Washington telegraph. [volume], March 09, 1864, Image 2

About Washington telegraph. [volume] (Washington, Ark.) 1839-1871

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JOHN R EAKIN, Editor.
WASHJN O n7
WEDffESIKY, MARCH *>, IM»1
TERMS
The Telegraph is published every Wednes
day.
Subscription for six months invariably in
advance, SlO. No subscription taken for a
longer or a shorter period than six months.
No name placed upon our mail book unless
pre-paid, and all names will bo erased as soon
as the time expires.
Owing to the indisposition of the editor,
we are unable, this week, to present our r ad' rs
with the usual amount of editorial matter. We
have endeavored, however, to supply its place
with clippings from other papers, which have
been kindly furnished us, lielieving them to be
more interesting to our readers than anything
we could write. Those efforts to furnish us with
the latest news are fully appreciated, ami we
hope our friends may ever continue to be thus
mindful of an editor’s wants.
Concert.—The card of Prof. Smith is in
to-day’s paper, proposing to give a grand con
cert in town on Tuesday.of next week. His
well known taste and musical proficiency—
the accomplishments of his beautiful assistants,
the “Female Glee Singers’’—the skill of
Gen. Tappan's Band, that has already given
ns a fortaste of the sweetness of their harmo
nies—is a guaranty of something rare in a
musical way.
Let them have a full house.
Shot—A man named Wallace, belonging to
Dismuke’s Battery, stole a horse a few days
ago. from the plantation of J. M. Phillips Esq.
of this county, and was pursued, in comp my
with another gentleman, by Mr. A. B. Curtis,
a well-known and highly esteemed citizen.
They came up with Wallace near Falcon, and
in attempting to arrest him, he shot Curtis,
who died in a few hours. Wallace made his
escape, was followed and captured, and
while bringing him to this place he again at
tempted to escape, when be was shot and im
mediately killed.
Late and Important— if Trvh.—The fol
lowing letter, dated Lamartine, March st!>, to
the editor, coatains important news. We give
it circulation with merely the remark that the
same news has been received here from several
sources:
Cot. Eakin—l am directed by Brig. Gen.
Dockery to inform yon that he has the follow
ing communication from Col. Witt, command
ing his brigade near the Mississippi river, un
der date of the 4th inst,:
Major Smith has just arrived, lie says that
Major Talliday (said Major commands the gun
boat fleet,) told Chidester, that in consequence
of the refusal of the exchange agent of prison
ers to recognize Butler, the Federals placed
him in command of the Army of the Potomac,
and had a battle with Gen. Lee, and that Leo
had whipped him worse than at any time s.nca
the commencement of the war. From the
same source we learn that Gen. Sherman found
Jo. Johnston, and that he a tartar—John
ston completely routing him, au-1 capturing a
g:cat many prisoners The fight commenced
nt Tombigbee, and Sherman is now at Vicks
burg. Johnston followed him in the rear. So
goes the report.”
Lt. West, of Brig. Gen. Dockery's staff of
same date writes:
“Latest intelligence from Shermuu is, that
Gen. Polk was reinforced by two division
from Jonnston’s atmy, and met “the fine oil
Dutch gentleman” between Meridian and Sel
ma, and (took him back into Vicksburg fast
if not a leetle fatter than ho went out —losing
a great many prisoners and artillery. Gen.
Lee has whipped the Yankees in Virginia,
killing and wounding more than in any previ
ous battle of the war. This news comes
straight through the Federals as well as Con
federate soldiers crossing the river,”.
The, following is a postscript in Col. Witt's
letter:
“John Arnold of Grigg's co., Oth Ark., is
just across the river, ami reports that Long
street has possession of Knoxville. Captured
2100 prisoners in full retreat from Cumberland
Gap.
I am, very respectfully, your ob’t servant,
READ FLETCHER,
Capt. & A I. G., Dockery’s Biig
, z Gbn. Stvart s Indian Trophy. —The fol
lowing is the reply of Gen. J. E. B. Stuart to
the Hon. Mr. Boudinot, in acceptance of the
Indian belt presented to him a few days ago:
Hnadqvakters Cavalry Corps, A. N., V*.,
Fredericksburg, Jan. 11, 1864.
Hon. E. C. Boudinot, Delegate of the Cherokee
Nation, Confederate Statee Congrese:
Mr Dear Sir—Your letter of January Bth,
accompanying tho beautifully wrought Indian
belt, presented to me by Lieut. Lucian C.
Bell, of “Stand Watie’s Ist Cherokee regi
ment,” has filled me with the liveliest emotion
of pride and gratitude.
