"7
7
mSV.int
2tf - OFFICE
ON THE
$3 Per Annum
iIN ADVANCE.
CHARACTER IS AS IMPORTANT TO STATES AS IT IS TO INDIVIDUALS, AND THE GLORY OP THE ONE IS THE COMMON PROPERTY 07 THE OTHER-
S SOUTH SIDE OF TRADE STREET
CHARLOTTE, N. C, TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 1867.
war. J. YATES, Editor and Propreitor.
FIFTEENTH TOLCMEN DIIBER 772.,'
(Published every Tuesdaj,Q)
BY
WILLIAM J. YATES,
EDITOR AND PROPHIETOU.
O
"""OTTlIUSIiyCgs $3 FEU ANNUM, in advance.
$ 2 for six months.
' o
Transient advertisements must be paid for
in idvance. Obituary notices are charged advertis
ing rates.
Advertisements not marked on the manuscript
for a specific time, will be inserted until forbid, and
charged accordingly.
$1 per square of 10 lines or less will be charged
for each insertion, unless the advertisement is in
serted 2 month? or more.
15 it I C K S ! RRICIi!!
Important to Builders.
The undersigned would respectfully announce to
the citizen of Charlotte and surrouidin,r country,
that he has completed his arrraueiiients for man
ufacturing and supplying !o this market DU1CKS of
a superior quality, fr building purposes Orders
will be filled at modeiate prices, and a liberal dis
count made to those contracting for a large quan
tity. For further particulars call on dipt. Asa George,
or Messrs. Hutchison, Burroughs & Co., at whose
store samples will be kept.
I-. P. GEORGE.
May 20, 1867. tf
A sTa It K ST O 4J K
OF
SPEIISTG GOO DS
Fine white and colored Marseilles Quilts, just
received at D. UUI INGE It, WOLFE & CO .
Ladies' French Diniitry Skins. India TwiEed
Long Cloih, Linen Iress Goods. Extra Fine Lace
Cullir? and Cuffs, Valeucitie Lace, Clcny Lace,
lllack bilk Guper I,:ie ('all and examine our New
Goods. i;ai:ri.vger, WOLFE & CO.
56a?" Irish Linen of an extra quality; Bleached
Shirting, extra quality. Call soon.
Tilack Challcy for Mourning Dresses, English
Crape and English Cr:ip Veils, at
BAUUINGEU, WOLFE Jit CO S.
April 15, IRG7.
JUST RECEIVED AT
C. M. QUERY'S HEW STORE,
A large and well selected Stock of
SPRING A NO SUMMER GOODS.
DRY GOODS, at extremely low prices.
WHIT E GOODS, a full assortment, which will be
sold low for cash.
TIUMM TN'GS Our stock of Trimming; is com
plete, and was selected wiili care.
A full assortment of YANKEE NOTION'S and
FANCY GOODS.
11001' SKIRTS Bradley's Paris Trail Skirts
the most popular Skirt now worn all sizes Ladies,
children and Misses.
KID GLOVES all colors and sizes, of the best
article Ladies" and Children's Milts, all sizes, and
of the best qualit v.
FANS AND TAUASOLS A full assortment of
nil kind.
SIIOES Ladies', Children's and Misses' boots,
shoes and gaiters, of the best lMiiladaphia make
Also, Men's and Boy's hoes and hats.
MRS- QLT-EIIY would inform her fiiends that
she has spared no pains in selecting her Jtock of
Millinery and Trimmings: and having had a long
experience in the business feels satisfied that she
can please all who will favor her with a call.
Bonnets and Hats made and trimmed to order, on
the most reasonable term? and shortest notice.
Dresses Cut, Fit ted, Trimmed and made, on reason
able terms and at short notice.
Our terms are stiictly Cash. Our motto is, small
profit, and just dealing to all.
April 1, 18G7.
A Chance to Make Money.
The subscriber will purchase Bones at 50 cents
per hundred, delivered at Concord Factory, or at
ucr Railroad Depot between Charlotte and Greens
boro. Cash paid on delivery.
Those who will jtccnmulate Bones in quantities
at any point on the Railroad lines, and inform the
subscriber, arrangements will be made for their
purchase. It. E. Mc DONALD,
April 1, 1SC7 tf Concord. N C.
