smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1861

Il thC ANC" pIk w Oflu


Port Royal is fifteen miles northeast from the
mouth OF the Savannah river, and is in all
respects the most eligible point along the south.
ern coast for efeeting a hostile landing. The
entrance to the harbor is one of the best below
Norfolk; and the harbUr itself is large enough
to admit of the anchorage and movements of
the whole feet The city ef Beaufort is stu-
ated on the east side Of the harbor, on Port
Royal Island, with population of about one
Beaufort county, which constitutes the southern
extremity of South Carolina. The population
of the district in 1850 was 38 SO5, Of which only
6, 500 were free.


The chief staples Of the district are cotton,
rice, Indian corn, and sweet potatoes. Beaufort
is one of the most pOpulOus districts in South
Carolina. The surrounding country is a level
plain, but little elevated above the sea and
the soil is alluvial and sandy, we'll ada pied
apparently, for quartering troops, and for the
movements Of an attacking army. Port Royal
communicates almost directly, by railroad
with both Charleston and Savannah. force
moving up the river from Beaufort city would
strike the Charleston and Savannah Railroad
at point about fifty miles from Charleston on
the one hand and fifty miles from Savannah on
the other. The acquisition Of that road will
be one of the first movements of the expedi-
tlonary army, giving, as it would, the command
OF both cities, and easy access to them, besides
cutting off the facilities of transit and transport
from the rebels


The possession of this point will give Gen
Sherman access to the most important part OF
the southern coast, and enable him to attack in
the rear the Notifications of Charleston and
Savannah. The possession of Beaufort, in fact
must result in the speedy possession of the
whole OF South Carolina and Georgia. This
point Of the coast is situated directly opposite
the most southern extremity Of Kentucky. A
military line drawn from Port Royal to the
Cumberland mountains would cut rebellion
completely in tvs and thereby snnihilate the
rebellion. The intention Of the War Depart
ment probably is rather to make this base of
operations for securing the whole Southern
coast.


So long as our troops may find it necessary
to remainIin the district Of Beaufort they arc
sure Of fine quarters. 1t is the most fertile
part Of the State, and abounds in the neces-
saries Of subsistence. The probability is that
they will capture no uncomfortable amount oil
valuable commodities. They will probably
ind few thousand bales of the finest Sea
Island Cotton, which, at the present price OF
that staple, would prove a most valuable prize.


The annual value of the crops raised in this
district is 81, 900 900, q very large proportion
OF which must now be accumulated there Ii
the property owners should prove persistent in
their disloyalty, the gains of the government by
conhscation must be considerable.


The possession of this hsrbOr will enable the
North to open q new Cotton port, where the
experiment may be tried as to how far the
Cotton planters would avail themselves of an
opportunity Of selling their crops.
Year: 1861

MARYLAND AFFAIRS Prom the Sun of this
morning we make up the following summary OF
news In and about that city:


The city was yesterday again quiet, though
there was greater number Of people on the streets
than during Saturday and Sunday. There was
no excitement Of consequence, and the police
records at night showed that the people are dis
posed to assist the police in the preservation of
good order by retaining from anything that may
be calculated to produce excitement.


There was much activity observable all day
Yesterday at both Fort Nc n enry and Fort Carroll
but of what nature could not be ascertained as
there was no admission 10 either place. small
steamer was engaged all day in plying between
these points, and It was said that guns were taken
down to Fort Carroll to finish an armament and
put IT In the best possible condition Of defense.


Yesterday morning Major General Steuart is
sued an order for the First Ligh Division consist
Ing of the first and second brigades, to parade at
i've o'clock In the afternoon.


The parade consisted only Of those companies
connected with the uniformed regiments The
command Of General Trimble was not on parade
That command consists Of a company In nearly
every ward In the city, besides two batteries Of
artillery-au volunteers--raised within the past
ten days


Andrew Robbins, of Stoneham, Mass one Of
the injured In the ARRAY Of Friday week and cared
for at the Lombard-st. Infrmary, was sent to his
home In the North on Saturday, he having re-
covered sufficiently to admit Of removal His
wound was gun or pistol shot I'm the back Of
The nee *, at the base of the skull.
Year: 1861

