The Placer herald., 1864-04-02
Battle Of Olustee, Florida.

The Providence Journal prints letter from
Lieut. Eddy, of the Sd Rhode Island Battery, who
participated in the late battle in Florida. The
letter is dated on board the hospital steamer
Cosmolo Titan, Port Royal Harbor, Feb. 22d, and
says:-"We marched eighteen miles. when we
met the enemy. We skirmished with them for
the next four miles, when we found that they
were in force and formed their line of battle
Our columns were at once deplOycd in line, and
our advance was sharply engaged. Hamilton's
battery was then ordered forward; four pieces Of
the battery. including my section. were placed in
position within two hundred and fifty yards of the
rebel lines. under severe fire of musketry. We
went in with four pieces. fifty horses. eghty-two
men. and four officers, viz. Captain H., Lieut..
Myrck, Lieut.. Doyle and myself. In twenty min
utes we lost torty-four men, forty horses, two
pieces and four officers when managed to get
off with what little there was left. 1t our
misfortune to have for support a negro regi-
ment UhO by running caused rs to lose our
pieces The fight lasted three hours. when find
ing his army so much cut up, the General ordered
a retreat. We return to Hilton Head tomorrow.
The Batterry remained at jacksonville, which |
think our forces will find difficult to hold as the
enemy were following us closely. Taking every
thing together we have done pretty sharp work.
In ninety hours we have marched ITO miles,
fought battle of three hours duration, got badly
whipped and what there is left Of our little army
is back again where we started from.
ORIGIN OF THE ENGLISH PARTY NAMES
"WHIa" AND "ToRy. Those who took the
Kings side were Antibrmngh CHAINS, Abhor
rers and Tantivies. These appellations soon
became obsolete; but at this time were first
heard two nicknames which though origi-
nally given in insult, were soon assumed
with pride, which are still in daily use, and
which have spread as widely as the English
race, aud which will last as long as the
English literature. 1t is a curious circum
stance tha: one of these nicknames was Of
Scotch and the other of Irish origin. Both
in Scotland and Ireland misgovernment had
called into existence bands of desperate men,
whose ferocity was heightened by religious
enthusiasm. In Scotland, some Of the per
secuted Covenaners, driven mad by oppresl
sion, had lately murdered the Primate, had
taken arms against the Government, had
obtained some advantage against the Kings
forces, and had not been put down ill
Monmouth, at the head of some troops from
England, bad routed them at Boutwell,
Bridge. These zealots were most numerous
among the ruscs of the western lowlands,
who we're vugarly called Wings. Thus the
appelaton of Whig was fastened on the
Presbyterian zealots of Scotland, and was
transferred to those English politicians who
showed disposition to oppose the Court,
and to treat Protestant Nonconformists with
indulgence The bogs of Ireland, at the
same time, afforded a refuge to Polish out,
laws, much resembling those who were after
wards known as Whiteboys. These men
were then called Tories. The name Of Tory
was therefor given to EngIisbmen who re'
fused to concur in excluding Roman Catho
lie prince from the throne. Macauley.
SLATE PENCILs FROM THE SEA URCHINs-
A correspondent of the Monterey Gazette
saws:
noticed not long since, in one Of the
interior papers, an article entitled Natural
Slate Pencils" title, or something like it.
The writer went on to say, that there is a
sort Of seaweed found on the Coast of Cali
fornia, that answered all the purposes Of a
slate pencil, etc. Those persons who live
near the sea shore, will probably know at
once What is referred to as "natural slate
pencils" but to those who live in the interior
and are not in the habit of seeing salt water,
it may be interesting TO learn that the slate
pencils so called are the spines Of the sea
urchn Tor the sea egg as it is sometimes
caIled) 1t is an animal of the genus Echinus,
and of the family Radiata or star iishes.-
1t is round and tlattened, like large flat
apple, with thin shell over it, covered with
movable spines two or three inches long,
and not more than an. eighth of an inch
thick. These spines being movable where
they are jointed to the shell, the animal by
this means, is capable of locomotion. Sea-
eggs are very common everywhere on this
coast, and are eaten 10y many people The
spines may be used, and frequently are used
for pencils for school children to mark with
on their states.