AMERICAN ITEMS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 188, 23 June 1862, Page 5

AMERICAN ITEMS.

"One of the most accomplisiibd Gentlemen op New Orleans."—lt is to be regretted that the Choctaw3 and other savage Indians should be engaged in the Southern ranks; or, if necessarily employed in default of other aid,' that they cannot be taught the usage 3of civilised warfare! Much obloquy has been thrown upon the Federal Government for sending its stone fleets to destroy \ the harbours of .Charlestown and Savannah ; but the vandalism in thatjCase, if done, can be undone, and, after all, is a mere question of money. Not, so the abominable barbarity of which the Southern leaders are guilty, in allowing ; their red-skinned auxiliaries in Arkansas to scalp the dying and the dead upon the field of battle, or to-otherwise mutilate the bodiei of the slain. The Choctaivs are said to be commanded by Colonel Albert Pike, a Southern lawyer, and one of the most accomplished gentlemen in New O leans. Surely, he could not be aware before the battle that he commanded such a troop of fiends ?, Mr. Pike beara a strong personal resemblance to the late Christopher North, of BkickwooiVs Magazine, and has the same massive leonine head, and wild and weird expression of physical as well as mental power which was so conspicuous in the professor. When a young man he contributed to that Magazine some remarkable poems, entitled "Hymns to the Gods," and it is to be hoped, for the honour of literature, if he really is in commaud of the Choctaws, whose law agent he has been for many yeara, that the scalping and the tomahawking in which they indulged at the battle of Pea Ridge will either cause him to throw up his command, oi1 compel him to teach them: the decencies of civilised war, bslore he again leads' them into battle.— Letter from, New York.

Tub Fortifications at Centrevillb,

An occasional correspondent of The Times gives the following account of the • " far-famed fortifications of Centreville:—

" Thsre was first a tolerably well-built rifle ditch ia zig-zag, over which you raigbt, however, have galloped your horse without much trouble, for it was all sand, ami nowhere covered with sod or made inaccessible by palisades or rails. On the heights were some redoubts of the flimsy material, bat built still worse than, the rifle ditch. . The sides of the embrasures were covered with hurdles, for without them the sand would have crumbled off without any help of Union bullets. The ditches round these 'forts' were shallow, and not wide, and I actually rode across one and up the embrasure, the sanil crumbling down under the hoofs of the horse. Seeing in one fort guns in the embrasures, I was curious to see whether they were spiked, and rode up to them. They were no s;uns at all, but only counterfeits, —timber, on the end of which a black hole was painted ; just the same humbug as had been practiced before by the gallant kuights of the South. The forsaken camps wore a curious sight. There they consisted all of well-built log huts, which were made tight with clay and roofed with shingle. They looked altogether clean and comfortable, and I wondered that they had not been burnt, but heard afterwards the Confederates intended to return. Centreville is a, little wretched villaje of about 60 dwellinghouses. Behind it, on the hills, were also forts, but nowhere on the glacis or slope of the hill were to be seen any obstacles to keep the attacking enemy within range of shot. I was told, in Centreyille that it had never baen the intention of the Confederates to keep th;t place, although in that case I cannot understand the reason why they built these wretched sandheaps, by which they only made themselves ridiculous." The condition of the deserted camp of the Confederates at Manassns i 3 thus described by the same writer::— . . ■ ....:'..'. " The whole place presented to me the most curious sight I ever saw. The Confederates must have been panic-struck, and fled- in the utmost precipitation. Some 20 or 30 .carriages of every description were left behind. The ground was strewn with the- most miscellaneous things, uniforms, arms* blankets, linen,' casks, trunks, knapsacks, and carpet-bags, the contents of the latter scattered over the ground.' One large tent was filled: with .all. those, things which patriotic Southern ladies sent in. There, we're blankets and counterpanes, wearing apparel of every, kind; shirts of rather outlandish cut an J workmanship, even a lady's nightdress, boots, shoes, tin cases'and boxes : in s'lort, a whole." variety store' as it may be found in Washington. Corn was strewn over the ground for the benefit of my. horse, and' good hay was left also. Before some store-houses were provisions in great quantity. Boxes, with rice, peanuts,, dried apples, flitches of bacon, barrels' with pork/ tobacco, &c, were to bs found there.;; Further on the. railway were hundreds .of barrels, of flour broken to pieces. Broken swords, large knives, and ironwork in great variety, were to be seen everywhere, and among them were scattered newspapers, books, and letters. Examining the books; I was astonished-to find them almost nil prayer-books, sermons,' and sacred music. I. picked up some curious letters, and a diary of a young cadet, which I kept as a keepsake, together with some other trifling things."

