The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-08-18

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military service has been equalized in ad
ministering the former acts of Congress.
1t is not material what unit is taken q!
the basis of equalization, If that unit is uni
formly the same. It is on the same assump
ton that the mode Of calculation heretofore
adopted will be continued by the Provost
Marshal General that the present call has
been based.
The call Of the President is for the mum.
ber individuals actually required, making
allowance in the call only for those districts
which, under this call, will be liable to fur
nish comparatively few troops, by reason Of
their having previously placed in the field
more than their share under ell former re-
QUESTIONS. ~ @ 0un' -.
Each man furnished pnder the present
call, whether his period of enlistment be
longer or shorter, should count only. one in
the quota now required, aud each district
should furnish the full number Of men which
shall finally be determined on and called for
as its quota.
But II one district shall an its quota with
one year men, and it another district shall
fill its quota with three years men, the
amounts of service Of these districts will
not be equal On making up quotas under
. new call, one Of these districts should be
credited with three times the amount of
service which should be credited to the
other, and the quota of the deficient district
should be increased, or the quota OF the
district furnishing the three years. men
should be diminished accordingly under
such new call. -
At each successive cali, all accounts of
service preceding that call are made up, and
the call for quotas should be such Is shall
equalize the amount of service required
from each district in proportion to the per-
sons therein liable to military service. sg
That district which, in the present draft,
furnishes one year men. cuts up, it's burden
into three parts, and shoulders one part the
present year, and leaves the next to be met
at the next call. 2Ef''} ed "oh q n
That district which furnishes three years
men now, gains at once ia its account with
the Provost Marshal General the same ben
eft on the quota Of the next draft as though
il had furnished three times as many men
for one years' ser vice. # a'.<s
1t is the duty of each district to furnish
the full number Of men designated in its
quota these men should be received wheth-
er for one, two or three years service. iiil
Those districts which furnish three ye.rs'
men now will be entitled to the fun benefit
thereof on all future calls. sf' no .l1fo
m Lfe WILLIAM WHITING
sga Solicitor ofthe War Department. l0
General Rice to his Mother.
The following is an extract from the last
letter written by Gen. James O.. Rice, just
before the battles in the Virginia Wilderness,
in one of which he lost bis life, to his aged
mother, who lives in Worthington, Mass;
We are about to commence the campaign,
the greatest IN magnitude, strength and inn
portance since the beginning Of the war -
God grant that victory may crown our arms;
that this wicked rebellion may be crushed,
our Union preserved, and peace and prosper
ity again be restored to our beloved eoantry.
My faith and hope and confidence are in
God alone, and know that you feel the
same. TRUST that God may again gracious
ly spare my life, as He has in the past, and
yet one cannot fall too early, #, loving
Christ, he dies for his country. Ny entire
hope is in the cross Of my Savior, In this
hope | am always happy. We pray here in
the army, mother, just the same as at home.
The same God who watches over you, also
guards me. always remember you. moth
er, in my prayers, and know you never for.
get me in yours. All that am, under God, !,
l owe to you my dear mother. Do you rec
ollect this passage in the Bible: aThou
shalt keep therefore the statute, that it may
60 Wei with thee, and thy children after
thee" How true this is in respect to your
children, mother. I hope you win read the
Bible and trust the promises to the last
There is no book like the Bible for comfort.
It is guide to the steps Of the young-a
staff to the aged.
Well, my dear mother, good bye. We are
going again to do our duty, to bravely offer
up our lives for that Of the country, and,
''through God we shall do valieptly,"
With much love, and many prayers, that
whatever may betide us, we may meet in
heaven st last, I am your .ffectionate son,
JAMES.
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