The UNION SENTIMENT IN WHEELING, Va
The Wheeling lntelligencer OF the 25th saws !:
military movements are going forward so "a pid-
ly and In so many different parts Of the city, that
II Is impossible. almost TO keep the run OF them
There are now three companies organizing and
drilling in Ritchietown, three in the 5th Ward
one In the 4th Ward, and last night a COM
pany was organized In the Sd Ward None of
these companies have less than eig hty men and
some have as high as one hundred. Squads are
seen drilling on commons at nearly all hours of
the DAYS, In Ritchetown, and all the halls I'm the
different parts of the CITY, suitable for the purpose
are occupied at night. The Centre w heeling and
south Wheeling companies have selected their
uniform, which will consist simply of shirt
pents and fatigue cap, varying in color and style
with the varying taste Of a majority Of the mem
brrs OF the respective companies. The Germans
are going into the movement with all their char
acteristic patriotism. II Is a notable fact, too,
that nearly all Of this population familiar with
military tactics, having served in the Fatherland,
and are therefore progressing more rapidly than
those who know comparatively nothing How
ever, knowledge of the drill Is being RAPIDLY
picked up, for where there Is a will there Is
always way


A large Union Guard has been formed at Ben
wood, to which nearly all the young men of the
place have attached themselves
Year: 1861

HI The Pensacola correspondent of the Sayan-
nah Republican makes the following reference IN
the feeling with which the intelligence of Viz
ginia's secession was received at the former point


Tbis news created very little excitement here
ana still less enthusiasm. The Old Dominion had
no choice In the matter. She was simply forced
ont still we had better have her with us than
agains. us.N
Year: 1861

DANGEROUS PRocEEDINss ~ esterday evening,


hear, two small vessels, destined for this city,


were fred at from Alexandris; one turning back !,


end the other being brought to. The latter


proved to be loaded with oats, purchased In and


being brought around from Baltimore for the use
Of the purchaser here. This vessel and cargo had
not been returned TO the owner, this morning, we
are informed. We should deplore nothing more
than a repetition of such things on the part Of
Alexandria In whose welfare no one takes greater
interest than the Star We hear that the Govern
ment will take prompt measures to secure ample
indemnity for the owners of the vessel and her
cargo.
Year: 1861

BssT The Republican and Independent press
is continually talking about the preposterous-
ness of scheming for Pacific Republic at this
time They find scarcely man to dispute with
them. Then they declare the project is too
absurd to discuss" Why then discuss it con-
tinually 1t is amusing to observe an editor set
up +" straw man" and then knock it down with
an air that says palmer than words, Behold
how valantly slay this monster!"
Year: 1861

County BuILDINGs.-A very large number OF
the taxpayers of every section of the county
have petitioned the Board of Supervisors to
purchase suitable buildings for county official
purposes. We have long deemed such action
the part of wisdom. There are two or three
large brick buildings in this town, which, with
slight alteration, twould answer the purposes OF
the county admirably, and which the county
can purchase on terms most advantageous to
her interests
Year: 1861

The rebels sometimes tell US there are no I'm
ion men at the S0uth-that all have now uni
ted to resist the " aggressions' of the Genera
Government. Yet Memphis, which aspires to
become great commercial metropolis, fitted
herself for place in secessiondom by driving
out more than three thousand of her citizens who
were loyal to the stars and stripes, How many
thousands and tens of thousands of loyal men
are kept down at the South by the overbearlng
despotsm of the mob, VIC shall only learn whom
Government affords efficient protection to free
speech. Boston Journal
Year: 1861

AS the Eighth Ohio regiment was going from,
Cleveland to Camp Dennison, Capt. Bucking-
ham supposed the train would stop at Crestline,
and notified his wife. Unfortunately the Or
dere were to pass through Crestline without
stopping:' The train however checked up lit
tie, but the rate of speed was still high. The
gallant Captain saw his wife on the platform,
made desperate spi ing, clasped her in his arms,
kissed her quickly, and, under tremendous az
plauso from on board sprang back on the fly
ing train-having hardly time to catch the rear
car.
Year: 1861

They have organized "Home Guard" at
Yonkers, N Y Perhaps it will hardly do to
Judge of its character from a remark of the
witty Mr., Sparrowgrass, who, joining the corps,
said, at is understood that the Home Guard is
not to go to the wars, and not to leave Yonkers
except in case of INVASION"
Year: 1861

