, 1863-07-24

the scene Of rebel possession, but later th'
abiding place Of the Union troops unde1
Quinby, Dodge, Davis, and General Asboth
Under the guidance and pi1otage Of Asa VII
lisms, Of Chieogronce known as detective
Of first rate merit, and now connected will
the U. 8. Treasury Department-we Travelled
down the leyee to the Crawford where VI
formed the acquaintance Of Captain Wood
and choice bit Of wood we found him, too
Our party reached Columbus inst before dusk
TIE IMPROVEMENTS At COLUMBUS.
It was in October Of last year that "youl
correspondent" last beheld the high clay
banks Of the Mississippi at Columbus, ani
wondered how any human being could be
found vcnturesome enough to climb to the
kindly cable By which to keep himself from
slipping in the mud and landing himself in ~
Mississippi, or breaking his neck n->-s;
leyee below, But now all is cha, !: =. y u.y.,
has been graded, covered with gravel, ad
forms not too steep ascent tor one not oi
asthnaatic tendencies. A1arge lamp has beer
provided for the accommodation Of the artil
leDmen, who keep watch and ward over the
1arding with hailing gun night and day, and
also to light the pedestrians devious way to
the plateau upon which the town has been
built. OF a dark night, when landing stores,
orthfpping obstinate mules, or horses, before
this invention Of the lump, loss of animals,
property, aud danger to life and limb Of those
who we're engaged III the work we're Of Gre.
quent occurrence.
r$r %F $fa* Inv I'm &s -
frequenters us the roughcst roads to travel in
the country-after rain, being nearly impas.
kib1e from depth and tenacity Of lnud-haye
been evenly graded and covered to some depth
with gravel brought from a convenient point
upon the railroad track: the side walks have
been repaired; the crossings uade clean, and
SO much change has been male in the general
aspect Of the place, that, were some OF its an
cient residents to return, they would be una
ble to recognize it, but would think they had
suddenly been trnnsformedto some quiet, or
terly, well managed eastern hamlet iastcad.
4 road to the fortitications, Forts Halleclz
and Qulnby, winding around the base Of the
top Of the high range OF hills upon which the
works are built, was found In such bad CON
dition that the task Of transporting arms, am
1nunition. stores, etc, etc, was asnperhuman
Undertaking. This road has been repaired
and is now comparatively easy ofascent. This,
With the eEplanade fronting the town, forms
d pleasant carriage drive of q couple Of miles,
every loot Of which has been properly prepar:
ed with the use Of the spade and scraper and
plenty Of gravel from the hillside.
Water for all the government buildings,
headquarters. stables, barracks, offices, and
Tor the caua1 for mules and horses, is furnish-
ed through pipes by an engine pump located
supplies the troops located upon the Nights
several hundred feet above the leyel Of the
river.
ALI Of these improvements, including IN tm-
mcnse outlay ct time aud money, hare been
performed under the immediate supervision
Of General Asboth and Major Ro wley, Provost
Murehal Of the district, and have IN fact cost
the United States but ycry little ifanythiug at
Ill. the funds having been contributed By the
citizens of Columbus, the labor also, In a
measure, having been done at their expense
by assessments being levied upon them aud
against the property Of those who were absent.
So beneficial has been the result that I could
not find person In Columbus who was able
to grrmb1e over the outlay OF time aud money,
GEN. AsBOTH.
Our little company was very Hospitality
entertained By Gen. Asboth, whom we found
at his headquarters. The Geueral Is Hungari.
an, and vas AdjutAnt General for Kossuth du.
ring the troubles in Hungary; he was after.
wards an engineer In the East, and had most
responsible position in arranging the details
Of some new parts in New York. He Is till,
fiue .uppearinr man. re1uarkahly strafsht IN
flpn.e. hfs hair tInre,1 with erav we,re -
heayymoustachea arm nossrses o1e ~ +ie mat Z
open, geucroQs Of SONS. looking miidig m % mt
Of eyes Of blue, Hcis simple II his tasfes.
and inclines greatly to pets, a NUMBER Of
which he keeps about him, among others be-
ing huge mastIf of st. Bernard, . deer, sew
cEal raecoons, ducks, cnnary birds, aud sew
tral ot the finest horses In tho country, one Of
the latter, valued at 5000 Has presented to
him BY the officers of the post very recently
He is also passionate'y fond OF flowers, and
has transplanted TO his garden some Of the
tho sites Of condemned md abandoned homes
In Memphis. These are in full bloom now,
and well worth beholding in their new loca
ton.
With all his bachelor habits, and his pen
chant for flowers and dogs and horses, Cen
cral Asboth has never neglected duty, In
fact, he is pruyerbial for his attention to duty
upon all occasions. His only relaxations
from labor arc his moments with his horses
and other pets. He is prompt In attending
to the wants Of his men, and exactlng in re-
qnitlng strict obedience and full discipline
VII WI u,e eU"ss ta 1,ad n -, saoEues gnTT1e. FL
a, ~ W tannut ue Iaueu natsn VI pl1saL 1ne
ss eas.ueoe tIi"mto4'ns LIE il'1'u6e eou4o NOE oe
eceno 70 ~. 1nese. ~
- tao'oa. a14A'ssAL ofa.oH'
next to headquarters and the office Of the
commandant Of the post, Is, perhaps, the most
important place ln columbus; here we next
made onr Appearance. The Provost Marshal
OF Inc dlstr1eL ls MAJOR ". = KoWley; for the
post, !. d. Williams, late Of Chicago, fills the
position, both having their office in roo1nY
nnnns;ta 4ha 4s,aHra7t @ no ott1co ;nsppot, nnu
Is sti1l attached to tie Staff Of General Grant
as he Is much attached to the person of that
commander. He is the warm friend Of the
General, and, of course, feels personal pride
in his late victories. Major Rowley has been
identified In the numerous improvements
made at Columbus by General 1sboth. md
the fruits Of their labors attest Ills indnstrv
and perseverance, His Office is an onerona
one, but be does not ehriuk from its test, nor.
withstandipg he has for months past. mil
lately. been II bad health.
Of labor, and his broad shoulders and Id sta5 % Earf
frame Indicate that he Ii. the man who en-
stand up under pressure of difIiculties. Re.
Ing CONNECTED with the most he has more ~
do with the soldiers than most other officers
They speak well Of him.
uEAnorAnrraa
we founa .on-+ ,,,ast,s1 ~ .,,,.,
in progress, cngrossiug al, the atIen;ton ,1a} ~
Captain 7. Il. Harris, 4 A. G., and nearly iii
the officers Of the 9th division, 10th army
corps, Major sherman q. Smith, Of the 10th
Iowa, acting as President. Ali manner Of
cases come before this commission; but, as
We had none Of Us any desire to taste Tie
quality Of Justice there meted out to delIu-
qaehtss We did not endcavor to penetrate the
four walls surrounding its members. but
passed on to
rur orArrRu4srrp,a npp,pr,,
A"saeo 1h'' uhfAhfAEST'
cberre ~ Garts;1 - + I ~ SI 1Secuny 1esu IN
that change is about to be made' and hat
Iieutenant Curry, long Connected with the