Pooks ruR the Soldieu.?" Yon canuot con
ccive the eagerness of the men to get something?
to get reading ma ter. A newspaper will be read
all through by the same individual, three or four
times over, advertisements and all. The army of
the Potomac is in a state of awful destitution of
all religious reading, notwithstanding all that has
ueen done. The Pennsylvania regiments are the
Hitifimnnlo in fKuf aemt* ami 1
OCSl ?uppiiuu '/? ?ll> IC^IIUCUIJ lit IW? KIUJJ, win
yet their supplies are very meagre. The litera-1
ture that is given ns is never or very rarely destroyed?never
to my knowledge. But it is actually
worn out."?Letter from the Army of the Po-1
tomcc.
"I am met by men throughout the camp and
hospital with the expression, 'have you anything i
for us to read V "?From the Gulf.
Whili it is gratefully conceded that the friends
of the ?oldier in the North have done much to furnish
the army with good reading, no one at all familiar
with the wants of the soldier will deny that
the demand far exceeds the supply, offering the
ennui of camp life, the soldier stands in need of
books. He demands food for the miud as well as
lor the body, and surely an army such as ours,
composed of men who have left the comforts and
luxuries of home at th.'ir country's call, and hare
thus placed themselves beyond the reach of daily
tedding to wtucli trom ciiuuiiooa nicy usw u?u
accustomed, have a right to demand that their
wants in this respect at least, shall he supplied.
The temptations of camp life arc proverbial?
and no iutell.gent obsener can be ignorant of their
origin. Liquor has been one caus \ but that has I
been inter dicted to privates. Gambling, another
cause, is carried on to an alarmingextent throughout
the army, notwithstanding the Article-of War
lorbidding it, while profanity, the great tin of the
American Army is fearfully prevalent, although
the order of the President makes it a penal offense,
and Article 3 01 the Articles of War, pre. cibes the
penalty. But there is yet another cause which has
been sadly overlooked, viz : neglect to provide a
healthy stimulus for the minds of the troops, deprived
of which, restless uieu such as compose an
*' JlooKinni of ?tmrh<?r
army, will provide meuueit co vu .v. ??
kind. There are few who would not be glad to
read?but having no opportunity of doing so they
betake themselves to gaiues of chance "to kill
time." Who that has witnessed the excitement of
the card table can wonder that the tongue should
. become ungoverncd, andthat the profane oath and
indecent jest,should be upon every tongue 7 When
men, to kill time, deliberately take a step down to J
the low level of forbidden pleasure, is not the de- j
cent easy to a total loss of moral character 1 j
The importance, the necessity for a large supply I
* * ?*? -?moflitp fr>p th?.
4)1 JU(1 ClOUBiy Kicticu ... ..
array is thus apparent. Who will see that it is
provided 7 It is the uniform testimony of all who
are acquainted with camp life, that no boon is so
eagerly coveted by the soldier, as the gift of something
' good to read,"?shall that boon be denied 7
The friends of the soldier at home, are, by
means of various organizations partially supplying !
this want. Let the loyal men of the North see j
to it that they are euabled to do more in the luture '
than they have done iu the past. Let the wives, j
the mothers, the sisters, the friends of the individ- j
ual soldier see that his wants iu this respect are j
oupplied?first of all by means of frequent, long, |
and cheering letters, breathing loyalty to the gov- J
ernment, and rebuking the treason of those who
would purchase "peace at any price." Next to a
good letter it a good newspaper, whose every page j
is <v)n?errattd to a defense of our glorious cause.
every article in which is calculated to foster the
patriotism and renew the zeal of the soldier. Then
let the mail.and the express be filled with carefully j
- selected books, calculated not merely to amuse but'
to instruct, to elevate, and the result will bo that j
we shall have a happier, better disciplined and
? - L 1. .1
anore etttcient arm/ inan w? usw >?.-i u.iu. (
In this connection wo would offer one suggestion.!
Many of the Kegiment* at this pr>st and in this Dej>artment
have small Libraries?the gifts of kind i
friends and benevolent associations. These are, j
however, inadetjn&t?, both in variety and extent,
tu eupy-ly the th-mand for reading wa'trr. CtMild
a _
i not then the several Libraries be placed in a room,
! with a suitable person to superintend and take care
| of the same, and at the same time could not some
provision be made from the Post fund for the es;
tablishment of a good Library and Reading Room i
at this Post?