TERRIBLE SHoT.-The Boston Courier
publishes letter of a correspondent. on
board the o. s. steamer Massachusetts,, off
Ship Island, October 26tb, giving an account
of the affair between that vessel and rebel
steamer, in which the following sxtraordi-
nary exploit of rife cannon ball is chron-
icIed:


During the action think we hit her four
times, aud | know she bit as once with a
65-pound rifle shell, (that is the way We got
the exact size of her riffed guuj. The shell
entered on our starboard quarter, Just above
the iron part of the hull it came through
the side angling aft, (as we were a little
abaft bis beam when It struck rs and took
the deck in the passage way, between two
state rooms, and completely cut of eighteen
OF the deck planks, and then struck a
beam, which canted it up little, so that ID
took the steam heating pipes under our
dining table, cutting of Eve of them, and
tearing our dining table all 10 pieces-then
went through the stateroom bulkhead and
ceiling of the ship on the opposite side, and
struck one of the outside timbers and broke
every outside p ank abreast of it short OF,
from the spar TO The gun deck; it then fell
down on TO tbs cabin deck and exploded.
knocking four staterooms into one, break
ing all the glass and crockery ware. shat
tering the cabin very badly, breaking up
the furniture, and setting FIRE to the ship;
but We had three streams of water upon the
hre at very short notice, aud put it out be-
fore il did any damage keeping up our
chase as though nothing had happened.
Year: 1861

The Agerine Newsboy says that on last Sunday
night some villain letoff the water in the boilers Of
the Canal street ferry boat Relief IN The morning
of Monday the second engineer had his ire built up
usual but fortunately did not after doing so aet
the pumps agoing, which would have blown up the
boat and himself. He found soon that he had
neither water nor steam and put out the FIRES.
How heartless wretch that must have been, to
attempt to destroy mans boat, and possibly many
lives out of mere wantonness! We hope he will be
discovered. -
Year: 1861

At about O'Clock yesterday morning fire
broke out in the house of Mrs. FaaHy Pee, at he
corner of Basin and Customhouse streets. II WaE
put out after a floor had been burnt through.
Year: 1861

CoLoRED SpEcTACLEs.-Manv PERSONS
who have week eyes were colored spec
tacles when they are positively injurious.
On no account should colored glasses be
worn on a dul, day IN the dusk of the
evening, or, as general rule, in mild arti
fetal light. Tie reason for such caution
in the use of glasses are, tLst the power
Of the eve becomes impaired to endure
strong light BY sccustoming them to the
impression Of feeble illuminations.


Some persons who Lave delicate organs
may occasionally employ spec,acles OF
lightly tinted glass for reading and writing
but they should be avoided ifpossibe.-
CoIored glasses are useful to protect the
eye from the brilliant reflection of snow
and the bright rays Of the oxyhydrogen
and electric light, and for this purpose
they should be deep green. Person.
recovering from inflammation of the eye:
should also use such glasses, but they
ought 10 be laid aside as soon as possible
The eve should be accustomed to endure
strong sunlight when not reflected from
dazzling surfaces, such as bodies OF water
white sand and snow.
Year: 1861

Tue Color OF BIRDs.-Color is intend~
ed not merely for beauty. 1t is, in fact, a
mode of concealment, the most universal
Of all means Of defence, and one that ap-
pears in every race of animals. As the
strength, the weapons and the velocity
are all on the side Of the pur>uer, color
is much mere resorted TO for the defence
of birds than any other creatures. In the
partridge, the quail tie woodcock, and the
snipe, the likeness of the colors to brown
earth on which they move IS such rs often
to conceal them from every eye, not ex-
cepting the piercing eye Of the hawk OF
the kite. The lowering foe may be obser-
we'd above during the chase, though the
victim has not escaped, deceived also BY
smaller birds, even when the accordance
in color is not great. Often do they shift
their position under the eye of the hawl;
eager to 2ounce upon them, and stop, as
if as White says, they knew the color Of
the spot upon which they were covering
and squatting was a sure defence"
Year: 1861




