davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-12-19
Report OF ti,e CisicC Of Esurca5l Of
s3L'iinHncc.


In the commencement of lis report to the
Secretary Of the Navy, the Chief Of the
Bureau Of rdnance pays high compliment
TO the manufacturers, founders and mcchan-
les Of the private establishments throughout
the !oys. States, for tine patriotism and zeal
I lhey have manifested in giving aid to the
Bureau. Some idea Of the immense efforts
required from the Ordnance Bureau to meet
tie demands created by the rebellion, may
be gathered from the fact that at the COM
/ mcnccment Of the year 1861, the ordnance
OF the navy consisted only OF 1850 heavy
/ guns, and 1875 boat hOwitZcrs- together
2,9CG; while, on the first of November Of
/ the present year, the ordnance amounted to
/ j,777 guns, showing that 2,Sll had been
made IN less than two years, and it is prob
able that 200 more. Of different CaliLre Will
! be completed before the end of the wear.
/ Yet, when the rebellion had broken out
and the Trclegar Works at Richmond had
! ialieI into the hands of the rebels, there
! were b.. three iouudries in the country
which could be relied upon for the produc-
; tiOn Of heavy ordnance. soon, however,
other establishments reported themselves
( ready to operate, and for some time past
eight ioundries have been Jusi,y employed
. in making 9-inch lQ-incA and ll-inch guns.
manufactured. The lJ-inch guns are pIolu-
ced at Fort Pitt foundry, and the PARROT
rifle guns Of all caiib.es at the West Point
foundry Every gun adopted as a standard
is subjected to the ordeal Of one thousand
rounds OF service charges, and with the
standard thus established all the guns of a
contract must coincide in their composite
elements. Since the commencement oi. 1861.
. tLl-u have been manu- .ljtUrtl ut flp g. ly. rr-
mCut yards or purchased Of private compa.
nics jO0.G77 shot and shell. arJ g4.Is,o
pounds oi grape and canister slo. The
bureau has Il fact been able TO keep up with
the constant demand for protection.
Congress Is urgently appealed TO 10 pass a
law providing for "a school of instruction i'm
gVunyry ON board some suitable vessel ILL.,,
THAT OF tile English navy ON board the TX.
ccileut Til" l.ct, presented in this report
Warraa. the following language Of the l4ici
%. TIE Ordnance Bureau:
IL viii p. s.cE from the fryroins Lr.gi
and imperfect account Of the state Of ouI
uHva. ordnance 40 the commencement rr tll
rebellion, and Of It's present condition, now
great un advance has been made in placing
II not only ON a footing commensurate with
our present ucce -itiD-, uut also iu preparing
u for further aud more extended opcr4l ions
"-+ .t may De s!l chat iu uyutm. ,llirilu0
20 L1W equals, uud, ia some respects. lr oE
et.a o.. ordnance ot any other navy. IA,
Tcca.I . l.s rapid progress during the pas
iN' years from comparative Weaku,-s il
"a" O. aad appointments % power an.
uHiHa...l excellence, is but another oyi4,uc,
.. 90. F1si .. uWc,s ot tlg l0yN states. rr.
, "I ne ssi.'. energy, and patriotism II ib,.
.H.4u..
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-12-19