" NORTH CAROLINA
Military and Poljtecnic Academy
A Great School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences,
together tciih Lanyiiayts, Literature, Political Econ
omy, .jo.
The 2d Session of the 9th Academic year begins
July lit, lfc07.
Diplomas conferred upon graduates in the Regular
Course.
A Special Course of Engineering, Architecture
And Drawing is offered to those who wish to q ;alify
themselves for Surveyors, Civil Engineers, &c,
which they may follow throughout, or in part, to
the exclusion ot'stndies unnecessary to their purpose.
A Commercial Course given to those who wish to
prepare themselves for business life.
No Military duties except enough drill for healthy
exercise. Expenses moderate, location healthy.
For Circulars containing full particulars address,
Gkx'l R. E. COLSTON, Supt.
May 27. 18-37 O'w Hillsborough, N. C.
COOKJSU "STOVES,
OF THE X EAT EST AND MOST SUPERIOR PATTERN.
Springs' Building, Charlotte, N C,
Has f..r sie "Spear's .f uf i-JJiisf Cooking
STOf'ESf' which, tor every variety of cooking
and great economy in fuel, cannot be surpassed by
any Stove heretofore used.
Everybody who has used one of these Stoves
testify that, for convenience in cooking, durability
And cleanliness, they are far preferable to all other
patterns. Call and see them.
D. II. BYERLY has also on hand a good as
sortment of Tin, Japan and Sheet-Iron Ware such
article? as are necessary for house-keeping.
Sg TIN-WARE made to order at short notice
On reasonable terms.
Jigr RIPAIKI.G prompily executed.
D 11. BYERLY,
Springs' Building, Charlotte, N. C.
March 25, 18C7.
Medical iYolicc.
DR. J. M. MILLER and DR. J. B. JONES have
formed.a eopartnership.for the practieef Medicine
And Surgery. Dr. Jones will attend to patients
during the disability of Dr. Miller.
Charlotte, May 27, 1867-
Tiie Late Freshet. We have recently
had a most destructive freshet in this part of
the State. The streams have been higher than
at any former period for years. The earth was
already saturated with water, and the heavy
rains that fell ran off, swelling the 6treams of
various sizc3. Crabtree Cree.k and Neuse river,
in this vicinity, have been very high, and have
played havoc with the growing crops. The
same is true, doubtless, of the Cape Fear, the
Taw. and the Roanoke.
We learn that cotton, corn and wheat have
been seriously injured. The damage in Wake
County alone can not be less" than one hundred
thousand dollars. The weather is now cloudy
and damp, and cool enough to render fire com
fortable. Indeed, for a month or two past clear
weather has been the exception to the rule.
Raleirh Standard, Wlh.
J3-Mr II. II Helper (white) and Rev. G. W.
Brndie (colored), of this State, have been appoint
ed by Gen Sickles members of a Board in Charles
ton to devise rules and regulations for conducting
the tegistration of voters and the elections in this
State. The Board is now in session. Raleigh
Standard.
SPEAR'S
PRESERVING SOLUTION
Will effectually prevent fermentation or decay, and
preserve all kinds of Fruits, Vegetables, Jellies,
Tomatoes, Cider, Milk, Syrups, &c , &c , in a per
fectly fresh and wholesome condition, without
sugar, and without hermetically sealing or air
lighting; hence a saving of sugar and from 50 to
75 per cent in the cost of jars. The soluiion is
warranted to contain nothing injurious to health.
Fruits preserved by this solution, are equal to any
' canned" fruits, while the use of the solution ad
mits of keeping the fruits, &c , in vessels of anj
size, and of using them at long intervals when
opened. It saves sugar. It will preserve milk
sweet from 12 to 3G hours longer than it will
naturally keep causing it to famish more and
better cream, and make more butter in warm
weather. One bottle will preserve 12-8 pounds of
fruit, or 43 gallons of cider, or 128 gallons of milk.
Price, $1. Full directions for using with each
bottle Sold by all merchants; ask for a circular
with full particulars.
For sale in Charlotte bv
Dii. JOHN II. McADEN,
May 27, 18C7. 2m Coiner Drug Store.
DR. JN0. II. Sic AD EN,
WHOLESALE AXD RETAIL
EtUO-O-IST.