^'
Suootino Affair.?A patrol having been sent j
, to pick up straggling soldiers who were wandering i
about the various camps of Gen Stephenson's
command, came across Privato McCabe, of Co. E,
| y/tu fa. V ois., mtoxicatea ana very noisy, oergt. j
John Kennedy, who was in charge of the patrol,!
ordered his arrest. He at first refused to go with j
the guard, but finally consented. Alter walking a :
short distance he attempted to escape, when the j
Sergt. took a gun and shot him, from the effects j
of which he died instantly- We have not learned |
whether the act was justifiable or not.
a . ?. 1
? VT. II. Elwell, Esq., of Ohio, has been ap- |
poiuted Volunteer Aide-dc-Caiup on the Staff'oil
Brig. Uen. A. II. Terry.
Resignations.-?Maj. John Centre Brown, Inde-!
pendent Battalion, X. Y. Vols. Capt. Edward R. j
Peckens, 5'Jd Pa. Vols; Capt. Pardon Mason, 3d j
R. I. Vols; 1st Lieut..!. C. M. Furbish, Adjt. 9th !
Me. Vols ; '11 Lieut, .ionn B. Bachelder, 3d it. 1.
Vols.
? 1st Lieut. Ch&s. J. Sands, and 2d Lieut. Mi-'
chael 0. Mallv, Marine Artillery, have been mustered
out of service and honorably discharged by
order of the Secretary of War.
? Capt. Walter McFenland, U. S. Engineer, has
been r lieved from duty in this Department, and
returned to his former post, Key West, Fla.
? Capt. W. P. Martin, C. S., Post Commissary,
has been relieved from duty in this department,
and ordered to report to the Chief of his Bureau,
in Washington. Capt. II. E. Lord will be his successor.
SPECIAL 0RDEB8 190.
hiudouarrskb Luc?abtm?xt or thb South, 1
Hilton Head. 8. C. April 13, 186a. /
It having been officially represented to the !
Major-General Commanding, by Brig-Gen. Heck-!
j man, Major Solomon Giles,8d .New York Artillerv, I
I and Capt. W. V*. Uutchings, of the Staff of Brig. J
| (Jen. Stevenson, that Major-General Foster, com. j
| manding Department of North Carolina is besieged |
j and in danger of being captured by the enemy, at j
[ Washington, N. C., Bii .-Gen. Ueckman, U.S.:
j Vols., is hereby ordered to proceed with his Frig
' ale, consisting of the following regiment?, 9th New j
[ Jersey. 23d Mass., 81st New l ork. and U8tb New j
York, to Newbernc, N. t'., where he will report to j
! Brig.-Gen. Palmer, or whoever niay be the Gene- i
eral in command, for service in tbo relieving of;
Major-Gener 1 Foster. This duty executed, or it |
being found M^jor-Gen. Foster has been already j
relieved, Brig -Gen. Heckman will forthwith return
with his command to this Department.
By command of Maj.-Gen. I1UNTEK.
Cuas. G. h alpine,
Lieut.-Col. it Asst. Adj. Gen.
10th Army Corps and Department of the South.
t
News Faom the Nobtu.?By the arrival of the
Steamer Spaulding from Fortress Monroe, we hare I
received dates to the 24th ult. \\*e clip froib the j
Ar. Y. Herald, the following items:
The Richmond papers contain telegraphic infor- j
mation from Port Hudson confirming the loss of j
I the steamers Queen 0/the West and Diana. The ;
! former got aground in Grand Lake, and was blown j,
I up by a shell from the Union gunboat Calhoun.
The Diana was burned by the rebe.s
One hundred and six privates ami ?even com- j
missioned officers, were captured by our forces :
from the Queen of the West. Among the latter
-?- .. ..." _..K^1 ' 1
[ was capi. iurncr, IIJC tommaiiumu w uiv rcwi
| fleet.
Much interest:a felt in Hicbmond in regard to
matters at Suflbik. The papers admit that a battery
has been captuied. The tone of the editorials:
is desponding.
; The Charleston Cotiri.r of the l*th ult., says:
< On Tridav morniug one of the Yankee blockaders,
supposed to be the gunboat Flambeau, i
i crossed the bar anu commenced tiring on the wreck j
; of the Keokuk. Two small boats with parties from
Morris* Island were at work upon the wreck, endeavoring
to bring away some additional trophies, j
The parties retired, the gunboat tiring at them but;
doing no damage. Several shots passed over tb?'