Be [ leased to express to the gallant Lieu
tenant, whoso valor won this trophy from our
common enemy, my gratitude and high appre
ciation.
Notwithstanding my time has been much oc
cupied, 1 have found time te watch with deep
est interest the glorious career of Stand Watie
and his noble band of patriots. His stirring
appeals have been borne across tho Father of
Waters, and echoed through the Valleys of
Virginia, and have found a kindred response
In our hearts.
odlf we are only true to ourselves ami our
country, independence will crown our efforts
and history will point to the gallant Cherokees
as emulators of Spartan heroism, and tho
Stand Watio 08 tll « Washington of his
Accept my heartfelt thanks for the compli
mentary terms in which your letter is couched
(compliments which I wish I deserved) and
believe me ever, sir, 7 ’
Sincerely and respectfully yours
J. E. B. STEWART. Maj.-Gen
The N. Y. Herald's Washington dis
patch says the policy of extending the amnesty
to Colonels is much talked of. Rebel prison
ore and refugees state that this will causo
whole regiments to desert.
From Knoxville and Chattanooga.—
Cincinnati, Feb. 16.—Gen. Foster passed
tin otigh here yesterday.
Gens. Schofield and Stoneman arrived
at Knoxville on the 9th. The situation
at Knoxville is unchanged. Union citi
zens report Longstreet has tho railroad
in running order to Strawberry Plains.
The Gazette’s Chattanooga dispatch
of the 12th says it has rained furiously
for the past 2-1 hours. The situation of
Johnston’s army remains unchanged.
Sherman’s progress excites great con
sternation among the rebels. Eighty
four deserters came in Saturday. Trains
I are running regularly on all the rail-
I reads.
j Cairo, Feb. 16.—A skirmish occurred
yesterday at Charleston, Missouri, be
tween the 25th Missouri State Militia
and guerillas. Two Federals were killed
and six wounded. Loss to guerillas
unknown.
Wa-hington, Feb. 16.— A very inter
esting debate occurred in the House to
day. on the question of reference of the
credentials of ono Johnston, claiming to
be a Congressman from Arkansas, the
j speeches taking a wide range. During
the debate, Henry Winter Davis said, if
the President's amnesty proclamation
was anything more than a mere piece of
' waste paper, it was a very grave inva
sion of the legislative functions of th?
Government, the legality of which he
' was seriously disposed to impeach.
Mr. Boutwell, of Mass., took strong
grounds in favor of the Sla’e suicide
policy, and boldly declared that Arkan
sas had no legal or constii utional exist
ence in the Union ; that, as a State, it
had. in fact, ceased to exist.
The b.ll to guaranty to certain States
whose governments have been over
thrown, republican form of government.,
reported from a select committee on re
bellious States, is a ladical d >cuineut.
' It provides for the appointment of Pro
visional Governors, wh > shall have en
rolled all male white citizens ot said
States, designating those who d >, and
do not, take the oath of allegiance, and
■it those taking the oath shall be one
tenth of those enrolled, <u’ 1 G 'V-jrn •:•
' can call a convention, charged to declare
the will of the people in forming a new
State government, of which convention
; said Governor shall be president
No one shall be eligible t > a seat who
ias ever voluntarily borne arms against
this Government, or held civil or milita
ry office under any usurping power. The
I convention shall adopt in their State
.constitution the following proposition
prescribed by the United St ites in guar
anteeing to said State a republic.m form
of govei nment.
Ist No person who has held <>r exer
cised any office, civil or military. Slate
or Confederate, under usurping p >wer,
•shall vote for or be a m-mb . r of L'-s
laturc or Governor.
2d. Involuntary servitule is f never
prohibited, and ireedom ol all pen sons
is guaranteed in said State.
3d. No <L?l>t, State «»r Confederate,
created by or under sanction of usurp
ing power shall be recognized or paid
by State.
Provision is made for submitting this
new constitution to the people, and, if
j adopted, the President by proclamation,
and Congress by legislation, can de
clare said State in the Uni m.
It is further provided tint every per
| son wno shall hereafter hold or exercise
any civil or military authority in the
] rebel service, State or Confederate, is
; declared not to be a citizen of the United
States.
From Mrxico.—Our. Ifavan.v file?, by the
Evening Star extend only from the 6th to the
lltli, nnd by the oldest "1 these it seem- ?.■ i
n few days before there ha! arrived an Eng
lish mail gte-imcr from Vera Crux.
