Decatur Eagle, Volume 6, Number 24, Decatur, Adams County, 17 July 1862 — Page 1

TIIE DECAT IJ R E A G LE.

VOL. 6

r HE9HL HE±22 DECATUR EAGLE. IS IfleVlD EVERY THURSDAY MORNING, BY A. J - HILL, EDITOR, PUBLISHER AND PROPRIETOR. F OFFICE— On Second Street, in Patterson’s budding, over the Drugstore. Terms of Subscription: One cony, one year, in advance, JI M if paid within the year, 1 50 If not paid, until the year has expired, 200 lETNo'paper will be discontinued until all ar rerages are paid except at the option of the Publisher, Terms of Advertising: One square, (ten lines) three insertions, $1 00 Each subsequent insertion, 25 , ITNo advertisement w ill be considered less than one square; over one square will be conn ted and cbargeil as two; over two, as three, etc, JTA liberal discount, from the-above rates, roadeon all advertisements inserted for a period longer three months. ' I ,’•The above rates »iu be strictly adhered to under-aD circumstances. JOB PRINTING: We are prepared to do all kinds of job-work, ins neat and workmanlike manner,on the m< Bl reasonable terms. Hur material for the com- , nietion of Job-Work . being new and of the lai I cat styles, we feel confident that satisfaction , rim be given. "" ■ ' RETIREMENT. A shady and sequestered spot, To meditate alone, There foot of man approncheth not, Untrodden and unknown ; A little brook to sing to me ; Some simple flower to smile ; The shelter of a spreading tree ; The gab s of Heaven the while. To fan me as thev murmur near, These would I ne’er resign, Tn call the proudest portion here, Vfith all its glory, mine. ttvsitw. . Poor world I Thou art a generour soul, Al! selfish though thou be. Tosipthe froth of pleasure’s bowl, And leave the draught to me. EPITAPH. Here lies Fremont, a mighty swnrder, Who never would obey an order. He killed his friends on every side, And then committed suicide, Let friends and foes both let him be, For he’s resigned and so ano we —N. Sunday Times, U - ~ ' A practical joker never keeps Ins friu'ds he sells them What wott'd this world be without wo .man? A shift-less concern. The n an who sets no value on his life, . i» probably not far wrong in his estimate 1 of it. The editor of a Western paper says many of his patrons would make good wheel horses— they hold back well. When a woman intends to give a man the mitten, she generally begins by knitting her brows. Why is it, that, when a debater makes mince-meat of his adversary, he is said not to mince matters. The calf of a thief’s leg is an appropriate place for a dog’s teeth to hold a meeting. ■i ii — — -- > He who brings ridicule to bear against truth finds in his hand a blade without a hilt—mo e likely to cut himself than any body else The editor of the Louisville Journal recently received a magnolia blossom from * widow at Nashville, who declares that she is a rebel, but admires Prentice, at d invitee him to visit her. Prentice replies: ‘Sweet widow, we thank you. If there are an) created beings more charming than the angels, it roust, according to our notion be young widows. You are a widow after our own heart, and we acknowledge You have got it. We will soon p ss at) hour with you, and if we do not make you loyal the first half hour, we Will agree to be rebel the last half. We slept last night with your great, fragrant bloatum at our bedside, and we hardly need tell yon that our dreams were a blending of flowers, and music, and birds, and Jtars, and love, and moonlight, and paradise, and kisses, and witches, apd widows ”

DECATUR, ADAMS COUNTY, INDIANA JULY 17, 1862.

