General Sherman in the Southwest

131

HARPER'S WEEKLY.

(Previous Page) colored persons to enrollment under the same apportionment as other citizens.—The Military Committee reported adversely to Mr. Grimes's bill reducing the salaries of military officers not in the field or without command.—Mr. Sumner brought up the case of a colored surgeon of the army who had been ejected from a railroad car in the District, and offered a resolution directing the Committee on the District to inquire into the expediency of a law securing to colored persons equal privileges with whites in the cars within the District. He said that this officer, who held a rank equal to that of Major, had been ejected from a street car because he was black. We had better break up all these railroads if we could not have them without such outrages, which did more to injure our cause abroad and at home than the loss of a battle. Mr. Hendricks thought the outrage was on the other side: there were cars for colored people, and this person declined to ride with people of his own color, and wished to force himself upon white people; referring to remarks of Senators that it was no disgrace to ride with colored men, and that the outrage was as great as though a Senator of the United States had been ejected, he said that there seemed to be a determination to force social as well as political equality with the blacks upon the white race. The people of his State would never adopt that sentiment. Mr. Wilson rejoined that he had no wish to force negro equality upon the Senator from Indiana; he wished only to let every man assume the station which God intended him to attain: resolution passed, 30 to 10.—The bill prohibiting Members of Congress and Heads of Departments from receiving any compensation for acting as counsel, etc., in any case in which the United States are concerned, under penalty of fine, imprisonment, and disqualification for office, came up and was debated: the clause relating to Members of Congress was stricken out, 26 to 14: laid over.—The bill equalizing the pay of all soldiers was brought up, debate arising upon the section giving colored soldiers equal pay with whites prior to the passage of the bill, its consideration was postponed.—February 11. Some business of minor importance was transacted.—The Post-office Committee reported a bill removing disqualifications on account of color in carrying the mail, and also declaring that no witness shall, in the United States Courts, be disqualified on account of color.—The Lieutenant-General bill from the House was brought up and discussed, the point being the amendment against making that officer Commander-in-chief, and striking out the name of General Grant. Senators opposed to this amendment said that to bestow the title without the command would be but an empty honor conferred upon one who now had the homage of the people: postponed.—February 12. The Senate was occupied with various business of no very general importance, except that the Home bill making appropriation to meet deficiencies is amended by authorizing the appointment for a limited period of one thousand additional clerks, who may be females, at a salary not exceeding $600 a year.—February 13. The Secretary of War sent in a communication relative to military officers' commutations for quarters and fuel; there were 387 officers drawing such commutations, of whom 27 were generals, 52 colonels and lieutenant-colonels, the remainder being of lower ranks, 79 being paymasters.—A memorial from the Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce was presented and referred, asking for a wagon-road through Central Minnesota to Idaho; it stated that within a few months $25,000,000 had been mined, which was now waiting egress through such a road with proper military protection.—The bill for regulating the pay of colored soldiers was brought up and discussed, the principal objection to it being its retrospective feature; upon motion of Mr. Wilson it was amended so as to give them the same pay as others from January 1, 1864, instead of for the whole time they have been in service; Mr. Cowan then moved, as a substitute for the bill, that from the date of the passage of this Act all soldiers of the United States of the same arm of the service should receive like compensation; he said that the negro had a legal status under the Constitution which protected him, and that, as he received the protection of the laws, he must be regarded as a citizen under the Constitution. Mr. Saulsbury said that if this was the basis of Mr. Cowan's substitute he should oppose it; the old-fashioned term was "negro," now these people were "colored citizens." Pending action on Mr. Cowan's substitute the Senate adjourned to Monday, February 15.—February 15. Mr. Foster introduced a bill defining the position and duties of chaplains in the army; it gives them the rank of major of infantry, allows them to hold pastoral charges, requires them to preach twice a week, hold religious meetings twice a week, and keep the libraries for the use of the soldiers.—The Enrollment bill, as amended by the House, was taken up and considered; the Senate refused to recede from its provisions.—The Deficiency bill from the House was passed, with an amendment increasing the salaries of the Assistant Secretaries of the Departments and Post-office to $3500 after the present fiscal year.—February 16. Bills granting lands for certain military roads in Oregon were passed.—Bill extending the statute of limitations in cases where the execution of the laws has been interrupted in consequence of the rebellion was introduced.—Mr. Doolittle introduced a bill regulating trade with Indian tribes; it prohibits, under penalty of fine, imprisonment, and forfeiture, the sale of sprits to Indians.—Mr. Lane, of Kansas, spoke at length in favor of the bill setting apart a portion of Texas for the use of persons of African descent.—Mr. Cowan's amendment to the Enlistment bill came up, giving equal pay, etc., to all soldiers. Mr. Davis proposed an amendment to the effect that colored troops should be disbanded, and colored men be employed in the army only as laborers and teamsters; that for slaves so employed loyal masters should be compensated; and if he died in service the master should receive the full value for him. Mr. Davis spoke at length in support of his amendment.—A message was received from the House announcing its adherence to its amendments of the Enrollment bill, and asking a Committee of Conference. The Senate resolved to adhere to its amendments, and authorized the Chair to appoint a Committee of Conference.