, The Diario gays of its news, that although
in some of the narticulars it is somewhat con-
I fused contradictory, tbo military sitintion is
placed beyond all doubt and is unquestionably
decided in favor cf French interventio-. The
occupation of the five principal States, the
submission of the most important cities the
centres cf the commerce and industry of the
ci uatry, such as Guanajuato, Morelia, Sin
Luis and Guadalajara, and tho dispersion of
the great body of the large armies of the
Juaristas under Gens. Negrete and Urng.i, all
indicates that the campaign of the interior is
approaching a final and triumphant termina
tion, much earlier than could have been hoped
by the most enthusiastic friends of the inter
vention, when less than three months ago it
set out from the city of Mexico.
It is very true that in a large part of tho
Mexican territory the orders of the Regency
are not obeyed, nor have the armies of the in
tervention penetrated therein. In the State
of Guerrero, for example, in the extreme
South, Alvarez, the famous chief of the Pintos,
continues ns independent and as free of all
exterior authority as ever, and that guerrilla
parties spring up on tho flanks and rear of the
interventionist armies. It is true too that
ISSJIS? 4 ? •» .linTS
sisKnce- tt"" 6 U ’« elher th « means of re
tion are «S? n H P, ’ l lan - moans ° f co «.mun:ca
may without hesitation declare that J >
*?J? cap « and, in a military point of view
" ’” ,h •' h »»« •» J
Northern New?. —The Washington |
correspondent of February 10th says, there
is much speculation in regird to the du
ration of the war. A largo number of our
officers dint appear to caro much, how
long the war lasts, they have bccorno in
fatuated with drea.49 of miliUry glory,
they are now drawing better pay than
their professional pursuits allow them. —
High officers of the army, men of judg
ment and experience, confirm the opin
ion cf Gen. McClellan with regard to the
magnitude of the contest.
It is not certain tint Grant can over
come Longstreet an ! Johnston by the 4th
of July, which time is fixed for the
downfall of the rebellion, and as for the
atmy if the I’otomac entering Richm >nd
by the overland route, neither soldier or
ciiiz.cn, excepting Halleck and Stanton
believe it-
Washington, Feb 19.—The national
committe** of the Republican party arc
to meet here on Monday and arrange the
time and place fur holding the National
Nominating Convention.
Lincoln’s draft for five hundred thou
cand men, takes four thousand .'rotu St.
L uis, and eighteen thousand from the
State. The draft is to be made on the
10 th day of March next.
In the House, Lord Derby condemned
the foreign policy of the government, as
humiliating to England, and the rejec
tion cf the invitation of the Emperor
Napoleon to re.-ognia-e the Confederate
States, ho severely condemned Russel's
foreign policy.
Tin; New York Markets.—New York,
Feb 16. —Money decidedly easier at 6
per cent., f>r large am > ints, but small
1 alances have been offered at 5 per ct;
Sterling opened at 116, but declined to
l~sj. Gobi, rregu'ar and unsettled,
opening at 60;, advancing to 611, and
closing firm at 60’. to 60*.
Cotton firm, but less active, at Bile,
for middling uplands.
\\ liisky dull at S 5 to 86 for State and
88 for Western.
ll>-a Iquliters, West Virginia, February 16.
Snow >ii 1 win 1 at irms prevail b re t.>-day,
parti illy interrupting Wueeliug c juitnunica
iion«.
Reports are in circulation of ® rebel nnva
mriit town I Remm-y, tut lack confirinaHo.i.
s' Ii ■ ■ - w • ms ainrii
>irten--t>!i« inf. r uition. One letter says there
ire recent Union a-socmtion% formed in Vir
ginia that are known tu hare over one thoa
s i ■! member-, same of these b-ing wealthy
•m l influential citizens. The letter says Jeff
D.nis knows this, aud has or lered several mi»-
[■ ct, I parties to be arrested; an i that secret
agents are now on the bunt fur suspected
traitors.
The Tribune Las a Wn-hiugton hit r which
<><iys that Lee has rcceivvl ■eeruits.
Long-treot is now to l.e strengthened. If •
force i« said t> he 45J1U0 men. Breckii.n
and Buckner, the writer says, are to iunle
Kentucky. It is averted that Longstreet is
either to remain in reserve at Ball’s Gap. er
advance to Central Tennessee to attempt a
movement oh the rear of Gen. Grant. The
latter seexus out of the qnoetion.