Prosecution of the War. I 'Altogether the episode of Banks’ defeat and its attendant panic is not intrinr sically credible, either to the generalship lor the statemanvbip of the North. But yet the whole incident has convinced me more fully of the power and ultimate triumph of the Northern cause than any * thing I have yet seen. The North has now been so used to the idea of victory, so wedded to the conviction that the ens i of the rebellion was close at hand, that ) the intelligence of a Union army being ' disastrously defeated fell like a thunder--1 boll among them. Still, I ruin no party, [ or no paper, or no person that I met with [ have I heard anv thing but the one ex 'pression of opinion that the war must be pushed on with redoubled energy. ‘Within a week a hundred thousand volunteers have been raised, and the serviees of proba ly a hundred thousand more have been already declined. To judge of the importance of this fact you must remember who these new voiun I leers are. The scum and riffraff of the . I towns has been long ago worked off into | the armv. Every man who had no par-I ; ticular work to do, or ties to keep him at | j home, has been already drafted off. The 1 hundred thousand who volunteered last | week were all tncn, as a class, who had fcounted the cost of war, and found that,; on the w hole, their cares or duties or ties had been to important hi’heito to allow them to joi ; the war. Yet the moment the cry was raised that the cause of the North was in danger, every other consid- . ration was thrown aside. l ” The above is taken from the American [ correspondence of the London Spectator. I The correspondent is now traveling in this country, and what he says is true.— ! Yet an Abolition journal cannot be found . but argues that the Democratic party is “secretly organizing” to help the rebels, I and a thousand other lies that no one 1 would credit. If anything in the world would stimulate the exertions of the rebels it would be to read these journals, I from the Tribune, and Gazette down to j the smallest fry. Reader do you know, whv these false slanders are circulated •or? It is to build up the Abolition Union party. All for party. They know they are liars, and most of the leaders are convicted thieves and plunders of the Government —convicted by their own party. Twentieth Indiana in the Late Battles. The following extract is taken f. om the Cincinn iti Gazet'e's correspondence, and gives an account of the part the 20th Indiana—the only Indiana regiment with McClellan—bore on that memorable oc Icasion. This fight occurred on Wednesday. Col. Brown then led the regiment in’o j battle, the right win? commanded by I Lieutenant Col. Van Valkenburg, and I the left 1 y Capt. George F Dick of Company D. acting Major, Major Wheeler having been quite unwell for a week.— The Twentieth had no sooner crossed the road and penetrated the woods, than a sharp and destructive fire opened upon them; hut they pushed forward, firing as they went, right into the teeth of the overpowering force of the rebels. The Sixteenth- Massachusetts, which at one time had been supporting the battery, had now disappeared, battery and all. The Eighty-seventh still falling back under the heavy fire of the enemy, the General shouted to our bovs to cheer, and they did cheer, and charged, too, and went in with a yell The bullets now were th’ck ns leaden hail. Os all heavy musketry firing I ever heard, or rend of, this seemed the quickest and most destructive. It hardly took the time that it! takes to tell the story ere the battle was over, the rebels routed; and the slau’hter immense. As we neared the fence and. crossing, it, jumped into the field, the whole body f rebels, consisting of at least three, end aeme say five regiments gave way before j ns. and were retreating in confusion, their flags almost within our grasp, when the i Eighty-seventh suddenly gave wav on I the left, and the confusion it created one- , bled the rebels to flank ns, pour in an enfilading fire, and caused us to fall back into the woods. Then fell the gallant Lieut Vatchett. of Company D, and the brave Captain Lv- > tie of Company G. The fire swept down . the file closers, and so deadly was it that the results is seen in our list of killed, ; wounded and missing—and for missing' I read dead. ' Our gallant Lieut-Col. Van Valken-; i burg, too, fell at this fire, while the offi-, cers and men had their clothes torn with j bullets. Captain Meike) has four bullet holes in his coat; Lieut. Girdendorf three in bis blouse; the Sergeant Major had his <oat tails clipped,

“Our Country's Good shall ever beour Aim—Willin g to Praise and not afraid to Blame.”