The Indians during tho battle of Pea Bridge, displayed very little, if any, courage, and beyond the drunken fray displayed at the expense of those who had induced them to take part in the war, they did nothing commendable. Their fighting a failure. They had little relish for it; and they therefore confined themselves to robbing the dead, killing the wounded, and scalping alike their friends and foes.— New York Tribune. : . : . .:

Breaking- up of the1 SroNE Fleei at Charleston.—By the arrival of the schooner Adelaide, at Liverpool, on Tuesday, from Charleston, which we announced yesterday y we learn the important intelligence that the stone fleet sunk off Charleston, was, at the date of ttie Adelaide's sailing (March 3rd), fast breaking.up..--The harbour, as reported by Captain Swan, of the Adelaide, wiis being crowded with floating- timber. Captain Swairalso reports that ke left Charleston with six other-. Vessels,'-among" which were the barque Etiwan, the brig Mary Wright, and four schooners, nil laden with cotton and resin. The cargo of the Adelaide, which is of ICO tons, consisted or 669 bales of cotton, 18 of which are Sea Island, and 442 barrels of resin. The Mary Ann Wright arrived in Liverpool yesterday.— -Globe, April 4th. ' .

Equipments op the Federal Army.—There is no uniformity of knapsack in the United States' army, and of the great variety of pattern, I. have seen none which appear at all desirable. Big, shapeless, flat bags in oilskin, loaded with coats and blankets, do duty for neat,, compact, well-arranged sacks,' though there are exceptions in some regiments to that remark. The men suffered evidently from bad packing, but still more, perhaps, from having been permitted to march in their great coats. Their trousers were worn out at the end from the mud, their boots run down at the heels or broken, nnd the flapping looped hats, the most hideous '■".. war bonnet" ever contrived, looked limp and mouldy:from the rain. But there were the men inside, mostly stout, fine young fellows, capable of any service, if well fed, after a little experience. They had marched about 14 miles', and it was evident that many of them were "dead beat." Many fell out and sat by the roadside. Others limped slowly after, or' were piled up in the covered waggons.—Correspondent of the Times.

In the abandoned quarters of the Confederates at Bull's Run, skulls were frequent tent ornaments, and were also used for soap dishes. Knives and forks, rings, and even spurs, were constructed "fromthe bones. Soldiers of-the Brooklyn 14th recognised on the field of Bull Run, by their red trousers, comrades who had fallen there, lying unburied and headless.— jNeio York Tribune.

At Manassas the Federal soldiers found the followin" document in a hut, the entrance to which was through a coffin placed on end, with the invitation to « walk in." "If any —'; Yankee should occupy this hut, I would inform him that it has cost me much labor and some money. I have had a good time in it, and in order that you may. have the same I leave you, for your amusement, two ribs ■of a New York Fire Zouave, for castanets.—Yours, Jem Ferguson." ..'■;■; :

A Missoukian's R*VENGE.-=-Qne of the 9tti Missouri was so enraged on the second day, seeing his brother, a member of the same regiment, horribly butchered and scalped, that he swore vengeance ao-ainst the Indians, and for the remainder of the day devoted his attention entirety to them, concealing himself behind trees and fighting in their; fashion. An excellent marksman, he would often creep along the ground to obtain a better range; and then woe to the savage that exposed any part' of his body. When he had shot an Indian, he would'shout with delirious joy, " There goes another red skin to h—l. Hurrah for the stars and stripes, and;d-^n-all Indians!'? /Though ever-following the wily.foe, and though fired upon again and aEjain*,he \,\ received not a scratch; and on his return to camp, after night-; fall, bore with him nine scalps of aboriginal .warriors, slain by his own hand to avenge his brother's deatH.^--' New Yorli tribme, V, : .::';■.::;:.

Along (ill tho roads near Alexandria, all over tho country, were soldiers in blue gray overcoats, bedraggled trousers, toddling or tumbling or splashing along in single files or in .groups.; no officers staff or regimental brigade,"divisional or officious, to give any one orders, or to get anything into shape.--Correspon-dence of the Times.

ADkatii Grapp'.e.—One of the Texas soldiers was advancing with his bayonet upon a lieutenant of the 9th lowa, whose sword had been broken. The officer saw his intention, avoided the thrust, fell down at his foeman's feet, caught, hold of his legs, threw him heavily to the ground, and before he could rise, drew along Knife from his adversary's belt and buried it in his bosom. The Texan, with dying grasp, seized the lieutenant by the hair, and sank down lifeless, bathing the brown leaves with his blood. . So firm was the hold of the 'nerveless hand, that it was necessary to" cut the hair from the head of the officer before he could be freed from the corpse of his foe.— JVew York Tribune.

A: Soldier's Death.—At. the battle of Pea Bridge, General M'Culloeh was struck with a minie rifle ball in the left breast—as I am assured by one who says he saw him fall, and after he was taken from the ground—while waving hU swoVd and encouraging his men to stand firm. He died of his wound about eleven o'clock the same night, though he insisted that lie would recover, repeatedly 'saying with gr,eat oaths thai'he was not born to be killed by a Yankee! A few minutes before he expired his physician assured him he had but a very brief time to live. At this,' Ben looked up incredulously and saying,." Oh, Hell! " turned away his head, and never spoke after. - A Tew York Tribune.

[The report of General M'Culloch's death is doubtful.]

