Decatur Eagle, Volume 7, Number 21, Decatur, Adams County, 4 July 1863 — Page 1

I 111. DECATUR EAGLE.

VOL. .7

nr-c DECATUR EAGLE. ISSUED EVERT SATURDAY MORNING, BY. Spencer & Schirmeyer. ruFi ishers’am' proprietors. OFFICE —On Second Street, in Patterson’« outlding, over the Drug Store. Terms of Subscription: One copy, one year, in advance, $1 00 If paid* within the year, 1 50 If not paid until the year hna expired , 2 Ol> ' U*No paper will be dlacontixuod until all arrerages are paid except at the option f the Publisher. Terms of Advertising: One square, (ten lines) three iiisTtions, $1 00 i Each sub sequent .insertion, 25 , IQ*No-advertisement, will be considered less ; than one square; over ne square will he counted and charged as tw; over two, as three, etc, £7* A liberal discount, from the above rates, rriadeon *ll advorusemeubUnaerted for a period longer three months. XjFThe above rates will be strictly adhered to underail circuanstances. JOB PRINTING: We are prepared to do all kinds of job work r.a neat and workmanhH p- nr**, on rhen«cst reasonable terms. Our mrttfl j for the com plf-tien of Job-Work, beingaww j»_ I of the lat ♦•st styles, we feel contideirt that satisfaction 4'Sii be given. DECATI 881 SIAESS (SX BURT HOUSE. I) e cat.ur, In di a n*a, BB BLJ Proprietor. Will give good attention,and uinkes reasonable charges. ii3“-v(i-lv. I). W. CHAMFER. PHYSIC A IN * SURGEON DECATUR, INDIANA. ijJ'OFFICE—On the east side of Second Kt . in the room formerly occupied by J. D. Nuttotrin as a banking office. v4-n42. n a vll> sthiaiiakeii, ATTORNEY ATJAW AND CLAIM A G E N T DECA T UR, INDIA N A . Will Practice ii» Ad uns and adjoining Count ivs Will secure bounties, prnsipns; and all kinds -«»f c’.niiea against the Government. •!’/’OFFICE.—On Main Street itnmediatch South of the Auditor’s Office—l 2 JAMFS R. 8080. Attorney and Counselor at Law, DECATUR. IXDIAXA. (TyoFFICE, in R.corder’s. Office..rp Will practice in the Courts of the Tenth Ju •dic.inl Circuit. Attend t the Redemption of Land*, the pay...ritt of Thx<*m. Especial atten, tion will be gi vpii to the ctdlecl ion f Bounties J'«:i»ion and -.11 claims against the Government. Nov. 2S, IBG2. vfi-t 12. i fl CURE GHLEIU! I P. V. SMITH. Ambrotype & Photograph fllaving permanently located in Decatur and *uppli<-d himself wit)i everything that may be found in a First Class Picture Gallery, Would call the attention of all who desire god Jhcturo at low prices, to call nt hi« rooms in Ron.*ton’s Building, immediately over the Drug &turc. n37-ly .v* -A— ——- Y-•— — z - JEFFERSON QUICK, dealer is CLOCKS, WATCHES, MUSICAL I.YBTKUJIENi’S, JEWELRY. &C., DECATUR. INDIANA. ■Clocks Watches, Jewelry, Musical Instru a:;ent», Ac., repaired on short notice. SaQ,l’—Ou Second Street, ill Frazee’s law of (fice. von 41 V ICK SB (KG! I. J. MIESSE, In his line of business. Defies the World! All other LIKE INSTITUTIONS thrown in ’he shade! All efforts at- COMPETITION gone by the BOARD. It i« acknowledged by all t hat he can sell a BET7 ER article of Harness Saddles, Bridles, Whips, ami all such like /or LESS money than any other establishment in Northeastern Indiana, without exception. Hix work is all wananted to be made of the ▼cry best material, aad made by old and expe rienced workmen. Buggies and carriages trimmed in the latest and most approved style. Repairing dune on short notice and at reasonable rates. •TTGtve us a call, and we will convince you of the truth of what we *ay. We PAY CASH for our stock, and consequently BUY CHEAP ER than if we bought, on TIME; and of course wi bell in proportion.—n3t?-v6.