-- -a j Here, too, fell Harvey Bassett, the tallest man and best soldivr in Company H; a man of cultivated mind and energetic disposition. He fell fighting tn a good cause. While receiving this flanking fire a sudden volley in our rear surprised us.— Lalling back we found the 101st New j York drawn up in our rear as a support Forming again we advanced to the frame bouse — receiving and returned the enemy’s fire—when suddenly two heavy volleys were poured into our rear. Wha did it mean? Our men now fell back, and behold! our sqpport. the 101st New York, had again fired into bur regiment; killing and wound ng our men. Shame to bring such a regiment into the field —•. i No wonder that Fair Oaks came near being a defeat. The regiments opposed to us in our engagement were the 4th and 22d Georgia; 38th Virginia, a North Catolma regiment | and perhaps another. We strewed the field with five hundred dead and wowed rebels. They were under command lof Maj. r General Huger. The field of ! battle is a neutral ground, between both pickets. To day a Hag of truce passed through the lines, and to-night both parties bury their dead. Col. Brown was ev rywhere, where 'danger was thickets! He was ably assisted by acting Major George F. Dick, and our energetic Adjutant Stiles. After' the fight the 20ih Indiana bivouacked on the battlefield. [From the American Agriculturist ] Cultivation of Winter Wheat. Wheat, one of ths greatest staples of the country, if rightly managed may be 1 made one of the most profitable of our' cereals, up n almost any soil. Twenty I years’ experience has demonstrated to; n e that we hardly need fail of success, it l the following mode of proc'edtng be strict ly followed. Select none hut the best seed of bearded wheat. The Whtte chaff is preferable, ' it being worth some ten cents more per! bushel tn Eastern markets. Prepare s strong brine—do not depend upon old beef or pork brine and wash as long as any filth or immature grain rises to the surface. By this process we shall expel from two to three quarts of foul seed and , shrunken grain per bushel, from what would be called an “extra” article. Be.d prepared in tl is manner will send up none but the most hardy and vigorous plants, consequently will be | PSS lia’ble to winterkill; and as like produces like, we may look for an article in the increase equel if not superior to that which was sown.— Add three quarts of dry. fresh-slacked lime to every bushel of wheat' mix up thoroughly two days, nr two week’, previous to sowing. This is impo r,ant — neglect the lime and nine times ou' YAd you wi 1 have more or less smut., which will depricate the value of the wheatI he ground, if rich and strong enough, may be sown, after peas, otherwise, after summer follow. Tn either case, manure on tlte surface, and plow or dragin with the wheat. I prefer to use about fifteen loads to the acre thus prepared; then. after sowing thinly, to plow it in. The seed, by coming in immediate contact with the mannre, receives a thrifty and vigorous start, which it otherwise would not attain. This I think is highly important to insure success. T have never used the drill, but in its stead Ide's cultivator which answers agoo’d purpose. If you harrow i > the seed, in no case roll afterwards, as the inequalities of the surface will prevent the snow from blowing off. and the plants will be less liable to; he affected by frost. But if covered with a drill or cultivator this precaution is tin-: neces«arv t the seed being so much deeper. and the roots less exposed. When the ground is settled in Spring, go over with a heavy rolle-; it covers many rx 'nosed roots and often adds five to seven bushels per acre. Have the ground well nulverized pre-' vious to sowing; it is useless to sow on lumpv Rid badly prepared anil. In case there is no manure to be had, cover the | surface immediately after sowing and he [fore the wheat starts, with a light layer 'o f straw; the wheat in a short, time will come through, and prevent it from blowing off. The straw will act as"a mulch, and the ground being shaded will retain the moisture; and if t' e soil is not very, non: you mav expect a good paying crop Two and « half bushels salt per acre tends to prevent rust, makes the straw strong and bright, and gives the voting wheat a dark color. If anyone donb's the truth of this statement. I hope he will make the experiment, and my word for I it. he will at once adopt the practice. I know of no bet’er mode to prevent the | ravages of the midge than early sowing, i and even this sometimes fails. The last ' week in August, nr the first in Septem- | her, I would prefer, but this depends up. 'on circumstances; if the weather is dry and hot, I would rather wait until Octo- ' ber. Some years since I made an expe-