HOUSE.—February 10. Mr. Eliot, from the Select Committee, reported a bill to establish a Bureau of Freedman's Affairs, to determine all questions relating to persons of African descent, and make regulations for their employment and proper treatment on abandoned plantations. Mr. Clay, of Kentucky, wished to know whether his State was to be included in the operations of the bill, and whether plantations there were to be considered as abandoned: he himself owned a plantation which had been abandoned because Government did not protect it. Mr. Eliot replied that the bill did not propose to establish colonies in Kentucky; that in the case of plantations there, whether they were to be considered as abandoned would depend upon whether the owners were loyal or disloyal; that in the case of Mr. Clay, a well-known loyal man, his plantation certainly would not be considered abandoned.—The Senate amendments to the Internal Revenue bill were referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.—The Enrollment bill was taken up, and sundry amendments were proposed and rejected. Mr. Stevens offered an amendment enrolling all persons of African descent of military age; and when a slave is drafted $300 shall be paid to his owner, and the slave be freed. Debate ensued, mainly between members from the Border States: the main points being, on the one side, that slaves were property, and could not be taken for public purposes without compensation; and, upon the other, that they were persons, and so owed military service: postponed.—February 11. After some routine business a Select Committee was voted, to inquire into the expediency of increasing the facilities for the transportation of troops between New York and Washington.—The Enrollment bill then came up. Mr. Stevens, at the request of Mr. Davis, withdrew the $300 feature from his amendment offered yesterday, and Mr. Davis offered another amendment, appointing a commission to pay to loyal masters a sum not exceeding $300 for slaves volunteering in the army. Mr. Webster offered an amendment providing that the bounty of $100 now paid to drafted men shall be paid to any person to whom the person drafted may owe service or labor at the time of his muster into service, upon his freeing the person. These amendments were agreed to, after a long and somewhat desultory debate. In the course of this Mr. Davis said that he moved his amendment, not because he believed that compensation was due to the master, but on account of the measures which Government had already taken. He believed that Government ought to take slaves for military purposes, because they owed military service. Mr. Anderson, of Kentucky, thought the amendment did not go far enough.

