The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-04-15
TERMS.
LOCAL AFFAIRS.

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LOCAL AFFAIRS.
Fort SMELLING IrEMs.-In a hurried
visit to the Fort recently we gathered the
following items:
MINNESOTA CENTRAL.
The Railroad Bridge across the Minnesota,
and the rock grading below the Fort and along
the river towards Minneapolis show commend
able progress being made. On the Minnesota,
opposite from the Fort. and half of mile
above the Bridge, the foundation and flooring
is laid for the Depot Buildings, while substan-
tial leyee and steamboat landing has been con-
structed. The stone abutments for the piers
Of the Bridge show above high-water mark,
and piles have been driven to support the draw
bridge. Piles have been driven for the track
across the marsh lands from the Bridge to the
Depot.
-CAyKD DOWN.
The Railroad excavations undermined the
foundations of the corner of the Fort walls,
nearly opposite the ferry landing, and on Fri
day about two rods Of the wall gave way and
.tumbled down into the Railroad grading below.
The work of repairing has been commenced,
and it will be easy to rebuild the wall on bet
ter foundation without injury to the plan Cor
.no-plan) of the Fort.
CoIORED RECRUITS.
Sergt Major Fred. Norwood. of the Sixth
Regiment, starts for St. Louis to-day, in
q charge OF the twenty-five colored recruits from
Minnesota He is to report his detachment at
Benton Barracks, the general rendezvous for
colored recruits in the West. Sergeant Nor
wood has been recommended for q Captains
commission in a colored regiment by the Board
time ago.
THE RECRUITING RENDEZVOUS.
The rendezvous of recruits, established some
months ago in the enclosed barracks outside
the Fort, is under command of Lieut.. Colonel
Brydolf, of the Veteran Reserve Corps, with o
detail of officers for staff service and enlisted
men for writing and other assistance. Lieut.
Bell of the Sixth, is Acting Adjutant, and Lieut.
Borer of the Eighth, is Quartermaster, and
having charge of the issuing of Commissary
stores. Since Lieut.. Colonel Brydolf took
command, 1, 700 recruits have been received al
the rendezvous, of whom about ], 800 have
been forwarded to their respective companies
or regiments, and the remainder will be sent
on as fast as numbers are assembled to make
up the detachments-probably all will be on
the way to their commands bv the end Of this
week. All these recruits have been supplied
with army clothing and blankets at the rendez-
vous. The drawing of acquisitions for rations,
clothing and transportation for these men, the
making up of muster and descriptive rolls, and
returns, and the keeping of the accounts, all
together, give the commanding officer, his staff
and assistants, much more labor than one unac-
quainted with the duties of the post, might i'm
agine At times the making out of the rolls
and returns for detachments of recruits being
sent forward, was more than a dozen smart
clerks could keep up with. But the chief
trouble in the way of promptncss in sending
forward recruits, has been the furloughing s.vs-
tenn, inaugurated by recruiting officers and
agents, inducing men to enlist by promise OF
an immediate furlough.
1T. COL. BRYDOLF.
The commanding officer of the rendezvous
Of recruits is certainly entitled to the name OF
veteran, and the late change in the designation
of his corps must be acceptable to him. He
served through the Mexica war in Maj Woods
battalion of the 18th regulars, and entered the
Iowa Sixth as line officer SO soon after the
breaking out of this war as he could return
from Europe. From the Sixth he was promOt-
ed into the Twenty fifth Iowa, and from thence
transferred to the Invalid, now Veteran Re-
serve Corps Col. Brydolf's service in Mexico
included several of the famous marches and
battles of that war, and his experience there
aided him in becoming one among the best of
the many good field officers Iowa has sent into
the army. At Shiloh, he lost an arm by bull
let wound on which account he was transfer
red as above stated. As the recruiting rendez-
men, a good many Minnesotians may be inte-
rested in this brief introduction to one who
may be their first commander after they are
GRATED into the army" They will find in
1t. Col. Brydolf an officer who, guided strictly
by regulations and orders, will yet cndeavor to
induct them easily into the service.
IN THE "PEN."
The "boys' irreverently designate the en-
closed barracks set apart for recruiting rendez-
vous as the big pen. Inside We found every
thing locking clearly, and the First Regiment,
and detachments of other regiments returning
from furlough, comfortably quartered. Apart
OF the quarters we were informed had lately
been vacated by ninety-three recruits for Brack-
ett's Battalion, sent on to Fort AbercrOmbie
VOLUNTEERS DETAIL
Some fifty of the recruits in Col. Brydolf's
command. having volunteered to repair the
road between the Fort and this city, were yes
terday engaged in ditching and turnpiking-
working the road tax" they said-under
direction OF Major Downie of the First
DRILLING THE RECRUITS
The recruits, during their stay at the render.
vous. have been regularly drilled each dav thu,
the weather would permit outdoor exerc;sas
by officers and nop-commissioned officers de-
tailed from the old regiments for that nurnose
Some of the recruits have passed throuoh n.