riment Co test early and bite sowing.— [One piece was Sowed the last week in August; one the last week in September, and one the middle of October, on th* I same kind of soil and treated in every Lrespect alike. There was no difference ■in the time of ripening or in the quality ,ot the gran, but the earliest sowed pro jduced the longest heads, consequently ' yielded more per acre. Ido not sow plaster 7 on wheat, as n 'tends to. rust, ami increases the bulk to [straw but not of grain. Cut wheat as soon as the straw pres ents a golden appearance below the bead to the first joint. The grain will be some t what soft, but there need be no fear of I shrinkage; it will produce more and bet ter flour per bushel than if let stand until it becomes thoroughly dry. Bind in ■ small sheaves;-put them in a slook capped 1 with two sheaves securely boon 1 on.— Put up in this manner wheat will stand through a 1 ng spell of wet weather wit) • out any fear of growing. If posstl e thrash with a machine as it is drawn to the barn; it will save once handling and it tnay then at once be secured from all kinds of vermin and will be free from . filth, which will enhance its value. Ol I course if the above directions are follow ; ed, your wheat will he of such a superior quality that it will be marketed al your own door for seed, which will save t e ' expense of transportation, and will com- ! mand fifty cents rrore per bushel than an i ordinary article, and in proof of the above I theory I will g've you the result of two fields treated ns 1 have prescribed. Frttn one acre and four rods, forty three ami one half bushels, sold for seed at two I dollars per bushel. On the other field I ' sowed fourteen and one half bushels, and ■ harvested three hundred and fifteen bush- j els. GOVERNOR MORTEN’S PRCLAMA-J TION. 7b the People of Indiana The large number of troops required to garrison and hold the great exient of territory wbioli has been wrested from the possession of the rebels by the many an dtstinquished victories that have attended the Union arms, enables the reb 'els greatly to outnumber our forces now in the vicinity of Richmond. The greater part of the rebel army has been concentrated at Richrnoml. their last stronghold, for a final and desperate struggle, and the army ot the Union while fighting with a gallantry hardly equaled, and never stir ■ passed in the annals of warfare, has by . overwhelmning numbers been compelled' to a short and temporary retreat. The President in the exercise of the I powers vested in hitu by- the Constitution and Laws of the United States, has called for 30(1,000 men, a force deemed en- ' tirely adequate to the crushing out of the . rebellion and the restoration of peace, and the Uni n of the States, Again I upon the loyal and patri otic men of Indiana, to come forward and supply the quoto due from our State.— , Up to this ho ir Indiana occupies a most exalted position connected with the war. Her troops have been in almost every battle, and have behaved with uniform and [ distinguished gallantry. Never before | has the State held so proud a place in the opinion of the world and it should be the j prayer and effort, of every loyal citiz'-n that she may not now f alier and that noth- i ing may hereafter occur to detract fr< m her well earned honors. But while we are justly proud of the high rank to which Indiana has attained, we should never forget that our allegiance and high lest duty are due to the nation, of which Indiana is but a part. That in struggling for our National Government, we are con tending for our National existence, honor and all that is dear to freemen, and that in this struggle, we must succeed a' whatever coat. That it is the duty ol every State to furnish promptly her full proportion of military force called by the . President, and that in d ing so she has no right to dictate the terms of his military policy, oi prescribe conditions precedent upon which such force shall be furnished. To do so would be to recognize the odious doctrine of State Rights, I as it has been taught by rebel politic! <ns 1 for manv years and which is but another name for Secession and the cause of al' j our wotI therefore call upon every man, what- j ever may be his rank and condition in life, to put aside his business, and come I to the rescue of his country. Upon eve- ' ry man individually let me urge the sol- ' emn truth, that whatever may be his condition or business, he lias no business or I duty half so important to himself an<> ' family as the speedv and effectual sup ' pression of the rebellion. Those who from age and infiimitv can j not enter the army "an yet do much to I stimu'ate others, and I want every man to f eP J especially called upon to exert himself, and by public and private exhorta- ■ t'on. and by every legitimate influence !encourage the immediate filling up of the new regiments. And to the women of

