smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1862

commission on the cotton that has been seized ,
brought here and sold. The cotton brought
from Port Royal and sold on account of the
goyernm. ent amounts to some seven hundred
thousand dollars. On this Collector Barney ID
laborng to obtain five or six per cent commis-
sion, making lhis profits in the neighborhood Of
forty thousand dollars. The Secretary of the
Treasury, howevc.r, does not appear to be will
ing to grant his demands. But If Collector
Barney should go to work and recruit rcgi
ment, perhaps Mr.. Chas>a would allow this conn
mission, just as Secretary Welles allowed Nor
gan his two and half per cent commission ON
all the ships that he added to the navy. lie had
better try this and see. the result. Why does
not Morgan raise regiment He certainly
has had commissions enough to be little pa
triotic in this hour of peril.
Year: 1862

The recent rebel invasion Of Mary lane
was not considered in the mere light O.
a strategical movement, TO be directed
and controlled by the military command.
crs alone, but it was looked upon as a
high political measure also, expressing
the very spirit of the Southern Confed-
eraor This will apn.ar from the fol-
loving, which is one of a set of resolu-
tions recently adopted by a large majority
OF the rebel congress:


Resolved,-That congress has heard
with profound satisfaction of the irium-
phant crossing Of the Potomac by our
victorious army, and assured Of the wis
dom of that masterly movement, could
repose with entire confidence on the dis
tincuished skill Of the commanding gen
cral and the valor of his troops, under
favor Of the Great Ruler of nations, to
achieve new triumphs to relieve oppres-
eed Maryland, and advance our standard
into the territory Of the enemy"


This shows sufficiently, perhaps, TO
what an extent the southern heart" was
fred over the prospects Of the inva-
sion. But the remarks of Mr. Porcher
Miles, formerly an NJ. c. from South
Carolina, in support of the resolution,
express the same spirit so bluntIy that we
copy the following brief colloquy from
the debate:


Mr.. Lyons-Do you believe that we
could safely go into the heart of the
north?


Mr.. Miles, say promptly, yes l
was told by a general, for whose opinion
know the gentleman from Virginia has
high regard, that give jackson one half
Of our present army, and although there
were 100000 men in the field, he would
drive them all before him. | believe
now is the time to strike the blow"


We put these things on record as an
authoritative proof Of the great expec-
tatons" on the part of the rebels, with
which the invasion of Maryland was un-
dertaken. 1t was a step which had been
long looked forward to, and the success
of which does not fer moment seem to
have been doubted Mr.. Miles virtually
said that jackson, with 100000 men, .
could drive 100000 Union soldiers before
him. This is so far revival of the old
rebel boast as to maintain that one south
ern soldier is superior to three northern
ers. From these deliberate estimates,
therefore, we can judge how deep must
be the humiliation and chagrin OF these
braggarts when they see the invasion
turning out an utter failure, and their
troops beaten, captured and dispersed by
not more than fifth part of the 100000
men, who 'Cere to have been put to rout
by the great jackson. But the immense
military effect of this rebel reverse will
have to be gathered from events which
will soon transPire.
Year: 1862

E9g Said one student to another, whom
he caught swinging scythe most Justify
in a field of stout grass, "Frank what
makes you work for a living? A fellow
with your talent and ability should not
be caught engaged in hard labor. l
mean to get my living by my wits. -
"WeI, Bill, you can work with dUller
tools than can was the reply.
Year: 1862

e. A rumor has prevailed that the
War Department had sent word to Con-
necticut that justices of the peace were
exempt At the close of the drafting
in Hartford, it was officially announced
that the rumor was unfounded.
Year: 1862

ca A passenger on steamer had a
roll Of canvass with him. In lurch Of
the boat it rolled overheard. He pitched
after it. On seeing which, a bystander
remarked, Gas that fellow is in for duck
he is bound to have the eanrass back ?"
Year: 1862