#
-
Morris Island batteries. One of our batteriea
opened lire, it is believed with ettect, us the Yanl_
.. 1 A 1 l!l_ 1 1 J A ./ A A- 1
Kee ooai nasuly oacaea oui 01 range,. 1101 taking
time to turn round, and shortly after recrossed rh"
bar. The gunboat Chicora steamed down the harbor
to take part in the action, but the enemy had
withdrawn and gone out to sea long before our
gunboat could reaeh her. The Flambeau was no
doubt on a reconnoitering tour to ascertain what
arrangements might be made for blowing up the
Keokuk.
'Ihe heavy firing heard on Friday afternoon we
learn was caused by one of our batteries on James
Island opening upon a Yankee gunboat in Little
Folly ri?er, near Campbell s place. The gunboat
replied, and the firing was kept up on both sides
for some time. The gunboat afterwards got out
of range and the firing ceased.
The British war steamer Rinaldo sailed from
Charleston last Friday with dispatches fortheFnglish
acting consul at Fortress Monroe.
The following order has been issued to the rebel
army: " The issue of whisky to the troops, except
in cases of extraordinary fatigue and exposure, 1?
prohibited. Commanding officers are ei joined to
see that this prohibition is strictly enforced."
With whisky at $1000 per barrel, we don't see
how the rebels could do otherwise.?Ed.
Flogging has become such an evil in the rebel
am y, that general orders have been issued against
it.
From Tennessee.?Refugees relieved from oppression
at McMuniville by a highly successful expedition
by Gen. Reynolds have arrived at Readyville.
Geu. Hazen telegraphs that they state that
Gen. Reynolds took the town, capturing two rail
road trains including a train of wagons. Among
a number of prisoners taken was Mrs. John Morgan
Gen. Thomas reviewed General Negley ?
division this morning.
A despatch from Cairo says:
Our gunboats have destroyed the rebel bitterv
at Warrenton, below Vicksburg, and the tieet were
lying at anchor at New ( arthage on tho 17th. Gen.
Grant was to go down the same day.
The Chattanooga Rebel, of the 29th. says:
Despatches from Jackson to the 17th, have been
received, saying in substance that an early attack i*
to be made on Vicksburg from opposite and below
the city, and for that purpose the Federals had
pissed*eight boats on tho night previous.
1 ? A ? ? !?it... ? 4 A a* tko _ A VVSXiAS
I.ater uespaicues umuiatu mat in*? icuvia
Grant to make demonstrations south from Corinth
at the same time.
The Wilmington, (J*. C.) Journal of the 18th,
says:
We regard it as more than probable that a largo
portion of Gen. Hill s triops have already left the
vicinity of Washington, and although mortified,
we should n^t be at all surprised to hear that the
seige had been abandoned, and that the enterprise,
so far as Washington is concerned, had turned out
to be a failure. We do most sincerely trust tha".
it may turn out othorwise. but wo are reluctautlv
forced to this belief. We might add that we have
heard a report that General Hill commenced shell,
ing the enemy in Washington on Wednesday.
From Charleston.?We have received a copy
of the Charleston Courier of April 2jd, from which
we clip the following iterr s:
Mobil', April 14.?Tho steamboat Fox, formerly
the Whitmort, of New Orleans, arrived this even,
ing. She was captured at 1 as* I Outre, by C'ftpt.
Andrews and fifteen men, who left here in a yawl
They surprised the boat at the wharf, secured the
crew of twenty-thre.: otiicers and men, got up
steam and were T)tf. They ran the blockade last
night through the swash channel under a heavy
tire, and the Fox was hit twice, ('apt. Andrews
is an old New Orleans steamboat Captain.
Tullahomu, April 1,0?Another raid has been
made on the Yankee linen by Gen Wheeler at
Hartsvill . On tho lbth, his command swam the
Cumberland river near Nashville, captured a vraaon
train, one hundred pr soneru, a large number
of small arms, aud a quantity of commissary stores
All quiet elsewhere aloug the lines.
Authentic information was received here vester
day, that six of the Monitor* had nude their appearance
in North Kdisto. It was also reported
that the Yankees had been landing troop* at the
Point of Pines. Kdisto Island. The re-appearance
of the Monitors i? supposed to bo for the pnq>ose
of completing the doatructiou of the Keokuk, and
that they put into Kdisto on account of the heavy
bio** that sprnug up in the afternoon.
DEATHS.'
Krastus K. Vosbcrg, Privato Co. I), 47th New
York Vols., A|H#29th, chronic diarrhoea
Daniel Benuct, Private Co. G. Ohio, Apt LI
30, of wounds received by the aeei.len.'al explosion
of a shell.