tire lack ofinterest, prevents us from taking
up the whole of our paper with it, to the
exclusion Of more important matter for
our readers In speaking of the Message
the Milwaukee NeVs says its phraseology
is not such as to command general respect
for his literary attainments, nor do the
views expressed by him Indicate on his
part the comprehensive ability which
should characterize the Chief Magistrate of
nation of thirty millions of people,
The message has been anticipated with In
terest, because it was supposed that it
would reveal the definite policy of the Ad
mnistration in the conduct of the war
In this the public will, TO some extent, be
disappointed. Upon the question of slave
confscation, the President processes to be
willing to adhere to the laws upon the
subject already passed by Congress, or to
adopt any other course which may be pre-
scribed by that body. He oddly suggests
that slaves be received from States who
may hereafter confiscate them in liew of
taxes for national purposes; and that
measures be taken by Congress for coloni-
zing all slaves confscated, together with
all free negroes. He recommends the ac-
QUESTION of territory for the purpose of
carrying out this project. His plan for The
disposal of the whole case is very much
like that of Senator Doolittle, who has
been Of late much in the habit of harpiug
upon the propriety of purchasing portion
Of Central America, for the purpose of
making it q paradise tor negroes from the
United States. Mr.. Lincoln also recon-
mends the reconstruction Of the Supreme
Court, and the creation Of additional Cir
cult Courts calls attention to the views of
the Secretary Of War upon the subject Of
an organization of the army upon auniform
basis; asks Congress to provide Chaplains
for Hospitals to provide for revision Of
its statutes; to provide measures for ad-
ministerng justice judicialIy within ia
surgent States; also that greater power be
given to the Court cf Claims, and that the
cd boundaries of tie District of Columbia
may be restored. These ere the only
subjects mentioned, which are likely to
excite any special interest. if we except
questions already in all their aspects fami
liar TO the public mind.


Is a whole, the message is not of a
character calculated to add much to
our national reputation abroad, or to in
crease confidence at home in the ability,
unity and decision of those at the head of
the government. The people in their pat
r;otism, however, in the present aspect of
affairs, will only judge men by their acts
and their intentions, and will not fail to
lend the representatives ofthe government
all the aid in their power, in carrying the
national. struggle in which we are enga-
ged, to a successful issue.
Year: 1861

We know ii at t le patriotic lcitizens OF TINS
good old county who have already done SO lhuo''
for the defence of the honor and rights olf 'he
Soutb win not utter q mur1ner OF complaint
when the tax gatberer calls for their proportloh
Of contributions TO the defer ce OF the south
They teel., as is W, IL expressed by the Richmond
E,nonirer that .sall we have. and all that we val
ne and all that is dear to US, re at stake.


A people who number twenty millions have
blown the war bugle, and have already resolved
70 devote an army of half million of men, and
q trea ure olive hundred millions of dollars, to
our destruction We have called upon Heaven
and drawn the sw ord, and vowed to defeautheln
or die. II is vow and a resolution that emo
ble our Confederacy, and will be recorded on
one of the most glowing of historic pages. 1t is
an ennobling vow. only because it is not an idle
one. We have resolved to do and suffer what
ever may be necessary to win our success v Let
this spirit, then. animate our people everywhere,
and in every duty. Let it not only animate our
heroic soldieIs--as it did on the glorious fields
of Bull Run !; let it not only cause our p anteTs
and property holders, to empty their barns, and
to hold their wagons and their laborers at the
call of our generals-as did the patriotic popula
ton arouna Manassas; let it not only inspire
our ladies to those deeds Of mercy and gentle
ness, which are ma king them the praise OF every
camp and the angels of every hospital but there
are other occasions for its exercise: Let there
be no msurm,trang sOhen the gouernnaent asks Jo'
monev! Let there be no repining when the tax
gatherer comes. In whatever form he may ap
pear. welcome him as one sent to receive. the
contributions of patriotic people, to the cause
of liberty and ind pendence Contributions
necessary to purchase food for the brave soldiers
who are fighting for us; clothing to protect then
from the weather guns and weapons and mu
Aions of war, to enable them to fight and to meet
our foes on equal terms. If there be "a q who
wants these oar noble brethren and the heroes
of whom we are SO proud, half-staryed or i'll
clad: or wishes to press them haif-arined agains
the foe--lst such e man con fess himself destitute
of all patriotism. and possessed of soul as meal
as miser's and as black as fratricide's ant
then let hiin, as would beft such character
raurnar against has soar taxes. But let all 9th
ers prepare to bear with cheerfulness the pecuni
ary burdens which war must inevitably impose
and to bear them in Whatever form the wisdom
of Congress may decide that it is best to tax
them"
Year: 1861