In his own district a large majority of the young men had entered the rebel service, and at the next draft the district would owe 7000 men; unless the slaves of disloyal men were taken, those who had induced enlistments in the rebel service would enjoy their property in peace, and the loyal white population must make up the deficiency; he would put the slaves of disloyal men in the army, but would not appropriate the slaves of loyal men. Mr. Webster, of Maryland, said that slaves were both persons and property. We needed colored men to aid in putting down the rebellion; any black man, having been a soldier, must be free; he would give freedom to the slave, and compensation to the master. Mr. Harris, of Maryland, denied the right of Government to enlist or enroll a slave; if taken, it could only be as property, and compensation must be made; he was opposed to employing negro troops; it would be a degradation to intrust our flag to negro hands. Mr. Kasson rejoined that the employment of negro bottlers was no new thing; the pension-rolls showed the names of black men by the side of whites; the statutes of the State of Virginia provided for the emancipation of slaves who fought in the War of the Revolution. Mr. Kelley said that we did not give compensation to the Northern father for his son, the wife for her husband, the children for the father taken from them by the conscription; the relation between slaveholder and slave was not more sacred than these. Slaves were persons, and as such owed military service to the country; they were never referred to as property in the Constitution; he was, however, ready to appropriate money to pay for slaves of loyal masters, who should consent to their volunteering. Other members spoke, on both sides, in the same general strain. Toward the close of the debate Mr. Fernando Wood said that while we were here proposing measures oppressive and destructive, and clearly in violation of the Constitution, the Confederates were proposing to discuss measures of peace, reunion, and reconciliation. Quoting from the Richmond Examiner, he said that resolutions were before the Confederate Congress proposing that the Confederate States ask the United States to appoint delegates, to consider (1.) Whether they can not agree to the recognition of the Confederacy; (2.) Whether, in this event, they can not agree upon a new Government; (3.) If this can not be done, whether they can not agree upon treaties offensive, defensive, and commercial; if these resolutions passed, the President of the Confederacy was to be requested to communicate them to the Government at Washington, and, if the proposition was accepted, to issue a proclamation for the election of delegates to meet those appointed by the United States. Mr. Cox said that the proposition before the Congress at Richmond looked to peace on the basis of the old Union. He proposed that commissioners should be sent to Richmond; if Mr. Wood was sent, and if he did not come back within sixty days with a negotiation of peace, based on the old Union, with equality and sovereignty of the States, he would pledge that gentleman and his friends as earnest supporters of the prosecution of the war. After various other propositions had been disposed of, Mr. Schenck offered a substitute for the bill, embracing the whole as it had been finally agreed upon.—February 12. The Enrollment bill came up, and debate having been shut off by calling the previous question, and sundry propositions for adjournment and delay having been rejected, it was pressed to a vote. The main amendment, providing for the enrollment of all persons of African descent of military age, paying the $100 bounty to the loyal parson to whom any drafted person may owe service or labor, upon his freeing the drafted person, and appointing a commission to award a compensation not exceeding $300 to any loyal person to whom a colored volunteer may owe service, was agreed to by 84 to 67. Mr. Schenck's substitute, embracing the entire bill as finally amended, was then taken up and voted upon: it passed by 93 to 60. The bill which thus passed the House embraces a great number of provisions, of which the following are the most essential: (§ 1.) The President may call out such number of men as the public exigencies may require; (§ 2.) The quota of each district to be as nearly as possible in proportion to the number of persons in it subject to draft, taking into account the number already furnished to the naval and military service; (§ 3.) If the quota of any State is not duly filled, drafts for any deficient district shall be ordered until the deficiency shall be supplied; (§ 4.) Any enrolled parson may furnish a substitute; and if this substitute is not liable to draft or in the service, the principal will be exempt during the time for which the substitute would be exempt, but no one in military or naval service shall be accepted as a substitute; (§ 5.) All persons liable to draft shall be enrolled; this comprises in effect all able-bodied males below the age of 45, including aliens who have declared their intentions of becoming citizens, and all who, without having been in service two years during the present war, shall have been discharged; (§ 6.) Any person drafted may furnish a substitute at any time before the time fixed for his appearance at rendezvous; if the substitute is not liable to draft, the principal is exempt during time time of such non-liability, not exceeding the time for which the draft was made; if the substitute is liable to draft, the principal is liable to future drafts; any person paying money for commutation is exempted only from the special quota; and in no case shall such exemption extend beyond one year, at the end of which his name must be placed in enrollment; (§ 7.) Members of religious denominations whose rules prohibit the bearing of arms shall, when drafted, be considered non-combatants, and be assigned to duty in hospitals, or to the care of freedmen, or shall pay $300, the money to be applied to the benefit of sick or wounded soldiers; but no person shall be entitled to the benefit of this provision unless he shows that his conduct has been uniformly consistent with his professed principles; (§ 8.) No person of foreign birth who has voted or held office is exempt from draft on the ground of alienage; (§ 9.) Mariners or able seamen who may be drafted may, upon enlisting in the navy, be exempt from draft, under conditions which are prescribed; but the number of these transfer enlistments shall not exceed ten thousand; (§ 10, 11, 12.) Make provisions for carrying out the preceding section, the principal of which is that such transfer drafts shall be credited to the quota of the district, as though the person had been actually placed in the army; and that no pilot, engineer, master-at-arms, master, ensign, or master's mate, having an appointment and duly acting as such in the naval service, shall be liable to draft while holding such appointment; (§ 13.) Declares the only exemptions to be those who are physically, mentally, or morally unfit for service; those who at the time of draft shall actually be in military or naval service; and those who, having been for two years in service, shall have been honorably discharged; (§ 14.) Repeals the clause in the existing Enrollment bill making two classes, the first consisting of unmarried persons and those married below the age of 35, the second class embracing all others; all persons liable to draft are thus consolidated into one class, and are equally liable to military duty; (§ 15-25.) Provide for the execution of the law, and impose heavy penalties for all fraudulent attempts at their violation or evasion on the part of persons liable to enrollment, or of any officers charged with carrying them into effect; (§ 26) Enacts that all able-bodied male persons of African descent, between the ages of 20 and 45, resident in the United States, whether citizens or not, shall be enrolled; that when the slave of a loyal master is drafted and mustered into service, the master shall have a certificate thereof, and the bounty of $100 shall be paid to any person to whom the recruit, at the time of his being mustered into service, owes service or labor, on his freeing the recruit; that the Secretary of War shall appoint a commission in each Slave State represented in Congress, who shall award to any loyal person to whom the colored volunteer owes service a sum not exceeding $300, payable out of commutation money, upon the master freeing the slave; and that in all cases where slaves have been enlisted the provision as to bounty and compensation shall be the same as in the case of those to be enlisted; (§ 27.) Repeals all sections of the existing Enrollment act which are inconsistent with this.—The House then adjourned to Monday, February 15.—February 15. Several bills were introduced and reported from Committees. The principal of these are to the following purport: Extending the time for withdrawing goods from public stores and warehouses; Granting lands to the Pacific Railroad and Telegraph Company; For a uniform system of bankruptcy; Establishing a branch mint in Idaho Territory; For constructing a ship canal around Niagara Falls.—Mr. Windom offered a joint resolution proposing to amend the Constitution so as to prohibit slavery in the United States and Territories: referred.—The Judiciary Committee were directed to inquire into the expediency