I’r n.ißLt Riai-i. Move , :nt.s. —New York,
February li:—t he army officers from the tie, t
express the opinion that within tea dais the
roads will enable the rebels to move, and they
will initiate the spring cimpigu. Two
opinions prevail, one that th. v will attack
square in front, and «n le iv< r t • drive .Meade
within the defences oi W .shingtun; an I the
other, that Lee will g.» rapi By up into Piu i
sylvania, t lun lering vastly tn re th >n last
year, and fighting pitched battles ouly on a
hue of safe retreat.
Gln. Siihuma.x’s Advaxce—The
Tribune say- :
Passengers by the railroad y-’-terdav
afternoon report that flic Federal arm'v
was marching in tw<» divi-imis—the one,
supposed to be ov.t thirty thou-and str • ig
ot infantry and artillery, on toe .8 .utucr i
road, ti oving apparently to Mi-nditn: the
other, with about twelve thousand cavalry,
going across the c ?untry towards Shu
buta, with the purjejs.!, it Wl , supposed,
of destroying the large bridges oti the
Chicasaln, on the M .bile an 1 U.tio Rail
r ad, and thus cutting ufl th- eommuoi
c-ition of Gcu. Folk’s forces with this
city.
It was believed, however, that this
latter movement would do foiled by our
cavalry under Lee, Forrest ard Jackson,
who are unquestionably working actively
in the enemy’s rear. They we're, we are
informed, in Jackson I .«t Sunday even
iog-foliowing rapidly on the heels of ti e
foe.
A dispatch received in Cincinnati
from Kanawha gives particulars of the
capture of Brig Gen. Scammon and staff
and the burning of the steamer Levi on
the. Kanawha River, Western Virginia,
which was reported recently. It appears
that the steamer was lying at Winfield on
the west side of the river, when thirty
five guerrillas appeared at night on tho
opposite side, thirteen of whom crossed
in a skiff and took possession of the boat,
capturing Gen. Scammon and forty sol
diers and officers, all of whom were asleep.
The guerrillas afterward burned the boat.
All on board were paroled except Geu.'
Scammon and three other officers. The
prisoners were mounted and scot off into
the interior.
Oar Lewis Dillard, editor of the Hhreveport
South Western, died in that place on the 28th
ult , at the advanced age of 6» years, three
luoutbs aud nineteen day?
CoxcRKSSioNAU —From the Selma Daily Re
porter of the 11th ult.. we clip the following pro
ceedings of Congress:
Richmond, Ft-liniary 10.—The House to-day
agreed upon the ameiidnicnts and psased in se
cret se«-ion the military bill of the Senate, and
returned the aame to the Semite, after which the
injunction of secrecy was removed.
Tbe principal aineii'lnn-nts are, that all who
are between Hie ages of 18 and Iff are ordered
into service i.i the field during the war : all pro
vosi and hospital conscripts in the service, all
gu ut'ls and agents of the quartermaster and
comaiis-ary departments shall l»e disabled sol
di-r», aid if mor? are reqnire-1, the President
s. ill call on tin- <iover:i.»r< of th-? States for quo
tas for such s-rvi e of me:i not liable to military
service. On editor of each newspap r estab
lished on or Ir tore the llih of October. 1862,
p t lidr-d r-gnlarly since, who was editor or
own r at that time, and all practical printers;
the p r < s d -nt and teachers of colleges and schools
regularly engaged for two years previous to the
passage of this act. having twenty students, oue
white male head of a family, where eight white
persona are dependent upon bis laoor for sup
port; one overseer oa each farm of twenty slaves,
wh re there is no white adult liable; the presi
dent a d superintendent of each railrcad com
pany doing military transportation, ami such
officers ami employees as the superintendent
shall swear to lie necessary for the operation of
the road, not to exceed one for each mile in ac
tual use for military transportation ; white offi
cers ami negroes of fire companies of cities.—
Authority is given to the Secretary of War to
grant exemptions to farmers when satisfied that
they will i»e more us«.-ful to .the country raising
produce than in the army, but the exemptions
cease whenever they are found delinquent in
employing their slaves exclusively in the pro
duction ot grain aud provisions, which are to be
sold to the governor nt and ron-producers at
not exceeding schedule prices.
The House also passed the Tax and Currency
bills, wh.ch were sent to the Senate fur concur
r-nce.