WAsuTSGToN. Dec. !5--Thc star cour.e-
Ousiv furnishes the following information in
advance ofits publication.
Dispatches were received here last
evening from Knoxville. Tenn, duJ.i YES
tcrday morning. which stated tuH- Gen.
Foster had assumed the command Of the
troops lately under Burnside, a.d the latter
had departed from that city, probably Tor
Cincinnati
All WAS then quiet in the vicinity Of
Knoxville.
1t WAS stated there, on the authority of
scouts and messengers that much OF Long
streets artillery and trains had fallen into
the hands ofolr pursuing forces, bat these
accounts lacked confirmation.
Tho region in which the pursuit is now
being made is SO iur distant from the tc.c-
graph station rs 10 make il difficult u
verify such statements as promptly Us l7
desirable
NAeuyI4LE, Dec. lJ.-ThCre is a yumor
/ here that General sheridan, commanding
tie column in pursuit of Loagstr,eJ, en-
Couuttrri the rebel rear guard east OF
Knoxville and sustained heavy lCpu.sc, IN
which General Sheridan D., said 20 have
been badly wounded. The rumur is not
generally credited oJ Genera, Bunsiuy7
. headquarters, but il is traced TO several
T distinct sources. Unless Corrohor,yi by
+ Dispatches from Chattanooga, OF this date
. the story Will bee di,crcd,tod,
. RESIGNATION OF GENERAL PALMER
General Palmer has resigned his command
OF the lith Corps, and had reached Bridge
! port on his return home, when hc gygenOd
orders 10 return 90 Chattanooga, his Tt-. .gua-
1 tioR not having been accepted.
. Cob M.smer reports irum Columbia that
the gsbcl dosegicgs and citizens Htc ilocNng
o. that post in great numbers, asking to Dee
allowed 90 take the oath under the frusi-
dents proclamation. Col NJ -sy,iu regard
10 the numbers arriving that Ee h-s ucFer
seen the Like.
A few DAYS ago a Captain r,rkius, Of the
ith Tennessee Cavalry applet - 1,n,
I RnseCrans Tor permission % tgAe tuc oath
I Of allegiance under the amnesty ploc.alaa.
ton
/ lie says IN letter that the actual posi-
I tion ot Tennessee Is not understood or
appreciated by leuutss6ans BAL the rebel
army, aud their eJrs have been opeued olly
/ since his capture
The Trial q Frank ClT,ey, the guerilla
/ Who hilIti Gtu Met nok. n ysaT ago, b uuA
b.iuR concluded. lie all undoubtedly bc
hung
Horace Maynard, lhs Attorney General U
iAe state, dselar,', in a published lritr
that ihe Hiaal cpYniy sIrcupla afr tl De-
he.t ia hafcA utAi la the s.-ft
las eaIali I9h nat broken a.i Boz 'lHssi.n.
. lho HIH'sl imIfUtt4tEn ia haI..
lgla.ss.e sa4 A.sps..- -. pl'i.. q.
Nlias ss.-. ..a
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-12-19

poses, or purchase thereof through banker,
by dcposiGng with such banker a sum of
money less than the amount necessary to
pay the full amount Of such purchase, or on
what Is known to a margin" is hereby pro
hibited."
Second. The sale Of gold, silver or foreign
exchange by a banker or broker, directly or
Indirectly, st any place except within the
limits of the regular banking hours or brok-
er's office of such banker OK broker, is hereby
prohibited
Third. The sale of gold, silver or foreign
I exchange unless actually paid for at the
time the sale IS made is hereby prohibited.
Fourth. Any person who shall violate any
/ provisions of this act, shall on conviction
! before the United States District Court oi
the District in which the ofiense is commit
/ cd be fined for each oiiensr in any sum.not
/ less than one thousand dollars, or more than
ten thousand dollars, and imprisonment FOL
period not less than one month or more
than Que year.
Fourth. Any person who shall lodge in
formation OF the violation OF any provision
Of this act with the United States Distnc
Attorney for the District in which the of
Tense was committed, shall be entitled Il
and shall receive one-half of the money sI
collected
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-12-19

sINKINu OF THE IRON-CLAD wEEHAwkEN-
n,1NFNrY-sIX LIVES Lost.