EUREKA. __ BY NIGGERHI AB. I We have found away At the present day To fix the affairs of the nation; The magic pill For every ill Is—issue a proclamation. it Pray would you make Your enemies quake/ No need of a flagelation What sword and gun Have erstwhile done We do with a proclamation. nt Zis thus we tight In the cause of right For our glorious land’s salvation; < fur foenien tall Or go to the wall By strength of proclamation IV 'Tis thus we save The suffering slave. On the distant rice plantation; And though his chain I'nlosed remain He is flee by Proclamation'. v. Oh, some may sing 't hat Cotton is king Or Corn for a variation; In our new school We own no rule But that of the Procinin-ition VI. Though the flag should go To the place below And the land to annihilation. Still think we must It is fair and just If according to proclamation vit So let us raise • A hymn of praise To the leaders of our nation ’Tis plain that they Will gain the day— At least in proclamation'. A Merchant advertising for a boy adds' Ladies who part their hair in the middle, ‘ ‘ need not apply ’ ‘Where,’is the east?" inquired a tut,nr 1 one dav of a very little pupil. Where the morning conies from,’ was the prompt but pleasant answer. i Grief knits to hearts in closer bonds than happiness ever can and common stifI sering are far stronger links than common An insatiable lover must have been Cattl’ltis, a Roman poet, who was asked by Les bina how many of her kisses would satisfy him' and replied. As many as there are sands in the deserts or stars in the heavens.’ There is a gentlemen . resi ing at Notting Hall who is unusually scrupnlons with regard, to .having his door-plate j polished every morning being determined Io leave an untarnished name behind him when he goes to ’be city. ‘Dixie.’ the Richmond correspondent of the Jackson Appeal says that as a matI ter of pardonable curiosity he asked a fashonable tailor what he would charge for a plain suit of black clothes to which . he meekly replied $250. Writers in England suggest that a heavy duty be put upon crinoline in order to ' confine its use tn the rich only so that servant girls and humble people may be spared the danger of gett'ng burned to death. j — - I The severest criticism to u fitch a man can be subjected is to try himself by himself —to condemn to day’s productions not because it is intrinsically had but because it doesn’t happen to be srf good ns yesterday’s Birds have often seemed to us like the messengers from earth to heaven—chtu’- ! ged with the homage and gratitude of nature and gifted with the most eloquent voices to full fill their mission. 1 am alnso.'t precared to say that there never was a dozen purely professional men who died in poorer circnnistauces than those in which they were born. An acidulous old batehelor of onr acquaintance says that he never hears of a , place called Ros Cottage without think- 1 in of the thorns there must be inside ( '

'Otir Country's Good shall eve.’’ he cur Aim —Willing to Praise and not afraid to Blame.”

DECATUR, ADAM COUNTY, INDIANA, JULY 4, 1883.

Soldier’s Letter Ni:\ r Vicksburg, June Cth 1883. Mr. Noah Baxter: In remembrance the friendship formerly existing between your son Isaac who, as you probably are 1 already aware, was killed at the battle of Champion Hills on the 16th of May, I cannot refrain from writing you a few lines sad and difficult as the task inay be It will be impossible for me to give you the particulars or our marches and count" er-inarches by night and by day, since we left Milliken’s Bend, of our privations and sufferings enduring hunger and thirst and every imaginable sort of weather, camping in the open air without tents, in the drenchingrain or the piercing rays of a Southern sun, sleeping every night .on our arms to prevent a surprise from ! the wiley foe, who improve every opportunity to harass and molest us. Such things can only be realized by experience not by description. Suffice it for me to say that every hardship was borne by this gallant army without inurmer or complaint, and it must thrill a father’s heart with pride and pleasure to know that his son belonged to such a gallant : band of heroes. About noon on friday, May loth we arrived at Clinton, a station on the Southern Railroad, running betwween Jackson and Vicksburg, ten miles from the fonnei, and forty from the latter place lUp to this time or rather for three or four days previous we had been marchtug toward the capitol of the State; but : when we arrived here we learned that Sherman had already captured -the city and we therefore turned off unto the Vicksburg road again, going as far as Belton,s station that evening. This was the night before the ba'tle. Our company was deployed as skirmishers ahead of the regiment; Isaac belonged to the fiist relief, Ito the second and thus we were seperated and I did not see any more of him that night. Bitt the rest of the boys told me since that he was happy and j cheerful as usual, singing his best songs and desiring others to sing with him.— , None of us suspected in the least that the I enemy was so close upon us, or that we iwe were upon the eve of a bloody baitle At 7 o’clock next morning we took up . our line of march again toward Vioks- • burg, and tha first indications of an ini-: pending battle we had was when we advanced in line of battle through a rye field near Champion Hills. It was now nine o'clock. The struggle had already i i commenced on our right where General! Smith was coming up. We lay near the brow of a hill when the word to ad vane rung along the lines. The first brigade i to which the 11 th Indiana belonged was already engaged. VN e advanced to their , support taking the enernys battery at the point of the bayonet and driving him probably three quarters of a mile. Their fire however, became fiercer and heavier evei'y moment. We were now in a sort of ravine or gully partly sheltered from ■ the rebel ballss by the netural breastwork 'of a steep bank. There the battle raged .in deadly earnest, and here our brave comrades fell. Isaac was in the front rank on the extreme right of the compa--1 ny. Emanuel Alguire who was just taking aim nt a rebel was shot before he had time to fire his piece, and fell dead„ at my feet. Andrew w Scoles next fell Isaac turned round a moment and then aduressing his left hand man said, “Scoles is shot too." These were his last, words He had scarcely uttered them when he himself was struck by the murderous lead the ball entering a little above the forehead and coming out at the head. Ile . breathed nrobablv ten minutes, but did not speak again. In the meantime the rebels were hurling regiment after regiment and column after column against our unsupported 1 lines and our division was slowly driven back, thus losing the ground wc had al-. readv gained. Zhe balls whistled around I me so thick and fast that it is a profound ! mystery to me how I or any ofthe survivors earn e out ahve. There was not a tree, log, stump, or sapling of the size of inv wrist that was not struck, some as high as seventeen times. A kind provi deuce was eventually on our side, else I ; I

