smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1862

Insignificant dMonnf-1he law provides that n,
certain stated periods. all the fnea imposed by the
Mayor which may accrue to the Commonw n caIth
shall be paid by that officer into the hands of the
Clerk OF the Hastings Court to be paid over by him
70 the Auditor of Public Accounts. Yesterday the
Mayor rendered In court an account under oath, of
the number and amount of the fines sccruinR TO the
State. imposed from the 18th of February to the
I4th OF July The number was four, and the amount
of tine one dollar in each case
Year: 1862

Some twenty ladies Of this Town, prompted By
the noble impulses that usually abound in the
female heart. proceeded in . body to the depot,
last Thursday afternoon, and with hatchets and
hammers destroyed Eve or six barrels Of whiskey
aud poured the liquid poison upon the ground o
fitting lihation to the devil and his inps from the
hands of patriotic women, whose mission, pending
the war is, to /" go about doing good" The ladies'
in performing this act of mercy, but manifested o
desire to cooperate, at home, with brave army
in the field to save the country from both external
and internal foes-the lattes being the mora
dangerous of the two. OF eouDe they would nok
be able, if they have the DESIRE to destroy ell the
poison that thousand filthy q" worms" ere pour
ing forth night aud day for the destruction Of
Southern men


Since the breaking out of the war the ladies Of
this town. and in other portions of the Confederacy,
have toied day and night to prepare comfortable
clothing for our soldiers in the field, who, otker-
wise, would have suffered excruciating hardships
and rendered wholly unfit to encounter the foe,
except to submit to certain defeat-and the ladies
cannot in this critical moment of the contest suffer
an injury to be done their brave defenders Ia the
feld 6y patriots who remain at home to speculate,
if they can prevent it. If the method resorted
to in the present instance was not atogether
legal, necessity, in their estimation, demanded IL
and in time of war tho civil laws, in many
instances, have to yield especially to the supreme
authority of woman IStdtesUiite Erpress
Year: 1862

DOUBLE BARREL SHor GUNs.--Ws have al-
ways expressed the opinion that there was no wea-
pom as valuable foT close fighting as the double.
barrel shot gun. The truth of this convictions
was fully established by rhe battle at Fort Donel
son, where the greatest havoc of the field il said
to have been effected by this kind Of weapon. We
believe there is no lack of doublebarrel shot guns
in the Southern States. fit be objected 70 them
that they not SO effective as other weapons st
long distances we reply that the soldiers of the
South are not going to fight at long distances
hereafter. However much we may desire TO keep
the Yankees at distance in time of peace We
must bring them to close quarters in time Of war,
If we ever expect to equass their advantage Of
numbers.
Year: 1862

The following IS the bill passed by the Confed-
crate Congress providing for the destruction of
cotton, tobacco military and naval stores, to pre-
vent the enemy from getting possession of them:
A bill to regulate the destruction of property un-


der military necessity, snd to proUtde for the


indemnity hereof


Sec. l. The Congress of the Confederate States
of America do enact that the military authorities
of the Confederate Army hereby authorized
and directed to destroy Cotton, Tobacco, military
and naval stores, or other property Of any kind
whatever, which may aid the enemy in the prose-
cution of the war, when necessary to prevent the
or any part thereof from falling into the
hands of the enemy


Sec 2. Be it further enacted, That the owners
of property destroyed under the operation of this
Act, we'll those persons who shall voluntarily
destroy their property to prevent the same from
falling into the hands of the enemy, are hereby
authorized to perpetuate the testimony of such
destruction in the manner prescribed by an Act
of the Provisional Congress, entitled San act to
perpetuate testimony in of slaves abducted or
harbored by the enemy, and of other property
seized, wasted or destroyed by then," approved
3Oth of August, 1861, and such owners and per-
sons shall be entitled to indemnity out of proceeds
of property sequestrated and confscable under the
laws Of the Confederate States, in such manner as
Congress may hereafter provide.
Year: 1862