THENTY-sIX LIVES LOST.
BY the arrival of the steamer Fulton at
this port from Port Royal We have the
intelligence Of the loss Of the monitor iron
clan WcUhawkcn, which sunk at her anchor
inside of Charleston bar on the afternoon of
Sunday last. -Four Of her engineers and
twcnty.siN Of her crew were drowned.
furious gale prevailed at the time. but no
damage was sustained by the rest of Ad-
mral Dahlgrcr's feet. IN account oil the
disaster says:
All day the Wechawkcn had laborcd
heavily in the sea, which kept her decks
constantly submerged, and which frequently
swept in huge volumes into her forward
hatch. Towards noon the crew commenced
paying out Chain to ease her, but, accustom-
ed as they were in every gale TO the shipping
of such seas. it is believed that they had
crown confident and careless Of danger, and
paid no heed to the encroucbing waters
until il was too late to resist them. They
dreamed of 10 peril till the waves had
fairly yawncd to swallow them. Then, when
it was known for a certainty that the vessel
was to be lost. Il panic Of fright and fear
. bcnUmbcd them, and the terror stricken
crew below had little power to help them
selves There were men IN irons between
decks and the scrgtant-at-arms rushed
/ Irantically away to release them. Poor
! fellows, they all went down. There Were
invalids in the sick bay, and to their relief
/ the surgeon sent his steward, who never
rctnrdcd. There were tremcn at the fur.
naccs, to whom vain shricks for helping
hand at the pumps were made. few OF
the confident were rushing to their quarters
to save Ihcir effects, jostiing the timid on
ID. 4 -. ll
1t was in the midst OF scenes like these that
the Wechawkcn went down.
Il believe that none Of the officers per
ishcd save the four assistant engineers who
were oycrtakcn by the flood before the!
could make any effort to escape. Com
mandcr Duncan had only taken command
of the Wcchawken on Saturday, having
been detached from the Paul Jones to re
licvc Commander Calhoun. The officers
clothing, the paymastcr's funds and tn
pupers ot the ship, sunk with her.
The woman was brought alive on hoGr'
the flagship. but died in opasms few mo
lgnts u!icrwarG. Various persons Wcr
picked up and taken 70 the nearest vessels
where every provision Was made for thG.
comfort ana restoration. Those 0i the crew
Who were saved are now scattered IA smGl
z.uads throughout the fleet. /; Ia ilupoSsi
bic 10 procure At present tie names OF thos
Who were lost.
The Wcchawkcn is lying in fyo fathon.
or water, and viii soon be raised. INIT
. size is brought up, no one can tell Wit
certainty Why she sunk. 1t was throug
no laul: Of her 'oycrhang;' for she apparent
Iy took in no water except ct her lor"ar
hatch and hawse hole. L WIS, to the hes
. otmy knowledge, through the inattcntio
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-12-19

HEADQUARTERS ARMY PoToMAC. Dec. 10.
But little Of interest is now occurring
here. The weather is damp and dri2z'y.
and the dust which covered the roads few
days ago has given place to mud. Proyi-
sions has been made against bad weather by
corduroying the roads whenever necessary,
and the labor Of hauling supplies to the
troops is thus considerably facilitated.
4 Typographical rcconnotcring party,
sent out under direction Of Capt. c. Payne,
and accompanied by an escort of three hun
drcd men belonging to the First llassachu-
sctts and First New Jersey Cavalry, under
Major Jancway, Of the latter regiment, has
lust returned from reconnaissance over the
Hazel river, by way Of Ncwhy's Cross Roads
to within "a few miles of Noodyil!c, and
thence by different route back to camp.
They were away three DAYS and accom-
plishcd the object OF their reconnaissance.
which was important, with entire Success
/ The country through which their route lay
was infested by numerous small bands Ci
mounted Rebels. mostly belonging to the
Sixth Virginia Cavalry, who frequently fired
at them. but showed no disposition to Cu;i
! yatc their close acquaintance. Their firing
! hurt no one. but they succeeded in getting
/ one of their own number captured. Thril
/ principal object there appeared t. he goo,
| living; this section being aside from thC
! troddcn paths Of the armies, were therefore
/ better supplied with pork, poultry, eggs
/ butter. milk and other iuXuric- than tar,
! could find in the vicinity OF their army.
/ Considerable numbers of furUughs an,
/ leaves o. absence are now being granted
and many ojiiccio have LETT on visits to tUei
homes during the past few days.
Yesterday the First Virginia Cavalry, o
Davis Brigade, ki.pa,rich's Division. re
cciycd their permission to go home and !,
organize. 1t Is expected tMe mon vii
unanimously ry-cnlist it Is Un cNcc.irn
regiment, and j; is q subject for c0ugratGla
tion that lis seryicca VIII be retained. Maiu
Corchar; is the officer in charge O, it.
II is expected HAT within q icw days 5ut
lcrs will be allowed to nring out goods o
something like Tie old system, with, pcs
haps, some changes Of the regulations GOV
crning them.
! Considerable complaint has been expires
ed by RcgimcntaI Quartcrms,gc.o Of th
present scarcity OF stockings and uuicrclotl
ing, and they attribute It to delrl!ct cor
tractors.
Reports are prevalent il camp that Lonl
street has succeeded in cacrtiug a iUUCtIO
with Ice but after due inquiry they ycanno
be traced to any reliable source
Capt. j. p. Kimba.l, Assistant Adiutau
General to General Patrick. has rendered hi
resignation in the army, and been no,jde
ot its acceptance lie had been long am
layurably known % all who have had occs
sion to transact bu>ilirs, I'm that dcpaumcu
Capt Phil. Schuyler, o.thc Fourteenth Uni
od States InlanTy, succeeds Captain Lin
? hall
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-12-19
rDITon1A1. coRREspoNDBucE.
lSTERNAIioSAL HoTEG, New YORK,
n,c.m1.- ~ 1yrS