cannot see how the bullets missed us.— IB ut hurrah! Thank God reinforcements r is ccming. A brigade of General Logan's 1 ' division here came to our assitance, the tide was turned, the rebels retreated prei cipitiitely and the day was won. It was ‘ now nearly dark. 1 went back to where . our tallen boys were lying, and passed I over the ground that had been won, lost land won again, fought over three times. I May God in his infinite mercy grant that 1 I may never be compelled to witness such a sight again. The dead and dying ’ were lying all around in heaps, blue jack- > ets and rebels in death had forgotten en- ; j mity and strife and lay in tranquil peace , j side by side. Gen. Hovey cried like a child when he rode over the field of car- > nage, and well he might for thirteen him •' died and seven men of his division were i, either killed or disabled. . i Next morning 1 had onr boys buried . together on an eminence near the place where they fell, in the shade of a stately magnolia surrounded by sweet scented hollies, and placed a board at their heads I with the initials of their name, compauv • and regiment inscribed upon it. They . 1 all sleep side by side in one common, I grave. And now in conclusion allow me to - say that though you have lost your child yet it must always be a consolation to you , to know that he died for his country, that he gallantly took his life in bis hand as it were and offered it up at the shrine ’of liberty and equal rights. Despair not ■ but put your trust in that supreme being • who never errs, but doeth all things for . the best. Remember that it was the will : of an all-wise God that Isaac should leave this world of trouble and remember too that he died in a good cause, that he died the glorious death of a true patriot.— The whole company, one and all greatly ; , feel his loss, miss his cheerful laugh and social g. od humour, and we sincerely '! sympathize with the bereaved father in ; his affliction. Isaac has gone home to join bis mother in eternal bliss. May] the sod ofthe Mississippi valley rest lightly on his bosom. We are now in the rear of Vicksburg within two miles of the center of the city I We can see the steeples of their church- . es and Courthouse, and can distinctly hear the town clock strike on a still calm j night. We are detailed as sharpshooters j every other day. When on duty we are 1 within 150 yards of the rebels and pick off their gunners with a revengeful per'severence, for we yet remember Champion Hills and our fallen comrades. The I rebels cannot use their artillery, that is if they have any. I don't believe they have much, for partly at Champion Hills and partly at Black River Bridge and on i the road from there to the city we captured about seventy five pieces, which evidently were taken from their rear defenses. The town is completely surrounded They can neither get in nor out except deserters who come over every night.— , i These report that the garrison is already ; on half rations and that they can’t hold out much longer, Their only hope is in Johnston coming up in our rear, and if he cant speedily raise an army large enogh to seriously threaten our communications they are gone under beyond hope. The army has the fullest confidence in General Grant, as Grant has unbounded faith , in the fighting qualities of bis army and it would be strange indeed if both together cannot attain the desired object. | A skillful general and a fighting army ( can perform wonders—Vicksburg must' fall. Just now 1 learned that one of our wounded, Johnston Beam, died in the. hospital a few days ago. The rest are getting aiongfinelv. Ira A Blossom has; been with the regiment several days.. Butlmustelose. My health is not very good of late and has not been since ; ehe late battle, and it fatigues me consid-, erable to write much. With respects to I ' vour family and vourself, 1 am sincerely j Yours, GODFREY CRISTEN. I Instead of retaliating upon the man who calls you villain, liar or thief coolly in form him that you have not suffleient confidence in his veracity to believe him. A minister at a camp meeting said— 1 ‘lf the lady with the bluebonnet, red ■ hair and cross eyes does not stop talking she will be pointed out to the eongrega-' tion. The heart is a small thing but desireth great matters. It is not sufficient for a kite’s dinner, yet the whole world ! is not sufficient for it. - A n untarnished character is of vastly more value than glossy boots. Do good with what thou hast or it will : do thee no good. A careless watchman invites the fee. I - I