GLAD TrDryGs TO CoNE.-Secretary Chase, in
the course Of some remarks addressed 10 the New
York Bankers la.ely-according to the New
York Uorld-save strong and pointed assur-
ances that the Government now saw their way
clearly to quell the Rebellion that they had
information which warranted him in saying that
the public would soon hear glad tidings of sue
cess. more startling and more effective in their
results than those from Port Royal and the West
that neither the Govrnment nor Gen. Mcclellan
ever had the least idea of placing the army in
winter quarters, but on the contrary, the military
plans all contemplated regular systematic and
energetic activity in pushing forward upon the
Rebels as prudence and judgment dictated that
Government had ample funds to supply every
liability until February lst, and that all the
machinery of the Departments was gradually
working into very satisfactory state of eff
cheney.
Year: 1862

SOUND REAs0NING.-In a recent case of assault
the defendant pleaded guilty. Said he


81 think must be guilty, because the plain.
tiff and | were the only persons in the ROOM lad
the first thing knew was that was standins.up,
and he was doubled over the table Yovd BET
ter call it guilty."
Year: 1862

A NOVEL DUEL.-There is scarcely any
lbject on which more discordant opinions are
ntertained, than on that OF dueling and while
ne party condemns ii as fragrant violation of
Il the laws both of God and man, others are
ontented to represent it as a necessary evil.
Without, however, discussing at present the
xpediency or the practice, it appears that if
N appeal must, in any case, be made to arms,
he great object should be to place the cham
lions on equal footing, and pregent, as far as
possible, the better cause from yielding to the
mere skillful combatant. In one single, solita-
Nv instance, has this been attained. On the
borders of Austria and Turkey, where private
oique, or private quarrel, of single Individual
hight occasion the massacre Of family or
;ilage, the desolation Of province, and per-
haps even the more extended horrors of na-
iional war, whatsoever any serious dispute
arises between two subjects Of the different
empires, recourse is had to terminate il to what
Is called the custom of the frontier. A spa
.cious plain or field is selected, whittier, on an
appointed day, judges of the respective nations
repair, accompanied by those whom curiosity
or interest may assemble. The combatants
are not restricted to the choice or number of
their arms, or in their mode of fighting, but
each is at liberty to employ whatsoever he
'conceives is most advantageous to himself, and
avail himself of every artifce to ensure his own
safety, and destroy the life of his antagonist.
The last time that this method of deciding q
quarrel on the frontiers was resorted to, fur
nishes circumstances sufficiently curious and
the recital of them may serve TO illustrate what
is above mentioned The phlegmatic German,
armed with the most dangerous weapon in the
word-a rifed pistol mounted on a carbine
stock-placed himself in the middle of the field;
and conscious that be would destroy his enemy
if he could once get him within shot, began
very slowly to smoke his pipe. The Turk, on
the contrary, with a pistol on one side and
another on the other, and two more in his
holsters, and two more in his breast, and a
carbine at his back, and sabre at his side,





and q dagger in his belt, advanced like NOV
ing magazine, and galloping round his adver-
sary, kept incessantly firing at him. The
German, conscious that little Or 10 danger was
to be apprehended from such marksman with
such weapons, deliberately continued to smoke
his pipe. The Turk, at length, perceiving a
sort of little explosion, as if bis adversary S
pistol had missed fire advanced like lightning
10 cut him down, and almost Immediately was
shot dead. The willy German had put some
gunpowder into lis pipe, the light Of which
his enemy mistook, as the other had foreseen
would be the case, for flash in the pan and
no longer fearing the superior skill and superb
or arms of bis adversary, fell victim to them
both when seconded by artfce.
Year: 1862

The Tone OF BULLETs.-A soldier, writing
from one of the camps on the Potomac, thus
alludes to the peculiar noise made by bullets
passing through the air: 1t is very good
place to exercise the mind, with the enemy s
pickets rattling close at hand \ musical ear
can study the different tones of the bullets as
they skim through the air. l caught the
pitch of a larke sized Mimic yesterday-it was
a swell from f TO fiat F, and as it passed into
the distance and lost its velocity, receded to
E-a very pretty change. One of the most
startling sounds is that produced by the
Iiotchkiss she'll. 1t comes like the shrek of a
demon, and the brayest old soldiers feel like
ducking when they hear it. 1t is no more
destructive than some other missiles, but there
is great deal in mere sound to work upon
mems fears. The tremendous scream is caused
by ragged edge of lead, which is left on the
shell. In favorable positions of light, the phe
nomena can sometimes be seen, as you stand
directly behind gun, of the clinging of the
air to the ball. The ball seems to gather up
the atmosphere and carry it along as the earth
carries its atmosphere through space. Men
are frequently killed by the wind of cannon
shot. There is a law which causes the atmos-
phere to cling TO the earth, or which presses
upon it with force, at the surface, of fifteen
pounds TO the square inch does the same law,
or q modification, pertain to cannon balls in
flight? do not remember of meeting with a
discussion OF the subject in any published work.
1t is certainly an interesting philosophic ques-
tion.
Year: 1862

