Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-05-16

The decree was very general, not Ike deroos
in regard to children. But every fourth dog,
generally. without regard to age, sex, or condi-
ton. This order produced great sensation; il
was so general. How would they ascertain the
fourth dogf At last my friend Peter White
hurst declared that all the dogs in the depart
ment would have to be killed but three, then
there would be no fourth dog left. This pro-
duced great CONSERVATION among the old maids
and the young sportsmen for the poodles and
pointers, so they rushed TO the headquarters and
inquired for an Interpretation of the order. when
they were informed by the following answer:
Ladies and gentlemen, we 10 not desire 10 hurt
a hair of your dogs backs Iii is only to increase
the provost marshal's fund, that order is made.
All OF you who will pay two dollars TO the pro-
vost marshal. get n license for your dog, and n
collar aud put on hisneck, can keep him to COM
fort your declining years and youthful sports"
On the 23d OF March, near one thousand FIVE
hundred dollars had been paid in. | did not
learn whether a Boston friend had the monop-
oily of selling dog collars. But the order must
be carried out by way Of paying the money. The
veteran soldiers-white soldiers-were detailed
TO hunt them up ald bring them in for redemp
ton.
When we landed in Norfolk the other gay, |
went up lain street TO the hotel. After | passed
the Provost Marshsl's Office, l met a veteran
soldier leading with a rope, a fine, noble c0unte-
nanced pointer dog. The poor fellow looked
FESTIVE. He seemed to recognize a friend in me,
and ran around me. bringing the rope around my
limbs. l extricated myself aud told him | was
only a civilian. A little further on / met an
other soldier with a medium sized cur, with his
head and tail down, showing his teeth a little,
looked surly. and as much as to say, 81 didn't
know this war was about dogs; | done care a
- which side whips" or such sentiments as
might be expected from a mean cur. A little
further on | met another soldier with a line
around a little dogs neck; he was between the
spaniel aud the poodle-white wool, but dirty;
his chin was close 10 the ground, his eyes mp
turned meekly, and w~aggiug his tail gently as he
went along. A juvenile freedman, who was
standing on the pavement. said, Little doggie,
if you don't get two dollars. Massa Bitler will
take de wag out ob your tail"
GENERAL Buffers MILITARY ADMINISTRATION IN
THE FIELD.
Since General Butler has been so vigilant in
trying to impress the public mind that the civil
govern ment was inefficient at Norfolk. it may
not be amiSs to advert to the administration of
military affairs la the field in that vicinity. The
first movement was To send about one hundred
men to Smithfeld. on james river, in the face
OF the enemy. with no mode of retreat. and only
to be supported by gunboats going up a creek
that is little more than a quagmire ut low tide.
The result was the loss of the whole command,
aud the destruction of a gunboat which got
aground.
The next was General Wild's notable raid into
North Carolina and Princess Anne county. |
never want to see the history of that raid until
the war is over. The taking OF Miss White a
prisoner is only one of the occurrences.
The next was the projected raid on Richmond
for the liberation OF the Union prisoners. The
failure was regretted. 1t was attributed TO the
desertion Of a Union soldier, who carried the
news to Richmond, and gave them time to rally
and defeat the project. And the public have
been amused and satisfied with this story, and
General Butler lauded to the heavens for the con-
ception of the noble idea. He insulted the navy
By attributing to the officers unfaithfulness, aud
imprisoned IA lady thirteen DAYS, keeping her ON
bread and water, TO force her to tell what naval
officer had told her of the contemplated expedi-
dIlion to Richmond, when she knew nothing
about it. OF all of this the public was duly no
tilted through the press. But is it not strange
how a soldier who deserted knew anything about
the objects of the army. so as TO give informa.
ton so long beforehand? ! asked the irst -four
OF FIVE men | met from Norfolk if it was known
there publicly before the expedition started, that
it was going. Every one OF them replied thai
they knew it from six to ten DAYS before il started
the troops that were going, the object, aud all
about it. 1t was told by his own officers. Gen
eral Butler knew to whom he had c0n6ded his
plans.
Why did he not strike there for the person
who revealed the secretI think il very likely
that the news of the raid was communicated from
Norfolk to Richmond, and il was suggested il
the letter, publish that you got this news from
a Union soldier who deserted But it was
known at Williamsburg, and talked of among the
soldiers for at least six DAYS before the expedi
ton started. Yet censure is heaped on every
BODY. to keep observation from General Butler
and his confidential advisers.
The last military exploit | heard of, was a raid
into North Carolina and the capture of two
lighter loads of corn and meal. with some con
trabands, and the selling Of the corn at public
auction, and the proceeds of sale went into tht
provost marshal's iuud.
WHAT BECOMES or THE PROVOST MARsHAL's FUND
/ might answer this question by repeating the
question. what does become of il? Perhaps thi:
is about as satisfactory an answer as the country
will ever get.
IL does not go into the treasury of the United
States, nor do ! suppose it relieves it of any o.
its burdens. Ii is estimated by those who have
pretty good opportunity of knowing, that there
has been collected since Gen. Butler went to OLD
Point last fall, from two 10 three hundred thou
sand dollars into this fund. There has been 8
system OF excessive fines introduced for one sup
posed offense and another, varying from fifty tC
FIVE thousand dollars In addition to this mode
property, captured and confiscated, all goes into
the Provost Marshal's fund, with q tax ON good:
shipped into and out of the district, tax on oys
tars anal dngS claarancaS nj vessels Ec Ge