Sad Conclusion of a Bridal Par > ty—One of those psinlul episodes in lite C which reminds us of the uncertainty of ‘ all things human was witnessed yesier- • day at Elmira on the return of the 231 ’ regiment from the field. The people of ' Elmira made all the preparations requisI ite to give the returning volunteers a warm welcome, and many came in from abroad who had friends in the regiment ; to join in the festivities. Among those • who had come was a bride to meet her ini' tended husband, Capt. Clark, of the 23d • The feeling ol the party, knowing that the train was momentairley expected, ■ may well be imagined. The train earn*, i but instead of biinging the young Captain full of life and with buyonant hope, brought his corpse. He had been killed but a few, hours before near Williams, port, by coming, in contact, wiih, a bridge. The bride was ouerwhelmed with grief and was. borne, away/by sorrowing friends. The party returned to Cortland bearing the remains, of Capt. Clark i - —\ mourning troupe indeed.—[Roc)ks-| ter Union, I4'h. — • — Th® Potato.—Dr. Lankester thus, ,comments, upon, the virtues of the potato: Ido not know whether any of you have speculated upon the reason why Europe should have seized with such avidity upon tliat plant which is foreign to its shores; but there are philosophical writers who trace the cessation of the plague and other epidemic visitations to, ■the use of the potato. When we come to compare the potato with wheat and the cereal grains, we find it contains not so much starch as rice, or wheat, or barley, and very little hutrilious matter. It seems, then, looking at it from this point of view, as ii it was, a matter of very little importance whether we eatpoI tatoes or not as long as we get flesh forming and heat-giving substances from ■ • other rource-; but h< re are these ashes, j one pound in a hundred poundsand what; are they principally? Why salts of potash j llt is not much, to be sure about a drajchm in the pound but the quantity seems in some measure explanatory ol its influence ou the health of tho population of ■ Europe. Mrs. Douglas and hkk Family —A Washington correspondent ot the Springfield Republican alluding to the death ot i James Madison Cu'.ts, the father ot Mrs Douglas, says: Mrs. Douglas is again in mourning. , She was always a favorite with her father, and the attachment between them was unusually strong. She is now left, ; alone with her children to battle with life as best she cun. The children relin quished their Memphis estate long ago j by choosing to remain here and espouse I the cause of their country. One of the; | boys is upon Gen Burnside’s staff. D | the Government succeeds in restoring the Union, or inputting down the rebellion, i the children will recovertheir Southern’ estate through doubtless in a ruined condition. Eyerv few months the gossip-1 mongershave coined a new story respiting Mrs. Douglas. They have married; her to several men but most frequently ito Mr. Chase. What makes the matter worse, is that there never was the slightjest foundation for it. Il must have, been started purposely for a mischevous: purpose. Mrs bus busied her- j self for the last two years at the hospitals. There is not a women tn the i country who has been more active in do- j ing good than she and hundreds of wour.■ j i ded and sick soldiers will remember her name with gratitude. A Femalb Bachelor ok Science 3.—■! The Paris correspondent of a London paper says: A young lady presented herself at the . I Sorbone a few days since to pass her ex - , lamination for the degree of Bachelor of ISceince. The rector of the Academy of; Lyons established the principle two years. ; since of admitting women to take the de- ! gree of bachelors of letters and of scien-; ices. An examination at the Sorbonne is the more trying ns there is not a woman present at the assembly. Mademoiselle I Emma Client! passed a brilliant examination. Her agitation was ex'rome, but she was, supported; and encouraged by j the demeanor, of the collegians. The I announcement, of her admission among i the new, bachelors, was hailed by a burst of applause from the entire, assembly. M. Milne Edwards personally congratulated Mademoiselle Chenu on her success. A gentleman was threatening to beat a dog, which barked intolerably. Why,’ exclaimed an Irishman, wo'd you bate the poor baste for spakein’ out?’ ■ : —. — •I really believe husband, that vn» and your fellows will eat up everything wo have got * On, no w» shan't, wife we mean to drink part of it.'