The Palmer Journal tells an amusing story
of q box of sausages aud coffin with baby's
corpse changing places and being wrongly de-
livered, in Ware, by the carelessness of the
stage driver from Palmer. The Ware butcher
was shocked to find in his box dead child
instead Of meat for the living and the friends
of the child sorrowfully deposited the "vic-
tuals.' in vault of the Catholic cemetery
where they remained until the mistake was
discovered.
Year: 1862

New Year This is the last day of the
Old Year A retrospect of the past twelve
months does not oCSer any thing pleasant to
contemplate. After another year of Civil
War, noted for its terrible destruction of life,
enormous waste of treasure, and immense
depletion of resources, we are-to all seem.
ing-7farther from the sccomplishment of the
purposes Of the contest than when the first
blow was struck to compel the continuance of
the Union Of the States, nearly two years
ago. We need not refer TO the gloomy incl
dents of long catalogue of disasters to the
Union arms during the year. They have not
had the effect of imparting confidence in the
ability of our Government. TO suppress the
Rebellion. 1t is useless to deny that the mis-
management Of the war has shaken the hopes
of the best friends Of the Union and the Gov
ernment of our ultimate success in the con-
test, The only hope we can have is in an
entire change in the conduct of the war, so
as to destroy the criminal pettfoging of po-
litical generals, stop the reckless waste of
money, destruction Of Government property,
and bring the public plunderers and robbers
to grief; or a cessation Of hostities with the
hope of reconstruction of the Union on a
basis that will be acceptable to majority of
the People North and South 1t must come
to some such complexion at last Werepeat
then, that in the retrospect Of the past year
we find nothing Of a public character pleas.
ant TO contemplate.


Life, however, has not been without its
hopes, enjoyments and endearments, during
the year which is now departing. 1t has i'm
parted joys as well as sorrows We might
enumerase great many items of individual
delectation, as an offset to the public gloom;
but it is not necessary to do so. These will
be remembered and properly credited when
we come TO make up the account of the year.
And we should be thankful that we have not
Jared worse than we have.


Tomorrow will begin the New Year. Let
us all begin to live anew with the morrow, de-
termined to improve upon the past 1t will
not be difficult to do So There is room for
improvement If we had time and space we
would devote them to suggestions pertinent
to the occasion, But each reader of this De-
partment is aware of particular shortcom-
lngs, aud besetting sins, and we, trust that
wherein they have failed they will redouble
their dthgenee and increase. their exertions
IN well'doing for the future


A world of Hope is centered upon the New
Year Oh how vastly are the living inter.
ested 10 the events which viii crowd upon its
opening season May we not trust that the
gloom which overshadows us at the close Of
the Old Year will be dissipated ere New Year
passes its first quarter "a


To this Glorious End let the uhitea eper.
gies of the Nation be directed in sober, De.
termined earnest, and good will surely come
of IT, h 'a|s" f1E od


And in the spirit of these hopes, with an
honest purpose to improve the past of our
own poor life, we tender our earnest prayer
for theincreased haPpinessi Of our readers,
and for the return OF Peace and Prosper
ity to our now distracted country ,,.. !
Year: 1862

DO You REMEMnER 2-Do you remember
that you have put off your wife for over year
with promises that you would buy her q Sew
ing Machine after while Now, open your
heart and on Christmas morning, give her a
happy surprise with Wheeler x Wilson
Year: 1862

Tremendous Rush The Store Room
No. 76 Main street is just crammed with Gus.
toners who are attracted there by the goods
selling at cost There is no humbug about
this It's so The rush there is perfectly
astonishing, 1t reminds us of the attempt to
get into the concert the other night,
Year: 1862