SHARp-SHooTIxG ON THE TENNESSEE RIVER.
We learn that some of our citizens are prepar-
ing for effective service on the Tennessee river.
They will not go in squads of more than fve or
six. Each man is practiced shot, with rifle
at long range, and each will go prepared with not
less than one hundred rounds. They will take
with them nothing but ground coffee, relying upon
the citizens and their guns for food. They pro-
pose, in these small squads to guard the Tennessee
river. They will take their opportunities from
behind trees, logs, and in the bends of the
river, to pick off the Lincoln pilots TEey can
plant MIME ball in sheet OF foolscap paper, at
distance of six hundred yards; and we venture
the assertion that such corps of sharp shooters
will be great terror to the enemy's boats as
our gunboats were at Fort Donelson- Let each
county bordering on the Tennessee river, in West
Tennessee, send squad of such men on this
duty, aud the pilots will soon refuse to ascend a
stream where death awaits them behind any big
tree. A man may face known or seen danger,
but when he cannot divine how, from what quar-
ter, at what moment the arrow may be sped, be
will shrink from it with an unaccountable
dread Let our people feel, in this war, that any
defence is lawful, and our csuse must be success
ful-1ncmphts Arotarrh>.
Year: 1862

The great grain producing portion of the South
ern CoDfederaey (says the Richmond Dispatch)
has hitherto been Kentucky and Tennessees The
army supplies of the last year were principally
drawn from those sources The enemy have now
overrun most of Kentucky and have control of a
large portion of Tennessee. They are making great
efforts to compel us to withdraw our forces from
the productive valley of Duck River If success
full in this, it is difficult to show how our army is
to be subsisted another year, unless the southern
planters abannon for this year the cultivation of
cotton and devote their fruitful soil to the produc
ton of provisions for the people and army.


Gov. Brown, of Georgia, in long and able let
ter lately published, has called attention to these
facts, and earnestly endeavors to dssuade the
planters of the South from seeding cotton during
this year. lie shows that if the cotton and tobacco
States only grain, We shall be able to furnish
the Confederate army with the necessary supply of
provisions and defy the combined Federal forces
for years TO come. But if the lands and labor of
the South are to be taxed with the production of
four millions of cotton bags, which we neither
eat nor exchange during the blockade for provis-
ions to sustain fe it is the honest conviction of
Gov. Brown that ge are in great danger of being
conquered, not for want Of arms or Of men to use
them, but for want of provisions. Even if the
grain crop were of little Importance instead of be-
ing, as it is matter of vital necessity two cotton
crops on hand, when the blockade is removed, will
bring down prices to figure that would render
the profits of both little, if any, more than the
single crop Of 1861, which, from the scarcity of
the supply, would bring all the manufacturers of
the world into competition as bidders for it. Be-
sides, if the war continues, provisions of AL kinds
will be SO high that the grain crop WILL in a pro-
bability, command more clear money to the plan
ter than the usual cotton crop.


Plant corn, plant corn, plant corn, and save Us.
Year: 1862

WAR OF TIT RIGHT SORT We must change
the whole character of this war AS carried on
now, it is pleasant pastime for the Yankees
Secure at home from the apprehension of danger,
they can come down upon US, stealing, robbiug,
numbering, burning, and laying waste They will
never tire of such sport. We must change it, or
be ready to submit to the fate that impends We
must carry the horrors Of war to their doors. At
once, and by concentration of all our means, wa
should throw hundred thousand men upon Penn
syvania. Let proclamation be made for that
number to assemble at Winchester, to be led by
Stonewall Jackson or Magruder upon Philadelphia,
and old and young will flock to the standard. and
in thirty days the march to victory and revenge
would begin. Let the enemy in the mean time,
if they choose, pillage our coasts and burn our
towns. Their strength lies in Meir cities. Phila-
delphia subdued and levelIed with the ground,
Maryland throws off her chains, Washington is
emptieG or captured, and New York and even
Boston are not beyond the reach Of an enterpris-
ing General


If such crusade were preached, there is no
telling the number of volunteers who would rush
to the field to share in the glory and the spoil.
Richmond Who
Year: 1862

PLANT CoRN!-Every farmer owes it to his
neghbors and to his country to plant all the corn
he can, and to make as little cotton and tobacco
as possible. The soldiers must have meat and
bread and their families at home must be provided
for. Plant corn it is the staff of life. A good
corn crop this year will do more for the South
than any thing else. The time for cotton aud
tobacco will come after while; but this is the
year for planting corn.
Year: 1862