.MINCE PIES VS. TRACTS We heard a good story yesterday related of a German who was confin' d one of the hospitals at Nashville , whic\ proves 'conclusively that sick soldier appreciate loud for the stomach more than food for the mind. 1 A Rebel lady visited the hospital one 1 morning with a oegio servant, who car 1 ried a large bosket on Ills arm, covered with a white linen cloth. She approached our German, friend and accosted him lhus: Are you a good Union man? I ish dat. was the laconic reply of the German, at the same, time casting, a hopeful, glance, at the aforesaid basket. That is all I wanted to know,’ replied the lady and beckoning the negro ’ to fellow slie passed to the opposite side i of the room where a Rebel soldier lay, asked him the question to which he very promptly replied: Not bv a d—d sight, , Tl;e l idy thereupon uncovered the ba»- [ ket and laid out a bottle of wine, mince j pie pound cake and other dilicacies which were greedily devoured in presI cr.ee of the Union soldiers who feltsome what indignant. On the following morning, however i another lady made, her appearance, with a large bneket, <V she also accosted our German friend and desired to know it he was a Union inan. 1 ish by Got; I no care what you got I hese Union.’ The lady get her basket on the table and our German friend thought that the truth availed in this case if it did not avail in the other. But imagine the the length of the poor fellow’s face when the lady uncovered the basket and presented him with about a htishal of tracts. He shook, his head, dolefully, and said: Ino read Inglish and beside, dat Rebel on te noter side of te house need them as more as tne.’ The lady, distributed, them, and left. Not leng afterward along came another richly diassed lady who propoundled tbe same question again to our Germae friend. He stood gazing at the hiskel apparently at a loss for a reply. At length he answered her in Yankee style, ns follows. By Got, you no get me dis time vot yon got mil de basket?’ The lady required an unequivocal , answer to her question, and was about to move on when our German friend sliouti ed out: ’lf you got tracts. 1 bese, Union; but, it you got, mince pie mit pour..), cake, unt vine, I bees secesh, like ter tivel.’ Sick soldiers , have little desire, to read tracts, when they, are famished, ; for the want, ol those, litt’e delicacies,, so conducive to the recovery, of hospital patients. When our, ladies visit, hospitals, with tracts, we would sug- ’ gest the importance of accompanying I them with a basket of provisions, and they will be better appreciated,— [Louis- ! ville Journal. HkR’ES of Wilson Creek—Out ot that gallant army who, under Lyon, ' fought the battle of Wilson Cr.eek, 4»a arisen s host of commanders. They are found everywhere throughout the country, but chiefly in the West.. There was 1 then present the usual complement of officers for a force of five thousand men. From them have been made six m"j<>r : generals and thirteen brigadiers. Col- ! onels, In u’enanl colonels and major* by the score have spuing from those who were then either line or non-commissiovi-■ed officers, From one company of thu First lowa infantry, thirty-seven %on>- . missioned officers are now in the service. Similarly one company of the First Missouri, has contributed thirty two. It is a ' curious fact, that of the officers who sur- ; vived the battle nf Wilson Creek, not j one has since been killed in battle, and only one has died from disease. In every baitle for the Union tl.e heroes of this terrible contest are found, and nowhere, have they disgraced their old record. Is it not worth ten years of life to be able ’to say. “I was in the campaign, with, Lyon?' A returned soldier reports to the Boston Post that, after a seizure by our, troops of certain Contraband stores m Kentucky, the rvbelv, in Xh at. section, were put uposs half rations whereupon one Ot them (who appears to I ave been of Henglish hex’racuon) remarked, with amusing unconsciousness, that he was making, puns, of lhe worst, character, that since the affair io. that quarter be adn't been a rational being!' A dandy lately appeared in biwa with legs so attenuated that the authorities had him arrested beeatise be had m> visible means ol support.

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