CHARLOTTE, N. C
Has on hand a large and well selected stock of
PURE DRUGS, Chemicals, Tatent Medicines, Fami
ly Medicines. Paints, Oils, Varnishes, Dye Stuffs,
Fancy and Toilet Articles, which he is determined
to sell at the very lowest prices.
May 20, 1867.
LBS. WHITE LEAD, at McAden's
Coiner Drug Store.
"300 Gallons Linseed Oil, at McAden's Corner
Drur Store.
3 Barrels Spirits Turpentiue, at McAden's Drug
Store.
NO 1 Coach and Copal Varnishes, cheap, at
McAden's Drug Store.
FINE Lubricating, Lard and Sperm Oil, at Mc
Aden's Corner Drug Store
Bright "Illuminating Kerosene Oil, cheap, at Mc
Aden's Corner Drug Store.
Tanners' Strait's and Banks' Oil, at the lowest
market price, at McAden's Corner Drug Store.
May 20, 1807.
BOXES MANUFACTURED TOBACCO,
for sale at the Corner Drug Store.
June 3, 18'o7. J. II. McADEN.
Slate offl. Carolina, Mecklenburg Co.
Court of Pleas ,j Quarter Sessions Ajril Term, 1807.
M. L. Wriston, agent, vs. J. E. Collier.
Attachment Levied on 1 House and Lot in the City
of Charlotte.
It appearing to the satisfaction of the court, that
the defendant, J. E. Collier, resides beyond the
limits of this Slate, on motion it is ordered by the
court that publication be made, for six weeks in the
Western Democrat, notifying the said defendant to
be and appear at the next Court of Pleas and Quar
ter Sessions, to be held for the county of Mecklen
burg, at the Court Hutise in Charlotte, on the 2d
Monday in July next, then and there to answer,
plead or replevy, or judgment final will be taken
against him and property levied upon condemned
to plain tiff s use.
Witness, William Maxwell, Clerk of our said cart
at office, the 2d Monday in April, A. D.. 1867.
70-6w V M . MAXWELL, Clerk.
State of rv. Carolina, Mecklenburg Co.
Court of Pleas Quarter Sessions April Term, 1867.
Win. M. Baily, Administrator of James Alexander,
deceased, vs. the Heirs at Law of James Alex.
ander, deceased.
Petition to Sell Real Estate.
It appearing to the satisfaction of the Court, that
J. M. Thorn and wife Isabella, one of the defendants
in this case, reside beyond the limits of this State,
it is therefore, on motiou, ordered by the court that
publication be made, for six successive weeks, in
the Western Democrat, notifying the said defendant
of the tiling of this petition, and that unless they
appear at the next term of this court to be held for
the county of Mecklenburg, at the court house in
Charlotte, on the 2d Monday in July next, and an-
j swer the petition, the same will be taken pro con-
J fesso and heard expartee as to them.
Witness, William Maxwell, Clerk of our said court
at office, the 2d Monday in April, I87.
j 70-6w WM. MAXWELL, Clerk.
State of !V Carolina, Mt ckleiibni g Co
Court of Pleas 4" Quarter Sessions April Term, 1867
Ym. P. Robinson vs. John H. Allen,
' Attachment Levied on 100 bushels Corn, 2,000 lbs.
Fodder and Hay. 700 lbs. Seed Cotton, 1 Rifle Gun
and a lot of Shucks.
I It pppearing to the satisfaction of the court, that
the defendant in this case resides beyond the limits
of this State, on motion it is orderd by the court
; that publication be made, for six weeks in tht
Western Democrat, notifying the said defendant to
be and appear at tbe next Court of Pleas and Quar
i ter Sessioas, to be held for the county of Mecklen
burg, at the court houee in Charlotte, on the 2d
Monday iu July "next, theu and, there to answer,
plead or replevy, or judgment final Will be taken
against him, and the property levied on condemned
to plaintiffs use.
j Witness, William Maxwell, Clerk of our said caart
, at office, lh 2d Monday in April. A. 1867.
I0-e WVT. MAXWELL, CJeri.
LIMITS OP LUXURY.
What can money do for a man? It is clear
that the richest millionaire cannot spend upon
himself, and for his own enjoyment,- more than
a limited sum of money. Of course, tbe ac
quired tastes of civilized life are a bottomless
pit, into which he can throw any amount that
he chooses. If be takes to horse racing, or picture-buying,
he may go as far as he likes in tbe
way of expenditure, and the taste, like the
horse-leech's daughter, will still cry 'Give!"