BaF Now is the time for action for all who are
in earnest. Rich and poor old and young, all of
all classes who intend to defend their homes and
families and country against a brutal and insolent
foe, should now bestir themselves. We speak to
the men, for it is with pleasure and pride state
the women have been and generally and
actively awake to the calls Of the crisis, than the
men. Those who have much involved in property
may lose all by economy in contributions to the
public defence. One-fourth Of the properly that
has been stolen from some places that have been
occupied by the enemy, would have provided a
perfect defence, if applied in time 1t is very
we'll at the proper time to call Presidents, or
Secretaries, or Generals, to censure their
duct but defence now rests with ourselves.
Let US put all who for US to work in proper
places, and let US put out of The way of doing US
harm all who are among US and not for US
Charleston Courier
Year: 1862

The DRAFT.-In reply to the letter or inquiry
of an esteemed friend at Prospect Hill, Caswell,
state that the present draft for third of the
militia is not for two years for the war, but
ly to repel invasion. The Convention expressly
refused to authorize draft for the war. 1t is be-
lieved that the bounty offered by the two govern
mens will be the means, in addition to the patrio-
tic feelings of our people, of raising sufficient
number of men from this State for the war. 1t is
also believed that the militia who are now being
called out will not remain long in serviee.-Rat-
einh Standard
Year: 1862

This regiment to the number OF about eight hundred,
took their departure last evening" being followed In their
march down Broadway by thousands Of people, who
cheered Justify This regiment Is composed Of splendid
h.hiing material, and the men remarkably well
drilled. Colonel Roome is acknowledged TO be q good
officer and fully competent 10 lead such body Of
Year: 1862

IRISH CUrENEss.-One of the sharpest tricks
we have heard of being played in these
parts was that of an Irishman of our ac-
quaintance. 1t certainly relieves the Yank-
ees from the odium of driving all the hard
bargains.


Pat took the job from prominent parscn
of filling up portion of his grounds with
earth. Pat was to receive six dollars day.
for the services ofhimself, ,lhorse and cart, till
the job was completed, and the parson agreed
to furnish his son to hep. Well Pat tried
the experiment of killing two birds or more
with one stone. He took a cellar to dig in
another part of the town, and was to receive
six dollars day for himself, horse and cart
in doing the job. But the cream of the joke
is Pat hired the parsons son out to the eel
lar owner at two dollars and half day
and pocketed the money himself. Pat thus
had mighty . fat take )" he dug the eel
lar and filled the parsons lot at the same
time, making twelve dollars day, and then
added two fifty for the labor of the son. II
the people don't :. let up'' on the Yankees
now there's no justice in the world.
Year: 1862

The BANKRUPTCY AssURANcE.-The news
papers catch the expressed views of promi-
nent individuals on the duration of the war !;
but these opinions are not worth as much as
they are taken for. If we were to esteem
any one of them valuable it would be that OF
Robert j. Walker. He was Secretary of the
National Treasury during our war with Mex
leo, and no man in the nation knows more
than he does concerning public finances and
the money resources of all parts of the coun-
try. He says that the war will substantially
end with the present campaign /; that the
money power of the Confederate States Will
be entirely broken before the end of another
year, though large loans may now be obtain
ed.-7elegrapt.
Year: 1862




The Baltimore Patriot has the following
interesting announcement:


The Richmond Enquirer publishes. for the
5rst time; an official report of the Virginia
Spase Convention fast Spring. 1t is full OF
interesting developments, we are told, and
we wait with some impatience to read the
history and hope they may not be garbled
by the authorities there. The chief instru-
ments in the villainy, to force the convention
to measures, are well known to have been
slare dealers-men who WELD large amount
Of money, and are very numerous in Rich
mond, and whose regular business is to buy
up surplus slaves for the supply of the Cot
ton States. When the latter seeded, there
was law passed putting tax of 500 upon
every slave brought in for sale from a State
outside of the then Confederacy this was
done to operate upon the Border Slave States,
from whence all such supplies were derived,
and hence the Importance to the class alluded
to of taking Virginia out by any means,
some of which may be gathered from the
following statement made by member of
the Convention which passed an ordinance
for the secession of Virginia, himself I'm
ion man:


When the Convention assembled, the
Richmond Secession mob were enraged to
find that clear majority was for the Union.
They counted the members and calculated
that if the Union men could be kept away,
they (the Secessionists) would be in ma
jority Accordingly ten members lone of
whom makes this statement) were waited uI


on and were informed that they were given
the choice doing one of three things-either
to vote for the Sc. ession ordinance, to absent
themselves or be hanged. Resistance was
found to be useless the mob was prepared to
go to any extremity, and the ten yielded and
absented themselves. But even with this de-
duction, when the remaining members met
the majority was found to be opposed to Sc
cession Intimidation and violence were then
again applied the mob was ready to put
every man to death who opposed its Will,
and thus the farce of passing an ordinance
was gone through with, though it was never
bassed by majority, but by mere plurali-
ty, obtained by forcibly keeping away Union
men enough to have turned the scale.


4.Thus by fraud and violence, was carried


that measure which is converting part Of the
State into waste; it was passed in fact, not
/ by delegates of the State, but by the stipen.
diaries and assassins in the employ of the
chief conspirators. For obvious reasons, no
names are here given, but the statement is
perfecly reliable. Some such course was at
tempted also in Maryland, the particulars.:o of
which we have from good authority, and of
which we may hereafter speak more fully"
Year: 1862

A correspondent of Western agricultu-
raj journal recommends feeding cows three
pints each day of Indian corn and beans,
ground together in equalparts. He says his
cows never did so well on any other food,
giving large quantity of milk, and the
calves were the finest he ever raised: and
avows his intention of disposing of his bean
crop in the same way in future. As it must
now be apparent to California farmers that
they will have to provide feed for their cat
tie for portion of the winter season, espe-
cially for milch cows-and as beans is here a
sure and abundant crop, and very nutritive,
1t wonld not be amiss for them to try the ex-
periment.-Bee,
Year: 1862

THE GROWING WHEAT CROP IN OHIo.-
From all parts of Ohio we learn that the
growing wheat crop never looked better at
this season of the year than now. Should
the Winter prove favorable, this prospect for
an abundant harvest is undoubtedly fatter-
ing. The Fall was remarkably favorable for
its growth, and all that was sown in proper
season is now SO firmly rooted, and the
ground so completely covered with the plant,
as to enable it to resist the Winter frosts
without much damage Wheeling Press.
Year: 1862

The Richmond Enquirer, speaking OF
the common notion that everybody has a
right to publish what he please, at the
publishers expense and not his own, says,
very forcibly:


The press is only free to its editors and
to those whom its editors believe to have
good ground foraddressing the public and
something to say which the public has an
interests in hearing. We recommend
those who labor under this mistake to
consider the following fact; that news
papers are made for the large class who
read. and not the small class who want to
write. The idea that when a man sub
scribes for newspaper, he lays its pro-
prietor under some definable obligation,
or that he has right to publish his com
munications therein with single proviso
that they shall be inoftensive, is popu-
lar fancy and most ridiculous mistake,
which ought to be corrected. Not only
has he no such right; but the editor who
! permits him 10 pot uninterestine matteE
/ in his columns in tringes upon the rights
of four or five thousand other people to
crafty ore individual. Very few editors
act so absurdly.
Year: 1862

Many Of our Southern exchanges are
filled with the mendacious accounts Of
the Northern press on the late battles in
Maryland. They are generally well writ
ten, but, as they are made up mostly Of
lies and Misrepresentation, we can't ex-
actly see the object of their reproduction.
They are calculated to create doubts in
the mind of the indiscriminate reader,
and furnish foundation Tor the disat-
fected to build reports upon prejudical
TO the Southern cause. OF course, their
appearance in Southern papers, is intend
ed for no such purpose.
Year: 1862

fFrom Associated Press Army Correspondent


HEApoUARrERs ARMY OF THE PoToMAc, April
20-The rebels are apparently just realizing the
fact that Gen. Mcclellan is making extensive
preparations to open the second siege OF ork-
town. Up 10 yesterday the works of our troops
have steadily prog ressed directly under the eyes
OF the enemy, without any response from their
guns, except an occasional shot sent to inform US
that they were still there.