Indiana let me specially appeal; to tlibse whose hearts are so full of love of country nd who, by their labors and contributions, have done so much to relieve the sick and wounded soldiers: Emulate tlie viriues of the Roman matron, urge your ■ions, husbands and brothers to the th Id. Your n fluence is all pervading and powrful. And to the lovely maiden h-t me say, Bi ware of Unit lover who, lull of health and vigor, lingers al home in inglorious ease when his country calls him to arms. i The 12th and 16th Indiana Regiments j will be rendezvoused at Indianapolis, as before provided. At present one regiment will be called tor from tach Congressional District, to he numbered and located as follows: ,Con. Dis. Itegt. Wlflire Lucatad. Ist 65th EvstibVillu. 2d 66tlt New Albany. 3d 67th Madison. 4th 63th Greensburg. | sth 69'h Rich : on. 1 6th 7Ulh Indianapolis. 7lh 71st Terre Haute. Bth 72J Lafayette. 9th 73,1 South Bend. 10th 74th Fort Wayne. |ll;h 75th Wabash Town. Six batte ies are called for, to consist of 156 men each, lobe rendezvous at In- , dianapojis or in the camp in the District in which it is raised, as may be desired. Tints, uniforms, arms, artillery and [i qnipments of every kind will be furnished at the various camps as fast as required. Carnmanders of -he camps will be promptly npoiuted, and every facility afi forded for recruiting and providing for the troops. [ The period of enlistment will be for [ I “three vears or during the war,” and the ! terms and inode of organization will be. pointed out in an order tc be issued in a i day or two by the Adjutant Geneaal. O. P. Morton. Governor of Indiana. ( . w . . From the American Agriculturist. Ilogs tn the Apple Orchard. Nobody sends such apples to market . as my neighbor John Jacob*. He al- I ways has apples to sell and gets the high- I est price. Folks prefer fair, large ap- I pies; and such are always packed in Ja , cobs’ barrels. You might seat cb them with a candle and not find a kno'tv fruit ! or a worm bole Such Rhode Island j Gieenings and Roxbury Russets I have! never met with n the old States. They j are as handsome ns anv thing in the virgin soils of the west. I was going by Jacobs’ orchard last Summer, and I had the curiosity tn call ! and examine for myself. Save I, ’Neigh- ’ bor, what is there in your soil that makes j such smooth, large apples? T eV are a third bigger than any 'Mng I can get, and my trees look ns wel] as yours ’’ “The secret is not in the soil,” John replied, with a twinkle in his eye, “but ! on it Do y< u see those grunters there? My pork brings me fifty cents a pound, — eight in flesh, and the ballance in fruit. I began to pasture mv'orchard ten warago with hojrs an ,l since that lime I have , had no trouble with wormv fruit- Apples, as a general thing, don’t fall from the tree unless unmet' ing is the matter , with them. T) IP np-le worm and cutcn- ' lio lav their eggs in the fruit., and the apples drop early. T' e pigs devour the apples, and by September every unsound apple gon" and Ib ve nothing but fair , fruit left. The crop of insects for the I next ye ris destr' y dbv the pigs. Thev | root around under the frees, keep the soil I loose, manure the land some, nrd work over what manure I spread. The apples help the pigs, and the pigs help the ap pies.” I saw John’s secret at once, and have profi ed hr it I never had so few insects as this spring, and I give the pigs [ credit for it. In turning the orchard in- , to a pasture put in pigs,—not Inndptkes • with snouts like levers. You might loose trees as well ns insects in thnt case. Bur , well hred animals, with judicious snouts, will root in a subdued and Christian like I manner. Jonathan. From the Richmond Examiner of Julv 4 Rebel Account of the Battle of Malvern ' Hill—The Last Day’s Fight. The batt’e of Tuesday was perhaps the | ' fiercest and most sanguinarily of the «»• ' ties of bloody conflicts that have sign-di ; 'zed each of the last seven days. We I i have already adverted to the part played i in the action by General Jackson and oth-i-rs. hut ns yet, have made 1 ttle mention ’of the operations upon the occasion of i I General Magruder and the troops under! [lds cimmnnd We now propose to give j [such partic lars as we have obtained on ; the field after the battle. Early on Tuesday morning, the enemy, i from the position to which he had been I driven the night before, continued his tietreat in a southwesterly direction to- ! wards his gunboat" on James River — l At 8 o’clock A M . Magruder recom- ' menced the pursuit, advancing cautiously