But for every necessary personal comfort and
luxury a carriage, a good horse to ride, a good
dinner to eat he cannot make away with a
vast sum. The man of fifty thousand a year
can do no more in this line than tbe man of five
thousand; except that, a3 the farmer's notion of
a good dinner was two legs of mutton and two
plu:n-puddings, he may have a stable full of
horses, and half a dozen carnages. Beyond a
certain necessary sum, the largest income in the
world can do no more for a man's owo personal
and corporeal enjoyment than the possession of
a moderate income. But, then, on the other
hand, it can gratify his vanity or ambition, and
that to a boundless extent. Like a prophecy
which works out its own fulfilment, the belief
that money brings happiness, makes all men en
vy the monied. The race for wealth, vigorous
ly contested as it is, confers certain fictitious
advantages upon the winners. Tbe possessor of
a large fortune in these days, acquires an amount
of respect and consideration, which used to be
accorded only to birth. Now, without going so
far as to say with Swift, that money means lib
erty, or, with the world at large, that it is re
spectability, and health, and friendship, and
culture, and society, and every earthly blessing,
it is impossible to deny that it gratifies, to a
very large extent, a very natural passion of the
human breast, the desire of excelling other peo
ple. It is unfortunate, perhaps, that the stan
dard of happiness which society proposes to it
self should be purely materialistic. But so long
as everybody is running toward the same goal,
the fortunate few who reach it will, of course,
be envied by the ruck, and will suppose them
selves to be proper objects of envy and admi
ration. But then, if, as we say, the rich man is in no
worse position, as regards the pursuit of happi
ness than the poor man, in spite of the affir
mations of foolish moralists to the contrary, it
would be hard to prove that he is in any better
position. It will be said that the gratification
of a natural desire must bear its fruit in produc
ing content and self satisfaction. Yet it would
seem that this pleasure is only a momentary
stimulant at best. Success, after a man has
reached his goal, becomes a very matter-of-fact
affair. A man who is made a bishop or a judge,
for instance, probably does not at all take the
thing as the outside world supposes. In the
first place, he ha3 been for a long time gradual
ly drawing near to this end. He does not gain
it per saltum. He has not been looking at it
of late from a very much lower level. He is a
little pleased, perhaps, at first -with tbe idea
that be has cut out so and so, who had been
named with him for the appointment, and that
he has distanced such and such old college
friends. But the thought of increased respon
sibility and work soon comes in to drive out the
pleasant titillations of a gratified vanity. And,
in fact, he soon begins to find the mere dignity
in itself rather a nuisance than otherwise. And
the rich man, who has built up his own fortune,
and found it very pleasant at first to associate
with people he had once looked up to, and to
receive their congratulations, soon grows tired
of his rattle, and probably discovers that, in
some respects, it is very much of a bore. He
finds that his wealth exposes him to many in
conveniences, if it also supplies him with many
luxdries. He becomes a mark and an aim for
all the people who want to profit by it. Of
course his money gives him -great opportunities
of doing good in the world if he chooses. And
people fancy that tbe relief of necessities which
are continually being brought before him must
afford a coniinual gratification to the good rich
man. But tbe fact is, that, like the American
millionaire, who keeps a secretary to burn the
two hundred applications he receives from ne
cessitous people every day of his life, rich men
in general have absolutely to decline all person
al interference in the affairs of the needy. If
they do good at all, they do it on a large scale;
they found a hospital or build churches. To
investigate daily the cases of two hundred needy
applicants in all parts of the world, would be a
Herculean task which few people would care
to take upon their shoulders, and no person
would manage satisfactorily. And, therefore,
the gratification to be obtained from wealth as a
means of beneficence, is, by no means, what the
world generally supposes it to be. Imperial
Review.