Our earthworkS are now beginning to present
very Formidable appearance to the enemy, and
all day yesterday and last night they kept up
brisk fire on them with the view OF diving the
men out. Occasionally she'll would come so
close as to make il unpleasant, when they would
lay close to the ground until II had passed over
NO one was injured, however, and the work pro.
gresses as though no enemy were within range
This morning the rebels opened with increased
vigor for about three hours from their batteries
near the river, but received no response and
ceased.


Yesterday Gen. Hancock went out with per-
tion Of his brigsds, for the purpose Of driYing
the e0emy from piece Of timber which they oc-
cupied In too close proximity to our works Our
troops advanced through an open field on their
hands and knees until they came within close
musket range. The rebels, who were sPcreted
behind stumps and trees, were anxious to get our
men on their feet, and to endeavor to accomplish h
this the officer In command Of the enemy shouted
at the height Of his voice to charge bayonets
supposing that our frightened troops would In
stantly jump to their feet and run, but they were
mistaken In the men.


The command being given the second time the
rebels arose, when our troops poured into them a
we'll directed fire, causing them to reir. at, leav-
ing their dead and wounded to be cared for after
wards. During the skiTmish new battery which
the rebels had erected during Sunday night, and
which interfered with working party Of our
men, was most tffectually Eilenced and the guns
dismounted.


The weather Is now warm aid favorable for
military operations, and the time Is drawing
close when the Commanding General will COM
mence the task Of reducing the enemy's works
erected n do he adj ~ tbo Unin
troops. All are sanguine as to the result and the
troops are eager to be let forward
Year: 1862

The WORK OF GArHERING-THE CONTRABANps


The comparatively y moderate amount Of con-
hscated South Carolina cotton arriving at this
port is really no indication of the extent of the
work Of picking or Of the quantity yet to be
gathered. 1t is true that much of the cotton
which was grown very near the large rivers
and water courses in the vicinity of Port Royal
and not burned by the rebels, has been brought
forward; but very small proportion Of the
whole amount on the islands has yet been
brought TO Hilton Head for shipment to this
port.


The work Of gathering goes steadily on;
large quantities have been collected on the in
land plantations, and ginning is carried on to
q considerable extent. The number of contra
bands engaged in the work is increasing, and
the chief difficulty at present is a want of
transportation facilities.


When the federal forces landed at Hilton
Head all the horses, oxen, carts and convex
ances OF all kinds were taken possession of and
applied TO the uses Of the Quartermaster's de-
partment. As our troops penetrated to the
adjacent islands and took possession of the
main land, the same process was continued,
and these means Of transportation have been
retained for the uses Of the army


The cotton now coming from Port Royal is
carried on the shoulders Of the negroes to the
banks Of the streams navigable for steamers of
heavy draught, and it is noteworthy that al.
though the bulk Of the cotton is inland, or on
the banks Of shallow streams, the only vessel
OF any considerable size employed in the trans
pOrtation service Is the Msyfower, an old ferry.
boat drawing nearly ten feet of water


Under these circumstances the business Of
taking the cotton from the plantation is exceed
ingly slow and difficult, il not in many cases
impossible Of accomplishment, except when il
Is carried for miles by the Negroes work for
which the comparatively small force of the
contrabands 10 entirely inadequate. Besides,
the MayAowsr cannot approach very near the
banks Of the rivers, and the cotton in sue b
cases is necessarily got on board by the use Of
small boats, which is q tedious operation


What is required for this work more than
anything else is q number Of fat -bottomed
boats, drawing eighteen inches or two feet Of
water, and to be lOsded from carts or wagons
adapted TO the conveyance OF large loads.
Royal are in need Of medical care, and that
measures to supply this want are now in pro-
gress in this eity.-N. Y. Post
Year: 1862

IN an old Limerick paper, an Irisl,
gentleman, whose lady had absconded from
him, thus cautions the public again st
trusting her. My wife has sloped with
out rhyme or rea ,on. and desire no one
to trust her on my account, for am not
married to her.