ORDER FOR PLANK EIDE-WALKf
f Dec. 2I, Is61.-And nowsst is hereby ordered and
directed by the Common Council Of the City of
Evansville that the owners of aH lots parts of
lots fronting adjoining the north side of
Second street, from Fulton Avenue to Fifth Ave-
nEe in said City, cause sidewalk of Glass No. 2
TO be hid down thereon within thirty days from
the publication Of this order.


k p BURKE, Gl H.
Year: 1862




Dec. 81, 1s61.-And now IL ia hereby ordered
and directed BY the Common Council Of the City
Of Evansville, that the of n lots parts
of lots fronting on or adjoining tho Northwest side
of Cherry street, between Eighth and Ninth streets
in said. City, cause the sidewalks thereon to be
brought to the proper grade, and that they cause
a sidewalk of class No. 20 be laid down thereon
within thirty days from the publication of this


P BURKE, Clerk.
Year: 1862




Dec. q, 1s61.-And now il fs hereby ordered and
directed by the Common Council of the City of
Evansville, that the owners of all lots parts of
lots fronting adjoining the st side of Third
Avenue from Franklin street TO Sxths trsst in said
city, the sidewalks thereon TO be brought to
the proper grade, and that they cause a ids-walk
OF Glass No. 2 to be laid down thereon viii
thirty days from the publication of this ordor.


p BURKE. Clerk.
Year: 1862

The recent cannonade at Fort Pickens de-
monstrated once more the immense superiority
OF rilied cannon over even the heaviest smooth
bores. The steamer Richmond remained at
anchor and took part in the attack, almost un-
harmed, until the rebels brought two iifled
guns to bear on heri when they got her range
with these guns the put one ten-inch shell fair
ly in her hull, and it was found necessary to
haul the vessel off, her own smooth bore gums
being unable to do the enemy enough injury to
counterbaance the risk.


So too in the attack on our fleet in the Mis-
sissippi by Commodore Hollins it was not his
celebrated steam-ram which proved the most
formidable, but small steamer with riAed can
non. Our ships were not then supplied with
these weapons, and Colonel Brown, of Fort
Pickens, mentions in his official report. printed
IN another page, that he had to let Commodore
Mex have his OILY rihed 3O-pounder and a
riiled l2-pounder to put on one of the vessels
of the Mississippi squadron to prevent from be-
ing driven out of the river by one little steam
er.


The report of Colonel Brown demands the
immediate and earnest attention of our Ordn-
ance bureau and of the navy authorities. He
tells no new story, for the English and French
have already proved theoretically and practically
that the speed of the vessel and the range of
the guns must be the test of success in modern
Year: 1862

An 1912 WAR SToRY.-The following we
believe has never seen print. Ogden Hoffman
used to tell the story. He was in the great
fight between the Constitution and the Guer-
rierc, and said that as the British ship came
sailing down on them, as they heard the sharp
orders, when the guns were run out, and the
men could be seen ready with their matchlocks
an officer came in haste to Capt. Isaac Hull and
asked for orders to fire. Not yet," was the
quiet response. AS they came still nearer, and
the British vessel poured in her fire, the first
Lieutenant Of the Constitution came on the
poop and begged permission to retuyn the
broadside, saying that the men could not be re-
strained much longer. Not yet" was the in
different reply. Still nearer the British ship
came, and the American prisoners, who were in
the cockpit Of the Guerriere, afterwards said
that they began to believe that their own coun-
tymen were afraid to measure their strength
with the enemy, and this thought gave them
more pain than the wounds which some of them
were still suffering from. In a moment after
the Guerriere rode gallantly forward, showing
her FURNISHED sides and as the swell carried
her close TO the very muzzles of "Old Iron
Sides" Capt. Hull, who then was quite fat and
dressed in full tights, bent himself twice to the
deck, and with every muscle and vein throbbng
with excitement, shouted, "Now, boys, pour it
into them" That broadsde settled their OPP
ponent, and when the smoke cleared away the
Commodore's tights were seen to be split from
waiStband to heel.
Year: 1862