- but sitadily, and shelling the forests and swamps in front as he progressed This ■ method of advance was kept op through- • out ihe morning and until 4 o'clock P. M., wiihoti' coming up with the enemy.— r Hut, betwei n ft nr and five o'clock, our . trot ps reached a large open field, a mile - lung and three-quarters tn width, on the • (arm ol Dr. Carter. The enetny were f discovered strongly intrenched in adense forest on the other side of this field.— j Their arti lery, of about fifty pieces; could b: plainly sc in bristling on their 1 » freshly constructed earth-works. At , ten minutes before five o’clock P. M , (tin. Magruder ordered I,is mtn to | charge across the field and drive the efi- ) einy troni their position. Gallantly they sprang t the encounter, rushing Into the fi< Id at a full run. Instantly fr,. n the lines of the enemy's breHst-wotks a murderous storm of grape | and canister was hurled into tlieir ranks, with the most terrible effect. Officers and men went down by hundreds; btil I jet, undaunted and unwavering, our line daMtkd on until two thirds of the distance across tlte field was accomplished. Here the carnage fiom the withering fire lof the enemj’s combined artillery and musketry was dreadful. Our line wavered a tn ment and fell back to the cov!er ol the woods. Twice again the effort tottearrv the position was renewed, but each time with the same results. Night nt 1. n,'th, rendered • further attempt injudicious, and the tight until 10 o’clock was kept up by the artillery of both sides. To add to the horrors, if not the dangers of the battle, the enemy’s gunboats from tl eir position a’. Curl’s Neck, two land a half miles distant, poured on the field continued broadsides hom their immense rifle guns. Though it is questionable. as we have suggested, whether any ' serious loss was inflicted on us bv the I gunboats, the horrors of the fight were aggravated by the monster shells, which lore shrii Tting through the forests and ex- . ploded with a concussion which seemed 'to shake the solid earth itself. The mor--lal effect on the Yankees of these terrori inspiring allies must have -been verv | great; and in this, we believe, cons’sted j their greateit damage to the army of the I South. It most not be inferred from the above account that the slaughter was al) upon our side. We have the best reasons to i know that the well directed fire of our cannon an ! musketry, both before and ;-übsequent to our efforts to storm the enI emy’s position, fell with fatal effect upon I his heavily massed forces. At ten o’clock P. M the last gun was tired from our side. Each side held the ■ position occupied when the fight begun, and during the remainder of the night each was bu ily engaged removing their I wounded. The rumble r>f the enemy’s i ambulances and wagons, in rapid and I hurried motion did not cease even with [the dawn. At ten o’clock Wednesday morning they w, re still busy, and discontinued their labors, not because their I wounded had been removed, but for fear jof our advan e. Our wounded were [carried from the field directly to the farm hou’es tn the neighborhood, whence, after tl eir injuries had been examined ai d | dressed, they were biought to this city. During the morning the enemy evacuated his position and retreated, still bearing in a southeasterly direction, ahd apparent'y hot attempting to les en the dis- ; tance between him and his offs The battle field, surveyed tl r >ugh the ' cold rain ot Wednesday morning, presen- [ ted scenes too thocktng to be dwelt on without anguish. The woods and the field before mentioned were, on the western side. Covered with <ur dead, in all the degrees of violent mntila'inn, while in the woods west of the field lay, in about equal numb!rs, the blue uniformed hodlies of the enemy. Many of the latter I were still alive, bavin? bee t left by their I 'riends in their indecent h iste to escepe i from the rebels. Greet numbers of horses were’lulled on I both sides, and the sight of their disfiguretl carcasses and the stench proceeding I from them adt'e I much t > the loathsom - | horrors of the bloody field. The corn I fields, but recently turned by the plough- [ share, were furrowed and torn by the iron ! missiles. Thousands of round shot and unexploded shells lav upon the surface cf ; the earth. Among the Lt er were many lof the enormous shells thrown from tha gunboats. Thev were eight inches in width bv twenty-three tn L ngth. The ravages of these monsters were everywhere discernible through the forests.— lln some plsces long avenues were cut [ through the tree-tops, and here and there great trees, three and four feet in thick- | ness, weie burst open and split to verv I shreds, lu one remarkable respect this [ battle-field differed in appearance from I any of the preceding days In the track jof the enemy’s flight there were no cast i awav blue great coats, no blankets, tents, or clothing; no letters, and no wasttd ■I CUSTINUKD ON SECOND PAGE.

NO 24.