GROCERIES.
iiammond & Mclaughlin
Have just receired a large assortment of Groceries,
which they offer for sale at reduced prices Their
Stock consists, in part, of the following articles :
40 Sacks prime Rio Coffee,
. 30 Barrels Sugar all grades,
5 Hogsheads Sugar yellow,
25 Barrels Molasses assorted grades,
5 .Hogsheads Molasses Cuba,
10 Barrels Potomac Shad,
10 Half Barrels Potomac Shad,'
10 Quarter Barrels Potomac Shad,
10 Half " Family Mackerel,
10 Quarter " "
40 Kits, No. 1 and 2. "
100 Sacks Liverpool Salt,
50 Boxes fine English Dairy Cheese,
50 " Adamantine Candles,
50 ' - assorted Stick Candy,
25 " Layer Raisins,
Fine Lot of Bacon N. C. and Western,
" . Flour, Corn and Corn Meal,
Codfish and Irish Potatoes,
Hemlock Leather. Iron and Nails all sizes,
Bale Yarn and Shirting.
Fresh Cove Oysters. Sardines and Pickles,
Sauces, Flavoring Extracts, Soda Craekerpr Ac.
And every other article usually found in a Gro
cery and Prevision Store.
We invite the attention of -country merchants and
others to our stock, and solicit an examination.
Hammond & McLaughlin.
May 27,, 1667 . If
JUDGE EELLE7 AT HOHE.
Philadelphia, June 6. The Hon. Wil
liam D. Kelley, who recently returned from bis
trip through the Southern States, was serenaded
at his residence in the Twenty-fourth Ward this
evening, by the citizens of his congressional dis
trict. After tbe hearty cheers of welcome home had
subsided, Judge Kelley addressed the meeting,
saying that he was grateful to his constituents,
friends and neighbors for tbe demonstration be
fore him. He never knew how sacred the word!
home was until after his recent absence, during
which he had passed through some peril.
When cowering before a hundred bullets at one
scene of his travel, and the companions of his
travels equally exposed as himself, he realized how
dear home was. The scene before him moved him
to the heart. When he left for the South he did
so on the invitation of tbe Governor of Louisiana
and the Mayor of New Orleans. There, as
elsewhere all through tbe South, save in one
city, he was met with all courtesy and kindness.
He went there without any thought of danger,
with hatred to no man.
He thought that the opinions he had so often
expressed to tbe people in Philadelphia he could
as kindly say to the Southern people, and so he
did in every plae except Mobile, where they
would not hear him; but he begged hiss consti
tuents not-to charge the violence upon the citi
zens of Mobile or the citizens of the country at
large. Cheers It was more due to Andrew
Johnson, President of the United States, than
to the disloyal authorities of Mobile or the mob
who supposed that they enjoyed immunities un
der them. It was a recreant Northerner sent
there by the President as Assessor of Internal
Revenue Colonel Mann, late of Michigan, the
owner of the Mobile Times who, by statements
published in his paper," provoked the disturb
ance. It was no indiscreet word of his (the
speaker's) that brought on the attack.
The preliminaries were arranged two or three
days before his arrival, and the man who was
shot beside the chair of the correspondent of
the New York Herald, who was the first victim
on the platform, would have fallen just as cer
tainly if he (Judge Kelley) had been reciting
the Lord's prayer instead of making a speech.
It was said that he hid under a table. Laugh
ter. Now, he was not a soldier, and boasted
of no desire to recklessly expose his life; but he
confessed that he would not object to having a
table to protect him when he heard the bullets
pattering about. -- He would not refer to the
courtesy which met him at all points.from Mem
phis to Danville, through Tennessee, Missis
sippi, Louisiana, Alabama. Georgia, North Car
olina, South Carolina and Virginia. They were
already acquainted with all this, owing to the
enterprise of tbe Northern journals, and more
especially the New York Herald. Had he been
the nation's benefactor he could not have been
received with more cordiality, or his opinions
accepted with a more hearty endorsement, and
by none so mueh as tbe gallant soldiers who
fought in the Confederate ranks.
He assured them that he knew from observa
tion something of the Southern people, and he
repeated what he told them in the South, that
the whole nation will regard the war as the throe
of agony which preceded the birth of the greatest
free nation the world has yet known. (Cheers )
The speaker then entered upon a description of
the Southern country, of a most flattering kind,
and contrasted its wealth with the poverty of
the people. He had seen the workings of the
Freedmen's Bureau in Salisbury on ration day,
and woujd never forget that picture. When he
told the Southern people how much the .North
was progressing by its industry, they thought
he was painting a fancy picture. If the people
of the North do not f urnish means for -education,
the blacks would exceed the whites in
learning within five years. He then desctibed
the colored schools, and said that twenty-five
per cent of the scholars would be regarded as
white people in the North.