DcCCmbtF II, 1000.
otnithe,anding the numerous large
hotrls erected in this city, during the past
ten years, they arc all well filed and several
large rev oncs are about being opened.
Although there Gre 4 number Of hotels in
,his ci,y. kept on the European plan, name
~, paying ~ much day for your room, and
also. SO much for each meal, according to
the articles ordered yet there are none,
which, in point Of comfort, quiet and clean.
linges. that approach Taylor's "Intarna-
tional," now kept by the Messrs. Gilscns.
Perhaps, the most unfortunate event in
the history Of New York, was the great riot
pr last simmer It was truly fearful time,
aud ao one can listen to a recital OF many Of
tac saunes Of this reign of terror from
those who witnessed them without an iuvol-
uu.cry ehudder. Aud yet such political
leaders az Fernando Wood. aud other noted
Corporhcad:. were in communion, if not in
league. with these lawlcss and brutal men.
jeff. Davis seems to have hard time with
many Of the rebei politicians who denouuce
him aud lis cabinet with even more severity
ihan Northern Copperheads do the Admins.
.rs,ion Of President Lmcolp.
Perhaps no government On earth has been
more successful in its financial policy than
ours, rndcr the management Of Mr.. Chase
The rebels themselves, while they dcplort
the failure Of their oNn policy. speak in tA,
highest terms Of the ability displayed by
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-12-19
Report Of thc Secretary OF thr
IEsusurN

lu' St,,taIy lu fe.oIug O. the Dry
..r .. llusress sIf.r bis ra,ry upon tle
....s Ot LIs present 4IL.e. s.gs ih.f tbr
a.i- Ha.-ei urar t4, ,..ss oi tho last sts,i8n.
al.au 90 tle "Lua. and tle National
I.Han. a.ts, were imm,iia,er 4.I.u,l
IH o. l.,.yal uf iLr public C sait aui .uo...s
gs.H beyond anticipation oluButl his ri-
i.us ta distribute tAe 1-21 Joan Boa ail pas,a
0i lle country, as we.I aa rg,fy other nrsf-
uIs, al4pisd by hiw ~ Isp..lisAiug tho
ucasuB iAe rts4.t q Which aa1, tl4t iLe
tsFeadll debts ui tar nafsUmllt aua
su.u h4ai lated. aA4 al. la. egarma-s ds
msals II 'As ilsafuy wee afterwards
IT1mpily R.fl Ihu r,cmays tsii4sir
iasf iht p4llic dslf aD.il r,s.a on tAe
.lih n 1aas, ..a', iAs ssm II fi.leags4.
sHa 30. ga. niHr ils Dsrs. 81 iss .atHal
ar..nHi ..I 81, .'.tf. fr.sIaI sI
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-12-19
Refusal OF tI.e Rebels 10 Receive