The Senate pissed a bill that any cavalry
company which shall behave badly in the face of
the enemy, or shall destroy property witboutau
tliority. eball i»* disiaountrd a.ui placed in the
service as infantry, aud repeals the law ambor
ii g p Art'za i rangers—all rangers now organ
i< J having the privilegt* of volunteering Hr thv
I war as other soldier-; tailing in which, for a
rea»>nable time, they will l>e dismounted ami
pia '.d in the ► rviceas infantry.
rARTICVLaRS or Tins ESCAPS OF UNION
Psi-.'sni- FROM RtcHMuxn.—BaNimore, Feb
I I".—The e*ciped Union officers reached here
. thw nfternoon. The account o' their escape
is full es thrilling interest, hut for prudential
reasons many particulars are wi’hbvld from
pui I cation at piesei.t. They were fiftv one
days making a tunucl. Having m»n»;
find access to the cellar, they commenced
work, relieving one a-other as oppcrfuuity
offered. Their instrumente were case-knives
pocket-keive?, chisels end files. Twice they
nad t.» abandon their work and commence
anew, on account of obstructions which tb<- T
could not | ass They ha 1 Lope.) t o avail
themselves of a culvert, but found it iniprac
tiaablaaftei getting tbi mgb the wall. They
..si. .. ..f .. excavated soil bv drawing it
.t IB a •[>;:.>>n, wlii.-h ?h v y attached tea
1. I'.iswvulU t. e a;>j f .
- ion . , 7 the
-1 Cf
y -, •caJ; .; it m thia layer* over the fi« r.
«”■ -vaung it beneath the straw.
. I lie Wrk w.s, mces-.-rily, veiy slow. 8o
e.ose wa-th- atmosphere in the tunnel, that
they could rem,,,, i„ ia (lU , , few min . Us , t a
t tun**, an l their eandkn waqM g., out.
Atonetu , e t. le y g „t so nor the ben lof
’ ’ ’ Hn „f
| * st. ve pipe, broke through, but. fminnately
, tins W.e I, .1 ,vered by the guard, and was
i sreat s-tnee hi admitting air and enabling
them to prosecute their work more raridle °
Ibr tunnel, when completed, was ab»iit 60
ce: lung, mid opened into an old tobacco-shed
b v.n l the hue of suards. As sooa a , tl
. t the way clear they emerged slowlr. in
| - |.t vis of two or three. a:i 1 svunKred ufi' until
. they got c car of the guards, making their wav
toward the Williamsburg R >ad bv the riiort
e t routes The darkne- favored them, mi l
j the fact that the lebel soldiers whom they met
' w-re habited in the army coats of Uncle Sain
an:ch they had stolen from the supplies sent
I t-> onr pris ners by our Government, wis of
greit help u> them. A tlt.uigh tbrj vrre at-
t. lin <ur army ovemoats, an 1 many of them
hiit >eir .- v-r-aev-s. they found the mti, nal
uii rm a better defence than if ’liey hid been
provided with genuine tebel uniforms.
Li order to cln le the pursuers, who they
knew would soon be on their track, they seat
terv.l as much as passible. Many were' their
bardslups and sufferings, and frequent their
narrow escapes from the rebei civa'ry who
the -ext moiuing were bushwhacking iu every
I Jirecti .n for them. The j.y which the? k
penenerd when they tiret caught sight of our
r. ops sent out t., keep them and protect them
from thmi ptuw t-, cunnt be ax irease L T ,
tie ■ tbcers au 1 men ..f l(lo j I(1 , Penll lr ., n : B
Cavalry, whom they first met, thev exnre s'
most profound granule for the.r unb made-1
kindness, and also bear testimony to th<- g ,i
laniry with winch these ga.lant fellows pur
sued the rebel cavalry and rescued mativ of
he way-worn fugitives, who otherwise would
have been re captured. There is good reason
to hope that many more will yet come in safe.
A Napolrox for Mexico.—The Paris
I atr ie of Dec. 38 says:
“1 rinee Napoleon Bonaparte, son of the
1 rinee Canino, has just entered the foreign
legion, with tbe rank of captain. Thisregi
'“’’t?' n ? W ‘ n A, K«ria. is destined for Mexico.”
~nnce here named is of Bonaparte
blood from both his parents. His father was
the son of Julien Bonaparte, and his mother
wa« the daughter of Joseph Bonaparte, who
hved at Bordentown. He was born
pX’e’^i! 10 * 4 “ Ugh ‘ fr ° f ,he
I ISVASIO! * O” T «XVS FROM THH NORTH.—
Feb. 17—Advices from Colonel
in the InJi ‘ n Territory,
"y** that he has penetrated further into rebel
yrntory than ever before reached, and is
marching on to Texas with Kansas troops and
the loyal Indian brigade. The rebel General
yooptrs headquarters are nt Fort Washita
Colonels Btand waitc aud Adair are at Preston,
t* x * s - Quantrell is at Bonham, and two
Creek rebel regiments at Boggy Depot.