It was this fact which induced tbe Southern
leaders to proclaim the doctrine that slavery was
the condition of the workingmen, for they had
too many white slaves to deal with. He des
cribed the feeling of the South as favorable to
reconstruction. They were taking Northern
papers; they understood their position and
needed no missionaries; but much good might
be done by sending colored men of culture, of
whom there were plenty among the colored peo
ple. He named many in the various States as
specially fitted for that purpose, of whom their
old masters spoke to him in the highest terms
of commendation. If any of his hearers thought
of emigrating be advised them not to go fifteen
hundred miles to the West; for within a few
hours travel in North Carolina there were more
advantages to be had in water power, mineral
products and fine lands.
What tbe South wanted was agricultural ma
chineiy, phosphates and fertilizers to restore tbe
soil. These, with an energetic population, would
make tbe Sauth blossom like a garden, and would
build up a loyal country. He favored tbe idea
of going South in small colonies, not to work for
W3ges,
for they were miserably poor, but to de
velore the resources of the country. The
speaker, after some further remarks, concluded
by thanking, his friends for this kind welcome
home, and retired amid repeated cheers.
Likes Matrimony A citizen of Montgomery
County, Ind., was married recently for the fifth
time. He has lost two wives by death, one by
elopement, and two by divorce. He still thiufcs
matrimony a good institution, like the fellow who
was so piously inclined that he joined the church
four or five times.
UNI
OF
NORTH CAROLINA
The ONE HUNDRED and FORTY-SIXTH TERM
of this Institution will begin on Friday, Jo 1 19,
;67. - -
Taitlen, $50; Board, $70 to $106.
For Catalogue, or more parwcular information,
apply to the President of the Univeri:yt,.
How. D. L. SVTAI5,
June 3, 1867 3w Chapel Hill, C.
THE BATTLE GROUNDS or PETERS
BURG. The New York Times of Friday contains a
long and interesting letter from Petersburg, the
writer of which is doubtless Mr Swioton, the
historian of the late war, whose works have
been received as well at the South as at the
North. He has lately been on a visit to Peters
burg, where he received many courteous atten
tions, and spent several days in examining the
old battle grounds, in company with former
Confederate officers. The letter is too long for
re-publication in our columns, but we cannot
pass it over without making some extracts :
"Were the battle fields around Petersburg
situated in some remote corner of Europe, I
dare be sworn they would be visited by more
Americans than do now visit them, accessible
as they are and intensely interesting as they
ought to be to every lover of his country. But
even of those who do come here but few obtain
any intelligent conception of the siege, of the
character of the tremendous defensive works
which cover the country arouod Petersburg, of
the true nature of the military operations here
carried on ; and indeed the only attentive ob
servers I have noticed here are some English
visitors, come all the way from across the water
to see the famous battling ground of Grant and
Lee. I hope the time will arrive when a juster
appreciation will bring many to look with wonder
and admiration upon a spot invested with so
deep a historic interest. It is very certain that
ere long those very features that lend the greatest
charm to tbe country around Petersburg will
have disappeared; and already, what with the
action of the elements and man's destroying
finger, many of the lines and works have crum
bled to decay.
Of course no man visits the lines without
making the "Crater" an object of special atten
tion. The account is lengthy, but it will be
read, and continue to be read, with never-flagging
interest :
"After a ride of a mile and a half over very
rough ground, which, thanks to our sure-footed
and admirably. trained horses, we traveled safely,
we reached the "Crater." This, it will be
readily remembered, is the scene of Buroside's
famous mine; and in examining this and other
parts of the line, I have bad the advantage of
the company of Gen. Mahone, the most skillful
and enterprising of. Lee's commanders, and the
officer who figured on the Confederate side in
this as in most of the other operations during
the long siege. 4
"The fort under which the mine was con
structed, and of which all that now remains is
the "crater," is placed on what was a consider
able salient of the enemy's front. . The hostile
fronts bere also were extremely close. Now,
between Burnside's position and the site of tbe
fort, the ground dips midway into a ravine, and
from this it rises into a hill of perhaps forty or
fifty feet, on which the work which it was desig
nated to blow up stood. The ravine, which was
guarded by the Union pickets, afforded perfect
cover to troops in the operation of mining, and
the tunneling was begun at the base of the hill.