Escf1us;,l Of tIse Rebels 40 Receive
s]upriiar fox GnIors Prisoners
BALrlNoRI:, Dec. 18.--The following de
spatch was received here this morning.
FonT MoNroE, Dec 10, 1868.
IT, C. G. FDltan, Editor IF tic Baltimore
An'or5oar.:
Please give notice tbs: the Confederate
authorities decline receiving any more pack
agcs or provisions for the Union prisoners,
SO that parties intorcsted may retain from
forwarding any more goods to THIS point.
BENZ. I. BUTLER,
Major General Commanding
The Rev. Mr.. Terrence, who went to City
Point with DR.. Clement G. Barclay, Of Phil
adelphia, returned this morning. He had
an interview with Captain Hatch, who was
| cent from Richmond to meet him. He in
! formed him of the above decision Of the
| rebel Government, and gave as the reason
| therefore, what they alleged to be an impu-
tation of their honor by the press and Gov
ernmcnt authorities, that they were not de
iiycring the goods forwarded in good faith
to the prisoners, and asserted that, Of his
own knowledge. the officers in the Libby
prison. from the immense supplies thcy had
received. could set a table from their stores
in hand equal to any hotel in the |. 5
He admitted that there had been some ir
Irregularities in the supplies at one time but
that the officers who had been guilty o
ncgecting the prisoners had been prompt!
removed and punished. As to the bad con
diton Of the prisoners returned to Annapo
lis, he said that they were extreme cases o
consumption and that it was agravc error ol
the part Of the authorities to have relieve,
such prisoners to return. For the prcscn
nothing would he received but letters ant
enclosures Of money, and that Southern mo
ncy had better bs sent.
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-12-19
a bstrncG Of Ihc gscpUr1 OF thc see
rrynry Of fhc interior.


rcsnry ofthe interior.
This document contains much that will |
make every American feel proud Of the !
greatness Of his country and the plontltude
of its internal resources, with not a little /
that will be of special interest to the citizens
of this District Commencing with the sub
iect pf public lands, the report states that
the number of acres disposed of during the
fiscal year was 2,96G,69S 43, which is more
than double the quantity disposed Of during
the previous year. The increase is owing
mainly to the operation Of the homestead
law, under which since the first Of January
1869. when the act took effect, ,456,5l4 s0
acres have been taken up The revenue
from the sale of public lands for the year
was &l3G,077, being an increase over the
former year Of $1l,02
In view of the disturbing causes that have
existed, our relations with the Indian tribes
are a. favorable as could reasonably he ex-
pccted; but some excellent suggestions on
the policy to he pursued towards them are
made by Mr. Usher. whose practical good
sense and humane sentiments give great
beauty and force to this portion Of the re-
port.
The statistics from the Pension Bureau
are very interesting On the Both Of june
''s'' 'H' L."'iDCi % 'tN No'I''"",u ''~.' ""
/ 'He pghS.'",fo"' had ""lh''eH Gown -
. r!S",eln' "hi.c the hHnNer oi Wln'"s ,,,'' o'
/ 'he heroes ol t.'' uAI was LOO, 'n'
Whoie huiuhtr oi army "f9"9 pensioners
/ 'noh' was "*Io' most OF Wh,m We're pen
S,ohed Oh account ol WOUNDS received or
Ul'cas" contracted curing the present war +;
'ne "H''- "U.h'tr ol arm! P'hs!'Ne'7' VI ,, a,'
G.&Sse'' was Io,V5V, ani oi the navy, /, ,!o>'
uo pay Llent oi III. ioi'nef reg lures T''[~ -
oil "Id Oh th' I",'yf. ? ,ii.U'4. lHe Wh".o -
amount expended ~ me governments '"L
pensions 10 tAe '."5r oi '.- !"'t iisc'G E'''
was ~ 't'o%',''u. IN" me I"a"'l'! O. IAN"
krah,tI I"t mll'ary aHd naval services was
o''7|p'It@ acres Wnlcn. al - - per ac'e
W"Uu amount L. Se>''o,i'" inc 9ecrt
Tar! mo"cs some important suggestions VIII
FtS"i" 10 i't "H'U Prnr'rh Iuho'
buhhG the year ending o'lh oI Ncpt'm
Der o,I"5 applications were receive" at "a
m&'Ih' "'.gc' anl d.NS patents were issue"
Inc resources o. jae once Tor the YEA. W|tI |
%-- 1850. anu Inc e>pchai'"icS' 9leS'oo'
leaving balance ON haAd on the Isl "
Octobcr, OF "5'.l3".
Inc royGhment Hospital Tor the lhsan
, Is justly cu!ogILcd by the Secretary. ID
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-12-19
Array of sIc Potomac.