The bribe which the Lincoln government has
offered to the necessities of the poor at the
North, in the form of increased pay to the sold
iers, has mad some little effect in reviving the
work OF recruiting; but still it is very slow,
dragging business. The Northern people are To-
sing ''their stomach for this fight.n
Year: 1861

The urgency Of the cali from Washington
Tor more troops, is indicative Of the immi-
nence Of the danger BY which that city is
threatened Let the States called upon
respond If all New England, the great
States of New York and Pennsylvania, the
smaller State New Jersey, little Delaware,
and Michigan which ought never to have
been called upon at all for that purpose,
cannot defend tie National Capital, the
sooner we Of the West know the fact aud
set up for ourselves, the better for ali coz
cernedi
Year: 1861

ABOUT CoRNED BEEF.-Corned beef, proper

 y salted, and cooked as it should be, is a dish it for the sovereign people but to eat salt junk, as 1t too often exercises the muscle of the jaws, is penance even for malefactor Most of the beef put up for winter is spoiled by the use of too much salt, which destroys the flavor and makes the meat stringy and tough When beef is fresh, it contains considerable blood, which is draw out by the brine. If meat2 2s left in this mixture, it will require much larger quantity of salt to preserve it, particularly through warm weather My plan is to make brine by using for one hundred pounds of beef hve pounds of salt, one quarter ounce of salt petre, and pound of brown sugar. This dis solved in just enough water to cover the meat, and poured upon it. When it has been in this brine two weeks, take out the meat, let it drain, pour fresh brine over it, and then it will be good the season through. The cook who uses corned beef should not be so ignorant or so indolent as to delay putting it over the fire until an hour before dinner. A good sized piece re- qures three or four hours steady boiling to do it justice. Insufficient boiling must be made up for by extra chewing. Always have the water boiling when the meat is dropped in; otherwise the sweetness will be drawn out into the water A boiling heat hardens the outer surface at once, and thus keeps in the juice which gives richness, and which contains most of the nour- ishment. An excellent way of cooking corned beef is to have 8 large boiler with wire or wooden rack on the bottom for the meet to rest on over the water. When the water boils, place the meat upon the rack and put on the cover of the boiler with a cloth over it, to keen in the steam. The heat of the steam will rise above the boiling point and psnetrate the meat and cook it more quickly and better than it could be done by boiling in the water.
Year: 1861

THE WAY GOVERNMENT WORK IS DoNE.-The Washington correspondent of the Nashville Pa t,iot has been investigating the mysteries of gov ernment contracts, and gives the following illus tration of the subject:

 "The way the government gets it's work done is curious. As an illustration, you and your family meet in convention of the whole, and adopt resolution authorizing the construction l of hen coop in the backyard. You at once appoint me superintendent of the work, putting a thousand or two of dollars in the bank for me l to check on. l get you to appoint my brother in-law chief engineer. I appoint two of my brothers assistant superintendents, and my broth

 er-inlaw appoints two of his brothers assistant engineers-all at your expense. We buy us each fast horse and buggy, and ride around town, drink hot cocktails, and play billiards un l til the bank deposit gives out, when we make out printed report of seventy three pages, fur

 nishing you a complete typographical survey of your back yard, and a vast amount of statistical information with regard to the number of hens you are likely to have for the next forty years. l We wind up the report with the announcement | that the site of the hen coop has been selected, and call for another appropriation to prosecute the work, which we assure you will be done with | vigor.' You place another thosand or two in the bank, and we employ two hundred men at three dollars day to transport seventy live cents worth of lumber (which costs you ul,ier our management about ten times that many dol lars) to the place of operations, which requires about three months. In the meantime we drive around, and go on vigorously with the liquor and the billiards. We then come up with an other report and demand for another appro- priation. With this we get the walls of the structure up, and with one or two more appro priations, and great many more cocktails and Al n,,I 2& Tho off wsye sS monh 's n WIeh p apo

 ately stiIe our fiscal year., we put you in formal possession of ten thousand dollar hen coop that negro carpenter would have been glad to knock up some Saturday afternoon for suit of your old clothes"