When the galleries were completed, and all was
in readiness, the mine was exploded on the
morning of tbe 30th of July. It is familiar to
all that after the explosion, which was a perfect
success, the assaulting column went forward;
but owing to great mismanagement, the troops
were allowed to huddle into tbe crater instead
of going forward, so that they were finally driven
out, captured or killed. As these things are
well known, there is no occasion to recite them
in this letter, the object of which is to put on
record such new facts as I have discovered in
the course of my intercourse with many Con
federate officers who took part in the affair.
"On the morning of the explosion the fort,
the rifle trenches to the right and left were
held by a brigade of South Carolina troops.
The work was defended in addition to the in
fantry, by a battery of four Napoleon guns,
under ' Captain Pegram, an officer I have met
bere. The fact that I have met him here at all
is due to the circumstance that on that particular
morning he was at his camp a mile to the rear;
for as to bis command they were all blown into
eternity all save two that were dug out. Be
sides this loss Captain Pegram informs me that
of tbe South Carolina troopg in the fort and in
the works to the right and left about a hundred
were killed a fact which I believe is now known
for the first time. Having occupied the breach
made by tbe explosion, it was the design that
the Union troops should without baiting press
forward to a height in tbe rear of the fort known
as Cemetery Hill; but this purpose was not car
ried into execution. Ha'd it been done, it bas
been claimed that Petersburg would have fallen,
and I have little doubt this would have been the
case, for standing here on Cemetery Hill, one
readily sees that it takes in reverse everything
the enemy had, both to oppose this advance: at
least, not more than a hundred or two of the
South Carolina brigade, who had been holding
a position in reserve. Sc paralized was tbe
enemy that this state of facts continued for three
hours; and it is plain to see that only such
shameless mismanagement on the part of the
officers, as was developed by the inquiry which
General Grant instituted into the affair, baulked
complete success. Finally Lee recovered him
self, and withdrawing Mahone from bis position,
a mile and a half to the Confederate right, he
j gent him to recover the ground. That officer,
; riding over the scene with me, has pointed out
to me whence be came: how. he brought his
j troops round unperoeived under cover of a hill
j how, striking a-raving a l:ttle to the (Umon)
right of the fort, he brought his men forward
toward the position and advanced, hidden by
some low ground. "When I arrived," (loquitur
Mahone), "I counted eleven ' battle-flags along
the parapets; eleven times two are twenty-two,
(counting two hundred men to a regiment),
twenty-twe hundred ron; bat then I reflected
that many of the colors were run forward simply
to bring up the men, and I saw that there could
not be that many. Disposing tbe troops thus
and so, we went forward and theUnioo troops
crowded back into the1 crater and the breast
works. It was about 9:30 o'clock when we
made that first charge-' Mj men pressed fox-
ward so close that they could take up tbe mus
kets left by the enemy on the ground and pitch
them, bayonet downward, into the crater. The
place, however, was made very hot by tht Union
batteries; but at length J. got up some mortars,
(they were little things; that you could tote), we
planted them within fifty yards of the work, acd
throwing tbe shells for: hundred feet into.the
air they would explode. riht in thefhols.
Finally, toward noon, after our own men bad
long called to the Yankees to come in, they
fluttered the white handkerchief, and all that
had not meanwhile succeeded in crawling back
surrendered. I. saw a good many of our men
that had been buried up in .the explosion they
were all covered with earth and looked as though
they bad grown there." And so ended what
Geo. Grant at the time very justly styled "this
miserable affair." .
The defence of Fort Gregg iwaa one of the
most gallant actions of the siege, and as 4he
death of Geo. Hill was connected with it, we
copy the account in full. ' We have heard
several versions of the circumstances under
which this distinguished officer came to bis
death, but as the annexed statement was derived
from Gen. Mahone, we receive it as authentic :
"Coming back by. the Boyd ton plank road, we
6trite once more tbe kfensive Hue of the Con
federates. Here, first of all, lying across the
road, is Fort Gregg, a powerful bastion work; and
one will hardly fail to pause here when he knows
what a desperate deed of valor was done therein.