of establishing an Executive Department, to be called that of the Revenue, to have charge of the Customs, Internal Revenue, and Currency.—Mr. Arnold offered a resolution declaring that "The Constitution of the United States should be so amended as to abolish slavery in the United States wherever it now exists, and to prohibit its extension in every part thereof forever." A motion to lay on the table was rejected, 79 to 58, and the resolution passed, 78 to 62.—Mr. Stevens, from the Committee on Ways and Means, reported back the Senate's amendments to the Internal Revenue bill. The bill of the Senate, he said, was preferable to what had been agreed to in the House as to the tax on spirits, and the date of its going into effect. The Committee were of opinion that all taxes should be prospective; manufacturers had received a virtual pledge to this effect. As a revenue measure also the Senate bill was preferable. The amount of spirits on hand which the House proposed to tax did not amount to more than 10,000,000 gallons, upon which the tax would be $4,000,000; but practically not more than half of this would be taxed. The Senate bill would after the 1st of January yield $14,000,000 or $15,000,000. Mr. Fernando Wood said that the tax on spirits on hand would yield $10,000,000. He himself knew three men who had on hand nearly 5,000,000 gallons.—Mr. Davis, from Select Committee on Insurrectionary States, reported a bill giving to certain States whose Governments have been usurped or overthrown a republican form of government.—February 16. After routine business the question of reception and reference of the credentials of Mr. Johnson, who appeared as Representative from Arkansas, was taken up. A discussion ensued, which elicited the fact that there was a wide difference in the views of Republican members upon the question whether there was really any State of Arkansas now existing and entitled to be represented in Congress. Finally the whole subject was referred to the Committee on Elections.—The Revenue bill was brought up with the amendments of the Senate. That imposing a duty of 70 cents upon all distilled or removed from July 1 to January 1, and 80 cents thereafter was disagreed with, 105 to 41; that striking out tax on all spirits now on hand was agreed with, 77 to 73; and that striking out the additional tax of 20 cents on adulterated spirits, sold as rum, brandy, etc., was agreed to.

