Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-02-25

, a = 80 -.
he had a "pass" and was going out, and she
desired might accompany him in bis carriage.
| The offer was gratefully accepted by the lady
and in the morning the General appeared at
| her residence with his carriage. The lady
ordered her servants to place her box OF
/ clothing in the carriage, which order was
promptly obeyed, aud they drove off togeth-
er. The General drove up TO his headquar-
tiers and took the lady and her box in, having
curiosity to know what kind of clothing
the lady was in the habit of wearing The
box was opened aud found to contain large
number of "caps," (gun-caps), revolvers, and
various other articles of such clothing, all of
which were respectfully confscated, and the
lady very politely remanded to prison BY
the utility of such jokes, the Status- d arnles
in this department is very good.
Last night young man by the name OF
Adam ROdermund of Co. K, committed sui
eide while standing ON picket post, by get
ting on his knees, placingthe muzzle OF the
gun against his breast and discharglng 1t by
means of forked stick pushed against the
trigger. No cause can be assigned for the
rash act, except that he had been suspected
by his Captain of stealing tobacco and
threatened with court martial, and during the
day his comrades had leased him concerning
the charge, and spoke to him of the conse-
quences as being loss of pay and hard labor
with bail and chain, which it is thought dis
couraged and broke his spirit.
They are now examining applicants here
for promotion in Colored Regiment, 9th
U. s., of which Board of Examiners Col.
Henry Cobb is President. Gen. Canby's
draft goes off in this department next month,
and it is making the natives and northern
skuks-wharf rats, as the boys call them
vince, and hence the filling up OF the colored
regiments.
The health of the regiment is good, there
being but few sick, and few losses by death
since | last wrote. James Farrell, Co. g.,
died of chronic diafrhea at Post Hospital,
Duvalrs Bluff, on the 2lst of December,
1864, and Charles Keller, same Co., died of
the same disease at the same hospital, on the
18th of January, 1865.
l am as ever, G.
On tie acdy to Nea0 OrlednS-An Important
Expedition on The tIpiS-Geterat Increment Of
troops = Rival Drum Corps
Smith Acgltitted-LS IN Conanaand of tie Reg
imelat r-
Correspondence of the state Journal.
~ MOUTH OF WHITE RIVER, ARK I
February 9th, 1865.
a
ed at this place yesterday evening, and dis
embarked to await transportation down the
river. We left Duval's Bluff on the Sammy
South on the evening of the 9Th, and we're TWO
days making the trip down-lS0 miles-in
consequence of having two large barges in
tow, containing the 18th Ohio Volunteer In-
fantry. The Sunny South and two or three
other boats 90 back to the Bluff to day, for
the purpose of bringing more troops, which
are principally from Little Rock, and among
which is the 2Sth Wisconsin Infantry, and
18th Michigan Infantry. Six companies of
the 27th Wisconsin arrived here yesterday
from Little Rock on the ROWena; they also
disembarked. and are here with us. All the
white troops at Little Rock are under march
ing orders to report at New Orleans, except
two regiments, and all at DlYall's Bluff are
under the same orders, and there will be no
troops left at either place but colored ones:
There appears to be an expedition of the
Sherman kind going on, and it is surmised to
be for the purpose of operating against Mo-
bile by land. Troops are moving toward the
South from almost every point on the river,
and the appearance down here at present is
energetic and very war-like.
The st cond day after leaving the Bluff, on
our way down, the respective drum corps of
the 35th Wisconsin and 18th Ohio, both hap
pened to come out at the same time to ere
treat" roll-call. Each, as a natural cOnse-
quence, WED with the other, both as to num-
Der of tunes and skllful playing. Old Cop
pei, the chief musician in our band, alarmed
the shsf Of oa the 7h very maeh bH the h
and the two bands played alternately, much
to the amusement of the whole crew. All |
know about the result of the match is, it was
\ - sc.l., -.E1I r,ls g.,l.
ed out" and old Coppel next morning was
footing on the bugle and dancing jig The
Thirty-ifth has a good drum corps, and would
rival anything we have yet found, IL they had
a chief musician that could do justice to the
profession.
! The Court Martial, before which 1t Col.
Smith was arraigned, finished its labOrs on
the 9Th inst, and the findings of the Court
were partly disapproved by Brig. General
Smaller, in they found him guilty on on
charge that which the General thought the
evidence did not Justify. We are happy to
see the L.. Col. again free and on duty, and
hope the good order and military discipline"
of the regiment may not soon again be SO
preiudiced asto justify his arrest and trial
by Court Martial on such charges, that, after
twelve days, patiently listening to studied
evidence, the members of the Court ind
themselves unable to convict him OF anything
more than superior and inferior officers of
the army are at sundry times equally cul-
pable. 80
/ think the trial of Col. Smith will pro-
duce healthy influence in the regiment, as
it will no doubt, to a great extent, dissipate
the former style of preferring charges against
officers for every trivial offense. The volun-
teer service is such that many mistakes must
be, though innocently, committed; as it is
impossible to obtain experienced military
men to command all the troops now in the
field; and if every mistake and innocent de-
reelection is to be seized upon, and men
thrown out of the service, and oftentimes
disgraeed, it is the government that is the
loser--not the man. et,5.
The sanitary condition of the regiment is
good. A few were lett in hospital at the
Bluff, but no deaths have occurred since |
last wrote. - Respectfully, u.
- From the Forty-Third Regiment.