On the morning of Sunday, th 2d of May,
April ? the day after Five'f'ofks, a' general at
tack was made along the front of all these works
enveloping Petersburg. The Sixth Corps having
succeeded in bursting through everything' in-Jts
front, the troops on the left towards Hatcher's
Run swung round towards Petersburg, and ffiolpg
up the Boyd ton plank road, advanced on Peters
burg from the westward side. But at Fort Gregg
they were stopped. The defence of this work
had been intrusted to a body of Mississippi troops,
numbering in all about 250 men. - They were
perfect marksmen and intrepid soldieis '."The
assault was made by the division of Gibbcmand
standing on the parapets of Gregg, one sees the
valley through which they advanced to the attack.
Adequately manned, the fort would be impregna
ble, for the guns perfectly command all the ave
nues of approach. This was soon apparent to
the assailants, for not advancing, they weie met.
by so deadly a fire that the line staggered and
broke. Attack after attack was made. but in vain,
till at length the defenders were reduced to thirty
men. Then in a renewed rush the Union troops
carried the fort, but it waj found that the loss was
above five hundred, so that each of these skilled
riflemen brought down two assailants. .In con
nection with the defence of Fort Gregg I must
also mention a fact which I learn from Geo. Ma
hone in regard to the death of the distinguished .
Confederate corps commander, A. P. Hill. Geo
Lee's headquarters were but a short distance in
rear of Gregg, in a house on the Boydton plank--road,
between the fort and the town. At the
time Fort Gregg was carried Gens. Hill and Ma
hone were in conversation with Lee at his bead
quarters. As the firing grew nearer and nearer,
Lee, intently listening to the sounds, suddenly
turned to Hill and said : "How is thi, General!
Your troops are giving way." Upon this, . II ill
mounting his horse, dashed to the front; but
while galloping down the road he suddenly came
upon two men in blue uniforms. "Throw down
your arms !M shouted the General. But the men
quickly sprang behind a tree,' and, leveling their -pieces,
fired. ITill fell from his horse dead. .
"And now we are back again; and looking
down from the heights, taking in the character,
of the memorials of the war as a whole, I cannot
help feeling that it was a wonderful siege and a
wonderful defence honorable alike to the valor
of both armies. Students will come here to see
examples of the most remarkable military engi
neering ever executed; and o long as men heed
the deeds of their fellows the story of their actions
here performed will be read with wonder and
awe. It is all over now, and gone into history; but
to me standing on this Cemetery height stand
ing here in the gleaming sun and looking down
on the debris of fort and frieze, it ' is no longer
past but present. For lo ! out of the earth rise
troops of shadowy figures, and niaihly pressing
into trench and parapet, grap with ghostly hands
muskets of vapor. It is the embattled armies
once more, with the tattered eneigns, the uppiled
terraces of struggle, and the yell and cheer of A
surging and swaying lines. But no, it is a dream;
back to your graves you shadowy forms in blue
and gray, and leave us to our work-day world.
Ak Improved Whitewash. Dr. Jacobsoa
has made a whitewash which is said to be almost ,
as durable as paint, by dissolving 0 parts of :
glue in 150 parts of water, and adding 2 parts of
caustic soda; after boiling, a flocculent precipe .
tate separates, which may, however, be disregar
tied. After the mixture has cooled, he adds 60
parts of water g!as, and stirs in enough oxide
of zinc to make it of the proper consistence for.
painting. ' Two coats should be applied, and ,
when dry a solution containing 10 per cent of
chloride of zinc should be laid on, which gives it
a beautiful gloss and great durability. It is well
suited for wood, metal or brick, but should be
applied as soon as made, for it cannot be kepi
long in tbe proper state. .
Will it not be as expensive as paint? '
New Marriage Skrvice. Geo. Francis Train .
says our modern marriage service should no w-a-days
read thus :
Clergyman Will you take this brown stone,,
this carriage and span, these diamonds for thy
wedded husband I Yes., . Will you. take thb
unpaid rnilfinerV bill; this high waterfall of
foreign hair these affecta ted accomplishments -
i ana ieeoie consiuuiwa wr iuy wegucu wiie i
Yes. - Then, what man has joined ' together "let
the next best man run away with, so that the first
divorce court may tear them asunder. 1 ' y
A disconsolate 'lovyer discourse th as follows:
"I sat me down, in thought profound;
This maxim, wie, I drew
Tis easier far to lpve.a gal,. - ". r
Than make a gal love jou.'
II
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