THE GENERAL SITUATION.

The rebel President, plucking up courage from the reenlistment of his veteran regiments, who, in view of the new conscription act, probably deemed it their best policy to make a virtue of necessity, has issued a proclamation thanking these soldiers for their brave conduct, and breathing an air certainly of defiance, apparently of hopefulness. He tells them that the spring campaign will open under auspices calculated to sustain their hopes. He makes a very hard case for us at the North with our taxations and dissensions, as if, indeed, there were no troubles of that sort at home; and in reminding them of the accessions soon to be made to their strength, he forgets to tell them that these new recruits, at the utmost, can not number over 80,000, many of whom from the weakness of tender youth, or from the burden of half a century of years, will be totally inefficient, and still more of whom will have no heart in the cause. He also forgets to tell them that half of the four hundred thousand men on their muster rolls are straggling about the mountains or lost by desertion, and that it is almost impossible to feed the half that is left. He refers with a remarkable coolness to our financial situation and its difficulties, forgetting how many dollars his last breakfast cost him.

The tone of the Southern journals simulates hope after much the same desperate fashion. The Richmond Examiner says that in the spring the rebel armies will be stronger, better armed and disciplined than ever before, and congratulates the country on having Smith and Magruder in the place of Holmes west of the Mississippi; Polk instead of Pemberton in the southwest; Johnston instead of Bragg in the centre; Longstreet in Tennessee; Beauregard triumphant on the Southern sea-board, and Lee still invincible in Virginia. It also represents General Lee as most hopeful, and as having said that if the war can be prolonged to September the greatest crisis will be passed.

Our military authorities at Washington have received information of the withdrawal of troops from Lee's army and Beauregard's, probably for the purpose of strengthening Mobile and Atlanta, and of threatening Knoxville with a larger force.

In Virginia there has been no change. General Meade has resumed his command.

The Army of the Cumberland is in an excellent condition. The communication between Knoxville and Cumberland Gap has been interrupted, and the occupation of East Tennessee by the enemy has been considerably advanced, though no strong position has been regained by them. General Logan is at Huntsville, Alabama, probably for the purpose of co-operating with Sherman.

From Kelley's department there is no news worthy of notice, with the exception of a raid executed by some guerrillas of Gilmer's command upon the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, resulting in the plunder of $30,000.

A powerful fleet is being fitted out on the Mississippi by Admiral Porter. Both on the Ohio and the Mississippi all the naval depots are busily engaged in the work.

MOVEMENTS IN THE SOUTHWEST.

General Sherman's two corps—the Sixteenth under Hurlbut, and the Seventeenth under M'Pherson—left Vicksburg about a fortnight ago. On the 3d of February General Smith's cavalry left Corinth for Memphis. The troops in Arkansas are also engaged in a movement southward, which will put Magruder's army between the commands of General Steele on the north and General Banks's column on the south. Jackson and Yazoo City have been both occupied by General Sherman, with slight loss to our forces. In a fight near Clinton, on the 4th, our troops lost fifteen killed and thirty wounded; the enemy were driven off, and thus our way was open to Jackson, which was occupied on the 5th, the rebels retreating across Pearl River.

The position of the rebel forces in Arkansas is as follows:

General Price has about 6000 demoralized troops at Washington.

Generals Marmaduke, Brook, and Cahill are in the mountains in the vicinity of Murfreesboro.

General Shelby, who was recently routed, is with his command on the Lower Saline River.

Generals Cooper, Steele, and M'Intosh, are with their Indian commands at Warren and North Fork in the Indian Territory.

The total force of the rebels, including guerrillas and camp followers, is about 14,000.

GENERAL BUTLER'S DEPARTMENT.

The rebels are again threatening Newbern. An iron-clad in the Neuse, thirty-five miles above Newbern, at Kingston, will probably co-operate in the movement against the city. As Newbern, however, is capable of resisting successfully any attempts at capture, it is likely that the menacing movements of the enemy in this direction are only designed to occupy our forces, and prevent a repetition of the late uncomfortable raids of Butler. General Peck has arrived at Newbern, and assumed the command.

On the 8th of February one thousand and twenty bales of cotton were burned by an accidental conflagration at Wilmington. The lass to the rebels is nearly a million of dollars.

