. Banks issued his order,
assuming command of the Department of the
Gulf and State of Texas, and naming his staff,
whose names are already known at the North.
Another order is for all civil and military
officers in the Department to report to him !;
and still another suspends all public sales of
property on account Of the United States until
further orders. e 45 ],
Gen. Butler, accompanied by Colonels Shat