Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1864-02-05
Affairs In Knoxville.

O4V, AS4D1A Il
| Affairs In Knoxville.
! We have some interesting intelligenc,
from Knoxville, furnished BY gentlema,
who has been in the town ever since its oc
cupation BY the Yankees, until short tim,
since, when he succeeded in effecting chi
escape. The severity Of the Federal rule
he represents, has pretty eHectually killed
the intense Unionism of many Of the citizen,
of the place, and more completely deter.
mined the Southern portion Of the popula
ton to continue the weight Of its influence
in behalf Of Southern rights.
When he left Knoxville great deal O
sickness prevailed, and there were over tire,
hundred cases of small -pox in the city. Th,
dead were being buried in yards and gar.
dens. or wherever most convenient Dead
horses and mules were lying in tie streets
and for more than mile around the eartl
was strewn with decomposing carcases. The
beautiful ornamental trees 10 the streets ani
in the grounds of private residences have
been cut down. and even those in the Asy'
lum grounds have been felled and con.
sumed.
The expressions ofloyal citizens is repre-
sented to be cruel and dospotic. They are
not permitted to follow their occupations,
or to sell or buy without permit from Gen.
Foster, and this cannot be obtained without
taking the oath. Some who have not the
means Of procuring food, have been starved
into taking the oath in order to draw the
scansy rations allowed their loyal subjects.
These rations consist of hard cracker per
day, and little blue, stringy beef. A num-
Der of the citizens have been compelled to
crowd themselves and effects into one OF
two rooms, whilst the other parts of their
large and comfortable mansions are appro-
priated for officers quarters. The whole
country around is waste of ruin and desc
lation.
Later news from Knoxville asserts that the
Yankees have evacuated it, but that our
forces have not entered the city because Of
the prevalence of the small-po there being
now about 600 cases: Our forces are said
70 be encamped three or four miles around
the place.-Dispatch.
BALLS, SHELLS AND BoMBs-How THEY
ARE MADE The Watervliet Arsenal, sit
uated at West Troy, N. Y, is the largest
arsenal for the construction and fabrication
Of military implements. other than for small
arms and cannon, in the country. Every
thing at present is on war footing, and
from three to four hundred hands directly,
and as many more indirectly, in the neigh
boring foundries. are kept busy night and
day. Through recent acquisitions Of the
Federal Government the arsenal has been
nearly stripped of muskets, pistols and can
non, but of other munitions there is an am
pie store. A large number of hands are
engaged in the preparation Of ammunition !;
six thousand ball cartridges are made daily;
most Of these aa intended for the Minnie
rife, but large numbers Of the old-fashion-
ed round ball cartridges are also manufac-
tured.
The manufacture Of bomb~shells is as fol-
lows: The she'll is first filed up with old
fashioned round leaden bullets; melted sui
phur is then poured in to fill the interstices
and bind the bullets in one solid mass; the
she'll is then put into kind of lathe, and a
cylindrical hole of the exact size Of the ORR
fee of the shell is bored through the bullets
and the sulphur this cavity is filed with
powder even with the interior edge Of the
orifce; six-inch shell of the kind here de-
scribed holding about half pound.
The fuse fitted into This ori6ce is recent
Belgian invention, made of pewter, and re-
sembles the screw cap used for the patent
fruit cans. An examination Of this pewter
cap shows, however, that it is made Of two
hollow discs Of metal screwed together, and
filed with meal powder; a number Of fine
holes are drilled in the lowersdisc, while the
other disc is entire and marked with figures
in circle, one, two, three, four. In this
state the shell is water and weather proof.
When taken for use, the gunner, by mean.
of small steel instrument, scoops out 8
portion of the outer metal surface and layl
bare the charge of composition powder be.
low it.
If the she'll is desired to explode in one
second after leaving the gun, the scooping
is made on the figure one; if in two sec
onds, on the figure two, and SO on, the ides
being that the shells of this description shall
first strike the object aimed at, and do exc.
cution as ball, and then explode, sending
the bullets forward as from another cannon
located at that point where the flight Of thu
she'll is arrested. Large shells Of eight Of
ten inches are filled with powder only, anc
bursting do execution by means Of thei
fragments. These, large shells are general
ly fired by means Of fuse of meal powder
extending through .. brass plug, screwed
into the mouth Of the she'll. In both case
the fuse is fred BY the ignition Of tn
charges in the gup.-SpringJield Chase.
Republicans
( A CoTroN FACTORY IN LYNcHBuRa.-I
is not perhaps generally known that fac
tory for the manufacture Of cotton yarn ha
been established, and is in successful oper
alton in this city. I: is prepared now t.
turn out thirty bales day, thus furnish
| ;nr maternal for ahout 510 varda IF oot+o,