" AsN4N'4bNi brN' IL
Accounts received tonight from the army
Of the Potomac, say that all reports 10 the
effect that General Meade hu, been supersc,
dcd were unIoundcd at least up % late
hour last night, 80 lar a5 Was known al
headquarters.
% the recent movement south OF The Rapl'
dan. Il is confidently believed that IL will
be satisfactory 10 tie Cabinet ilis late
rcIoRaie laoyemeut is fully endorsed By
almost every officer.
An the corps arc husily engaged making
themselves comfortable Beyond this, no
active operations arp visible,
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-12-19

II The denunciation Of JEFF. Davis by
Mr Footc, Of Tennessee, in the rebel Con-
,,ress, appears to have been much more
bitter than was at first reported. He rcyiled
Davis for making 4 companion Of Pembcr-
ton alterthu, general had surrendered Vicks-
burg he was alleged to tie the cause OF the
Ge..ysburg and Muriree5boro disasters, and
the cAu,e oc the opening of Georgia to
100000 FEDERAL troops, besides laying South
Carolina liable to destruction. Tho proba-
hl.iti,s are that Footc will be denounced as
an a5oiitionist in disguise, and securely
licked up in some Jail.
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-12-19

sl" Congress adjourned OF Thursday
over to Monday, after choosing Speaker and
Clerk in the House and admitting the dele
g,;icna from various States, which the
oblging old Clerk, Etheridgc, whom the
Inion men elected two years ago, attempted.
on his own responsibility, to exclude from
their seats
The resolution 0; thanks to General Grant,
aul his brave officers and men, and proyi.
ding FOR medal to be Struck TO commemo.
rate their great services unanimously passed
the House, and will doibt,cs5 pass :hc
Senate.
II both branches OF Congress. resolutions
have been offered for the repeal Of the Fugi
tive Slave Law. Also to exclude slavery
forever from the Territories Of TIE United
States. Also 10 repeal the $500 exemption
provision OF the Enrolment act.
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-12-19


NaguiSGroS, Dec 15.--The following
d,spaleh was received hero to day
EoErRrss MoNEoE, Va, Dec. l4.--Sene-
raj WIsiar, with my approbation, sent ort
ar expedition to Charles City Court House,
on the James river, to capture the enemy $
force stationed there, aud have the plea
sure to forward his report ofits complete
success. What adds TO the brilliancy OF
the achievement is that 1t has been accom-
plished during a terrible storm.
Z. f. BUTLER, Major GcnN
YoRKTowN, Va, Dec. IA, 1893.
To MAJOR GENERAL BUTLER: l have the
satisfaction to announce the complete success
of the expedition sent out under Colonel
West. All worked in successful combina'
tior. Our cavalry carried the enemyt
camp. at Charles City G. H., after SHARP
fighting, the enemy firing from the houses
We captured eight officers and oighty-tWt
enlisted men, being the whole command o
three companies, ftty-tive horses and threl
mules, besides many that were shot and lei
on the ground. The cnemy's camp, viii
equipments, arms, ammunition, ami pro
visions all thoroughly destroyed.
Oar II is Capt. Gregory, severely wound
cd, one sergeant and one corporal hIt,'o
and four men wounded The New Nor'
Mounted Rifles, in forty-four hours. ma che,
scventv.six miles. Tie 1851 New Iori
| infantry, in iiity-four hours, marched sixty
/ one miles. mostly in 4 severe storm. muyin!
/ day and night. ana walking their shoes OIL
/ which should be made good hy the Govern
mcnt. All are entitled to high commauda
! ton for gallantIy and untlinchjnT cudur@uc,
/ Col. West especially, for his prcci cAccu
/ tign Of a difficult combination. which atun