A great number of rebel prisoners in various Western jails have lately been removed to Butler's department.

One hundred and ten Union officers escaped from Libey Prison a week ago, by digging a tunnel under the walls. Some of these were recaptured. Among those escaped were Colonel Streight. Our cavalry and gun-boats made every effort to aid the fugitives in reaching our lines.

CHARLESTON.

In regard to the siege of Charleston there is nothing new. On the 5th of February a formidable expedition, consisting of three brigades, under the command of General Seymour, started from Port Royal for Jacksonvillle, Florida, where it landed on the 8th. Thence the entire force was to push across the country to Tallahassee. Gilmore sailed on the 7th to join the expedition, which was also to receive co-operation from Admiral Dahlgren with the Pawnee, the Wachusett, and the Water Witch.

General Mercer, in command of the defenses of Savannah, has been reinforced by the rebels in expectation of an

attack from the Union forces; the occasion for apprehension being probably the preparations made for the Florida expedition, whose destination was mistaken.

THE CASE OF VALLANDIGHAM.

The decision of Vallandigham's case in the Supreme Court, on the 15th, excited a great deal of interest. It was a test case, and the decision was of the greatest importance. Justice Wayne delivered the opinion of the Court, that, even if the arrest, trial, and punishment of Vallandigham were illegal, there was still no authority in the Court to grant relief; and that there is no law by which any appeal, or proceedings in the nature of an appeal, from a military commission to the Supreme Court, can be taken.

FOREIGN NEWS.

EUROPE.

THE Austrian and Prussian embassadors have given assurance to the French and English courts that their respective governments meant to adhere to the treaty of 1852. This is not satisfactory to the German States generally; and the Chamber of Deputies both of Austria and Prussia have refused to grant the supplies necessary to the occupation of Schleswig. The cabinets of Berlin and Vienna have therefore to proceed on their own responsibility. They have rejected the proposal of Denmark requesting a delay until the convocation of the Rigsraad. Orders were received at Kiel on the 27th of January for the van-guard of the Austro-Prussian Army Corp to advance. The Danes continue to fortify the Dannewerke. They have 32,000 men in Schleswig, under Lieutenant-General de Meza, whose head-quarters are at Flensburg, on a gulf of the Baltic. Their great line of defense rests on the Eider.

ARMY AND NAVY ITEMS.

GENERAL MEADE, having recovered from his recent illness, in Philadelphia, had a fine reception at Independence Hall a few days since.

The Second Fire Zouaves of this city arrived home last week, and had a splendid reception by the firemen.

General SICKLES has been appointed Commander of Washington in place of General AUGER who goes to the front.

General SCAMMON, recently gobbled up by guerrillas, in Western Virginia, belonged to the regular army, was a West Point officer, and served in Florida and Mexico He was a brave officer and a favorite with General Scott, on whose staff he was attached in Mexico.

Two hundred and seventy rebel prisoners arrived at Chattanooga on the 7th from Knoxville, captured in recent cavalry fights.

General STONEMAN passed through Nashville on February 4, and General GRANT on February 5, both en route to the front.

Commodore WM. J. M'CLUNY, United States Navy, died at his residence in Brooklyn last week. At the time of his death he had been in the service fifty-two years.

It would appear by dispatches from St. Louis to Chicago that a powerful fleet is being fitted out on the Mississippi River by Admiral PORTER. All the naval depots on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers are actively engaged in fitting out vessels.

The Kentucky House has passed a resolution unanimously asking Congress to place General ROBERT ANDERSON on the retired list, on full pay.

General CURTIS arrived at Fort Smith, Arkansas, on the 9th inst., after a horseback journey of four hundred miles over the plains. He will remain there but a few days, being engaged in reorganizing the Army of the Frontier, under General BLUNT, for speedy military operations.

Colonel TRAXALL, of the Fifth Iowa Cavalry, and twenty others, have made their escape from the Atlanta Prison, and reached Louisville.

A very superior and elegant set of horse equipments for General GRANT have been completed by Mr. GEORGE PETERS of Newark, New Jersey.

Colonel JAMES B. SWAIN, of Scott's Nine Hundred, has been dismissed from the service by order of the President.

