North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1864-03-16
TUNKHANNOCK, PA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1864
VOL. 8, NO. 81.
The FlOrIda Atrocfgy

A ~ Inc FIOfIa& ASrOCkky N sf$ - d II
The more we learn of the Influences which
led to the Florida expedition aud the uselsss
massacre Of Olustee the worse the whole adais
seems to be, There is an intense feeliog oe
indignation concerning this matter through
out the country which has not yet fund On.
preston in the newspapers or in Congress-.
The letters which reach the North from col.
diers, officers, and civilians in that military
department agree in tracing the whole "a.
sp'nsibiliiy for the expedition and consequent.
| ly fDr the disaster. directly 70 the
White House, at Washington. The most
shameful feature of this whole matter 10 the
c"wardly attempt by the President sud his
friends to try and place the responsibility
upon General Gilmore, in the face of this
forrna! official document:
HEADQUARTERS DEpaRryrx7 or 7Rr SoufR. ,
.. HILTON HEAD, S. c.. January as
In accordance with the provisions Of the prssdsa.
tal procama tion of pardon and amnesty, Rivsa q
Washington the 9th day OF December, In the ysas
OF our lord one thou,a and eight hundred and sixty
thrna. and in pursuarc Of Instructions ysesies6
from the President Of the United States Majsr yoha
Hiy. assistant odjuiQnteenral, lou proeesbte Fss.
ndndia, Florida and okar co1rcnient poinss in tAss
stats for the purpose extending 70 tie citisyns ~
The State Of Florida opportunity 10 arail them.
seires Of The bcnift ofhof proclamation by eesriae
fer their signature the oath allegiance therein pre-.
seri6ea and by issuing all these subscribing to ssaa
oath certificates emitting them to the benefits Of tho
proclamation Fugitive citizens Of the State q
FlOTi la within fha eoft
an oppurtnniy to subscribe 20 the is.ae cath. saa
secure certfeatcs in the oc9 1 the rast eeumssdse
at Hilton Head. South Carolina. .... g..
By command Of Ma;op-Gsn. GA oyixona
E. W. Smith, =. e. G.
II is clearly pointed ent that the expedition
as undertaken in pursuance Of in,tructioas
received from Mr. LINCOLN himself, who ssus
his owh private secretary JoHx HAY, 60
restore the state to the Uuion. ..t &c.,.
Butthars ia secret history in eonnecsisa
with this matter. It seems that Mr.. LIE.
was inspired To order the expedition by tsR
Collector, named STIcKNEY, q, Port Royal,
This man, wlo is sharp, unscrapulous rev
Engtarrler, after visit to Washington, boss.
ted that he had got " Abe >, all right. Thsrs
was to be money IN the thing for hir ssie and
'r'end>, Even the offices wers divided in I'd.
vance. HAT was to be the momHer Congress
from Florida while SrieGs47 s.oired to tho
senatorship As only about @ lhonsaud votes
We're required, they could ae 90. from tho
soldiers, camp followers, and sutlars, who
would occupy the state upon its conquest
In every point of view this has been most
scan'lalous business. Why vas HAr madsa
major and then an assistant sJjutant- gsn-
eral over the heads of brave officers who wsre
perlng their lives upon the Sattle feld Ser
honorable pronotion7 What heart can men
have for fighting under such circumstances
Another shameless proceeding was the
sending home of two New Hampshire regi.
ments. all the way from Jacksonville, iurne.
diately after the slaughter, to vote for GrI.
MORE for governor. The reg,menis--so a
we'll inf'rmed Porl r ,yal correspondent in.
forms us-were not entitlsd to return on fur.
Tough, but they were sent home, notwith-
standing, at the public expense, to help elee.
ti"neer for Mr.. LINeoLN's presidential esn-
vass.