The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-09-30


we not superior officers to think for us? We
have, however, q right to rejoice that in other
localities our brave boys are giving the rebel
lion heavy blows, and that there is prospect
that the war will soon be brought to q Close
God speed the happy day, is the prayer of oil
hangers-on about the various headquarters
throughout the country.
The resignation of Lieut. King, Co. D, Lieut..
White. Co. c, and Lieut.. Guisinger, Co. H,
have been accepted, and they will soon be with
their friends. Many others should be allowed
to resign as they will probably never be fit for
duty here. Sergt. Thornton, Of Go. !, has
been promoted to a captaincy in the 18th col
ored troops, and leaves to-day to join his COM
mand.
Our new Chaplain Cobb has been with us
several days He is live Chaplain. goes to
work as though he was in earnest, and has al
ready by his attention to the sick and good
words to all won the respect of the whole reg
ment, and will more than make up tor the
shortcomings and Incidence of his predecessor
and remove the deepseated prejudice of the
Sixth against Chaplains.
The colored troops here Uwo regiments) are
under good discipline, efficient and gentle
manly officers, and generally are well behaved.
They are no doubt quite as useful to garrison
posts where there is no hard fighting to do as
the white troops, though it seems ridiculous to
suppose that in the 'front.' where there is hard
work, they will stand fire equal to the white
soldiers unless it is claimed they possess equal
Intelligence, for it is generally supposed men
are brave in proportion to their intelligence,
and scarcely one in ten of these darkies can
either read or write. There are great many
contrabands here, who are mostly employed on
the government bottom farms in the vicinity,
and are paid good wages. Many of them are
probably as well or better off pecuniarily than
when they were slaves. Those who hang
around the town are lazy set, living by wash.
ing, doing chores, but principally by their wits.
They occupy !shanties in the vicinity of the
troops, and are considered, as they are, q
worthless filthy class. The citizens, with few
exceptions, are disloyal at heart and no doubt
improve every opportunity of giving aid and
information to the rebels outside the lines.
It is generally conceded that the administra-
ton of Col. Crooks, as commander ofthis Dis
trict is an improvement on that of his prede-
cessor. General Buford. Major Grant COM
handing the 9Th, though quite unwell for
some time past devOtes his whole time and
energies to promoting the comfort of the men
and welfare of the regiment.
Many OF the troops here are glad to hear OF
the nomination of Mcclellan, and hope he will
be elected. Mr.. Lincoln has been four years in
power, expending over two billions of dollars
and has not conquered the South, and If elect
ed, may occupy four years more in the same
way, with the same success. 1t is quite likely
that the people are getting tired of the war,
and if an honorable peace can be obtained, and
the Union preserved with the old flag and oil
the stars in place to wave again over the ma
ton united as once it did, let as hurry up the
happy day. 1t matters little who is President
if he goes to work in earnest for the restora-
ton of the Union, and shakes off the leeches
who are depicting the treasury, and the politi-
clans who are interested in prolonging the
struggle by introducing isms aad scisms. 1t
may not be policy to "swap horses now" in
the language of Abraham, but If we wait till
we "get across the stream" as we have been
moving, the horses will be worn ont and not
worth swapping. The soldier and his family
are the principal sufferers by the war-they do
q great deal Of quick thinking, and will do o
great deal of quick voting in November next.