Acting Assistant Surgeon KOLLOCK, who feigned to be ill with the small-pox, has deserted from the United States steamer Brandywine.

Captain JOHN F. PORTER, of the Fourteenth New York Cavalry, escaped two weeks ago from Libey prison. He left the prison in a rebel uniform, and remained nine days in Richmond without exciting suspicion.

Information has been received from Charleston in relation to raising the iron-clads Weehawken and Keokuk. The workmen had already made considerable efforts to get up the Keokuk, which were crowned with comparative success, when the weather became so unfavorable that the work had to be stopped.

A sick negro soldier, belonging to Colonel WOOD'S command in the West, who had straggled from his regiment, was murdered by the rebels. A lieutenant and two privates, who committed the deed, were captured, and Colonel WOOD, in retaliation, had them blindfolded, and caused them to kneel on the dead body of the negro they had murdered, when they were shot.

General BURNSIDE'S Ninth Army Corps is rapidly filling up. All the veteran Massachusetts regiments now home on furlough have been assigned to his command.

The following officers succeeded, a few days since, in making their escape from the prison in Richmond, and have arrived at Williamsburg, Virginia: Colonel J. F. BOYD, 20th Army Corps; Colonel W. G. ELY, 18th Connecticut; Colonel H. C. HOBART, 21st Wisconsin; Colonel W. P. KENDRICK, 2d West Tennessee Cavalry; Colonel W. B. M'CREARY, 21st Michigan; Colonel THOMAS E. ROSE, 77th Pennsylvania; Colonel J. P. SPOFFORD, 97th New York; Colonel C. W. TILDEN, 16th Maine; Colonel T. S. WEST, 24th Wisconsin; Colonel STREIGHT, 51st Indiana; Colonel D. Mimes, 79th Pennsylvania; Major J. P. COLLINS, 29th Indiana; Major G. W. FITZSIMMONS. 13th Indiana; Major J. H. HOOPER, 15th Massachusetts; Major B. B. M'DONALD, 100th Ohio; Major AVON WITZEL, 74th Pennsylvania; Major J. N. WALKER, 73d Indiana; Major J. HENRY, 5th Ohio. There were also thirty-two Captains and fifty-nine Lieutenants, making in all one hundred and nine who escaped. From Richmond papers, however, the following, we learn, have been recaptured: Colonel J. P. SPOFFORD, 97th Now York; Captain J. YATES, 3d Ohio; Captain G. STAIR, 104th New York; Captain F. IRAH, 45th Nov York; Lieutenant H. HINKS, 57th Pennsylvania; Lieutenant W. N. DAILY, 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry: Lieutenant A. B. WHITE, 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry; Lieutenant E. SCHROEDER, 74th Pennsylvania; Lieutenant W. L. WATSON, 21st Wisconsin: Lieutenant F. MORAN, 73d New York; Lieutenant C. H. MORGAN; Lieutenant H. S. CHIVESTER, 82d Illinois; Lieutenant W. B. PIERCE, 11th Kentucky Cavalry; Lieutenant A. MOORE, 4th Kentucky; Lieutenant P. S. EDMONDS, 67th Pennsylvania; Second-Lieutenant P. H. WHITE, 83d Pennsylvania; Second-Lieutenant J. M. WASSON, 40th Ohio; Second-Lieutenant S. P. GAMBLE, 63d Pennsylvania; Second-Lieutenant G. S. GORD, 84th Pennsylvania; Second-Lieutenant S. P. BROWN, 15th United States Cavalry; Adjutant M. R. SMALL, 6th Maryland; ISAAC JOHNSON, engineer steamer Satellite.

The rations issued to the officers in the prison consisted of a quart of rice to sixteen men every eight days, a small piece of corn-bread every day to each, about four ounces of very poor fresh meat once a week, and salt and vinegar very rarely.

The business of embalming the bodies of deceased soldiers is increasing in Washington. The cost has been reduced to ten dollars each subject, and at the Armory Square Hospital all who die are embalmed, whether their friends request it or not. When the friends are too poor to pay no charge is made.

Since March, 1861, not less than one hundred thousand men of the Army of the Potomac have been killed and wounded.