ARGUMENT AGAINST CAvALRY.-With the
improvements in firearms, writer on War
seems to think horses are losing value in battle.
lie says Let the horse be ever so swift. the
sabre ever 50 sharp, or the rider ever so bold,
the conical ball is too much for him A charge
OF cavalry upon body of properly armed in
fantry bids fair to be henceforward impossible.
Two hundred yards has been fixed by the best
authority as the proper charging distance, and
in by-gone days it was only at two hundred
yards that the fire of square began to tell,
and saddles to be empted. But nowadays
the iron rain patters on the horsemen before
they get within half-a-mile Of the foe If they
quicken their pace to close, the maddest charge
will not bring dragoon h jrse on the bayonet
in less than three minutes, and when he arrives,
he is blown and disabled. when he arrives
if he arrives, we should say for even in tra-
versing eight hundred Yards at the top of his
speed, he receives half dozen voll9ys from
practiced sharp shooters. To send cavalry on
such service will. we may safely predict, hence
forward be considered madness. The foot
soldier has swiller messenger in his cartouch-
box than the heetest hussar"
Year: 1862

Charleston is now pretty efectually block
AIDED, and probably for all time. The stons
fleet has done te work. Sixteen old hulks,
laden with stone, have been sunk in the main
channel leading to the harbor. They were not
placed straight across, as in other cases where
the experiment has failed but in three rows,
with special reference to the fact that the inland
waters must flow to the sea. An intricate maze
OF shoals and eddies will thus be formed, which
1t will be impossible to navigate but which
will still allow of the flow of water without the
creation OF new channels. The Charestonians,
on the approach of the fleet, destroyed the
lighthouse on Morris island by blowing it up.
They evidently thought it a fleet war vessels
about to enter the harbor. Their destruction
of the lighthouse is matter of no consequence
to anybody, as il will not be needed again. The
sinking of the fleet was inru ted to Capt


Charles II. Davis, formerly chief of hydro
Year: 1862

meeting OF the committee OF the Chamber Of Com
merce who have hand the subject Of harbor de-
fences was held yesterday at which present quite


largo number Of the representatives Of the capital and
commerce Of our city. The meeting was strictly pri.
vae one no reporters being admitted, boing the dc.
sire Of the Chamber that proceedings OF the commit
tee should be published until more definite action is
taken In the matter.
Year: 1862

1nefe Is demand for men 70 fill up the
armies Of the Union. It is not simnly y
eau lor new regiments, but for many thou
sand men to be assigned to the dccimated
anu skeleton regiments now in the field
Many Of these have less than half their
original effective force. Disease and bat
Ties have reduced many Of them to less
than one-third Of the minimum number,
and we are aware Of splendid regiments to
whom belong the glorious prestige Of hard
fought fields, that cannot today bring into
battle line two hundred men. And these
arc, it will be agreed on all hands, the regi
ments whose effectiveness it will best serve
the country to maintain. The officers are
tried and experienced, their surviving men
are already the veterans Of the war. II
filed up the new recruits will be surround
led by practical soldiers, and their advance
in all that is soldierly will be rapid. All
the mechanism Of these regiments is COM
plete and in working order. Everything
IS in its place, and each fresh addition falls
readily into the routine. These regiments
must be filed up. ltis an imperative duty
and obligation We owe to the brave men
whose comrades have fallen around them
on the field Of battle, and in the camp hos.
pitals, that their thinned ranks be replen.
;shed.


And yet We need not here repent wha1
every recruiting officer will bear witness
to, that it is precisely in this direction thar
the eagerness for enlistment is least anpa
rent. Men prefer new regiments, and te
associate themselves with new military or
gaaizations They prefer to select thei
regiments and to choose for themselves q
to the officers who are to command them
This was abundantly shown early in tn
war when The enthusiasm of enlistmen
was at its height It will be rememberet
that the recruiting Offices IF the regula
army we're deserted. or but thin1y sought
Volunteer regiments were made up to th,
maximum in the time that army 1ieuten
ants On recruiting service enrolled cor
poraFs guard. These are facts and ",
urge them as important to be fully under
STOOD At this time. There Is no lack Of en-