The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-05-01
The Straits of Mackinac are open, and

The Straits of Mackinac are open, and
several propellers from the lower lakes
have passed through. u
"A company Of 1lS negroes has been
raised in Ohio for Fred. Douglass regi-
ment, now being raised in Massachusetts,.
"A letter from Falmouth, Va, to the
Boston Post says, "the mastering out all
Colonies and Majors and surplus officers
of all regiments not having 500 men crea-
ted great excitement in the army, SO
much so that Gen. Hooker declined issu-
ing the order, and sent it back to the War
Department. The order would take all
the Colonies in the service-the veterans
of six or eight battles. The commanders
claimed that such an order would ruin the
army: that there were some officers that
ought to be mustered out, but such a
wholesale sweep was not only grossly I'M
just but very impolitic.
There is one umbrella in the army of
the Potomac, the gift of little girl to her
brother, who is private, to protect him
from exposure on the long marches. 1t is
a subject of much mirth among the SOL
diers.
"A fine fat sprawling red-faced baby
was left on Archbishop Hughes's door step
one night last week. He had it tenderly
conveyed to the Founding hospital.
-" Carleton,"a correspondent of the
Boston Journal, who witnessed the recent
bloodless consumption of gunpowder in
Charleston harbor, and whom we know to
be gentleman of high character, sound
Judgment, remarkable freedom from pre-
iudices, and unfinching candOr, confirms
the account given by the editor of the
Baltimore american of the Charleston
failure of our fleet. 1t does not appear
that our iron-clads were vulnerable, or
their ordnance inefficient. The rebel fire
was very heavy, but the monitors were
ready for action the day after the cannon
AIDE. Admiral Dupont suddenly acquired
high reputation by the capture of Hilton
Head batteries; and he lost it as suddenly
by his egregious bigotry and wan OF per-
severance at Charleston.--Cin Cincinnati Conn.,
mercidl.
Apprehension is felt for the security
of New Orleans. One correspondent de
clares that the rebels have $4,000 troops
at Port Hudson, 1000 at Jackson, Miss,
$4,000 on the Atchatalaya, and 10000 at
matchmaking total of 6l,00O men,
"who could, by railroad facilities, be con-
centrated upon New. Orleans in twelve
hours" In confirmation of the belief be-
ginning to prevail at New Orleans that that
city is to be attacked by the rebels, per-
sons arriving there from Mobile have stated
that great preparations are going on at Mo-
bile to take Ship Island, and that troops
and transports for the enterprise are ready
and waiting the command to leave.
Of Augustus and Rome
The poets still MARBLE.
How he found it of gold,
And left it of marble.
OF Chase and our cash t.-.
Men may say, and not vapOr,
That he found it of gold,
And left it of - paperi
Hartford Times.
The Massachusetts Supreme Courl
has decided the Thorndke will case in ia
vor of the two children of Andrew Thorn
dixie, who died in 1854, thus sustaining
the legality of his marriage with German
woman, with whom he entered into a civil
contract of marriage at Frankfort-on-the-
Maine, before the United States Consul,
and with whom he lived as his wife, &C
knowledging the children as his up to the
time of his death Israel Thorndike,
| brother of the deceased, was the contest
ant for the property, on the ground of the
illegitinacy of his brothers children.
The Washington correspondent of the
| New York Tribune says that later advices
received by the Arago from the iron-clad
fleet, more than confirm the faith of the
| Government officials in the merits of the
! Monitors. 1t is understood that the most
serious injuries were repaired by noon of
the day following the fight, and that the
real defects of the boats can be easily
remedied. s...... ...,
A letter from Hilton Head contains
the following items of news:
Capt. Worden is obliged to return north on
| account of i'll health, and Commander Fairfax
| now commands the MOntauk '-ia'0 f
The turrets and hulls of the Monitors are I'M
| scathed. In no instance is the armor perfOra-
| ted. The sum total of the injuries is the sim
| pie riddling of the smoke-stacks. The fleet
with this exception, is ready for active service
! Deserters fromS Savannah state that Fort
| Sumpter was preached in several places and
| many rebel gunners put hors du combat. At
one time Gen. Ripley telegraphed that there
| was a possibility of our fleet forcing the OBJ
| structons. This created panic in Charleston,
| and many citizens and soldiers ran away from
the city beyond the range of the Yankee shells.
| During the engagement the rebel forces were
under arms anXiously watching points from
| which they expected Union troops to emerge.
| There are said to have been 10000 rebel troops
| on James Island alone, and twenty-three earth
Notifications on James, Johns, and Morals
| Islands. .. r4.- s.-- .-is. .f.0r,, am
| + The bark j. W. Andrews at New York
rnnorts Anr;l 18th in the bahama Chan.