Celebrating a Victors;. —One of the most degrading scenes that ever-disgraced a Legislative Assembly, was enacted at Dcs Moines last week, on the reception of the news of the capture of Fort Donnelson. Both Houses immediately adjourned' upon the announcement of the glorious intelligence, and made preparations for a general "drunk." Adjutant-Gene-ral Baker mounted a desk in the House, moved the suspension of the Liquor Law for a time, put the motion to vote, which was of course'carried, and licensa was granted for a grand spreiv Headed by the Governor, the Legislature and State officials repaired to the Dcs Moines House, where, in a short time, the rattling of decantei-s, the tingling of glasses, the gurgling of .liquors, and the bacchanalian shouts of revelry told but too plainly that the" upper crust* were " going in" on their honors. Governor Kirkwood " spread himself" in fine style before he guzzled down his fifteenth glass, and was followed by his pet, Baker, who managed to make a fool of himself,, but the members were too much " overcome" to notice it. After the gassy element was expended, a > minister of the Gospel was " nabbed " while passing, hauled iuto the midst of the drunken rabble, and requested to make a speech, which he refused, when he was lifted upon the table and compelled to before he was released.' Every one ■who came within hailing distance was dragged into the hall and made to " drink the health" of our brave soldiers at Fort Donnelson. After revelling as longas the liquor held out, the victims of Bacchus, one by one, slipped off to their rooms to hide their disgrace. The leading temperance member of the House staggered around to the Register office and requested the editor not to publish his "precarious situation," as it might injure his fair reputation as a temperance man amongst his constituents. AYe nre happy to state that about one-fourth of the Legislature refused to participate in this disgraceful proceeding—some Republicans declining from principle, and a number 01 Democrats because their sympathies were enlisted in behalf of the conquered rebels. What a picture to present to the intelligent people of lowa, and send forth to sister States —the State officials ami legislators on a "drunk," law-makers transformed into law-breakers, imitating the example of the besotted inebriate, and descending to the level of the reeling toper! For shame!.' We derived these facts from a responsible member of the Legislature, who denounces it as the most disgraceful scene ho ever witnessed. He says he was sober. ■ -Montezuma (Iowa) Republican. •

The Federal Army.—That which he now' commands is for certain purposes of war not an army, even now. General M'ClellaTi: felt .that as well as anyone; but he erred, perhaps, in considering that the enemy were better than himself in that respect. Let us look into this matter a little more closely.' The excellent material of the* rank and. file of the American army is admitted. ' Recently there lias been a marked improvement in'their look on parade and in their brigade field days. Dressed in line, or. moving in field evolutions, one was" forced to admire their steadiness, their fine appearance, and the change in 'discipline and air which had'apparently-been" effected in so short a time. But still, from what V saw yesterday, I am led to think that for certain purposes' of war this enormous force is .not;an army, properly so called. It has no cohesion, no internal organization, no Generals • there is nobody to do anything with it^to keep it together; to" hold'it as a machine with'which to'effect any offensive manoeuvres beyond a straight attack ; in front. —Correspondence of the Times. ■: ; , . </.-.-, >•

.A Philosophic Nbgro.—A, correspondent of: the Cincinnati Gazette, yiriiixis; from the Cumberland River, gives a liumorouVaccbuntof a colloquy with a' philosophic African. He says—"l noticed upon the ■ hurricane deck to-day an elderly darkey, with a philosophical and retrospective ' cast of countenanoe, squatted upon his bundle, toasting himself against, the chimney, and apparently plunged into a state of profound meditation. Finding upon inquiry thnt he belonged to the 9th Illinois, one of the most gallantly behaved and heavy losing regitnents at the Fort Donnelson battle, and part of which was abroad, I began to interrogate him on the subject. , His philosophy.. was so much in the Falstaffian vein that I will give his views in his own words, as near as my memory serves me. 'Were you in the fight ?'■ '"Had a taste of it, Sa.' ' Stood your ground, did you I'>:' No, Sa, I runs.' ' Run at the first fire, did you'?'•' Yes, Sa, and I would have run soona, had I known it war comin.' ' Why, that was not very creditable to your cour.ige,' ' Dat isn't in my line, Sa—cobkin's ray perfeshun.' -' Well, but you have no regard for your reputation?' ■' Reputation's nuffin to me by do side ob life.' 'Do you consider your life worth more than other people's ? 'It's worth more to me, Sa.'.'Then you must value it very highly.' 'Yes, Sa, I doesmore dan all dis wuld - more dan a million of dollars, Sa ; for what would datbe worth to a man wid de brefout of him? Self-preserbasham am de fust law. wid me.' ' Then patriotism and honor are nothing to you V ' Nuffin whatever, Sa—l regard dem as de vanities.' It is safe to say that the dusky corpse of that African will never darken the field of carnage.'1 ;:

. The Loss of the Steamer Mars.—Additional: particulars have come to hand relative to the loss ■of this steamer. It appears that: she was a fine vessel,; of about 500 tons burthen, and 100 horse power, and belonged to the Waterford.' Steam Navigation Company. A great deal of traffic was carried on in her between Waterford and Bristol.principally in cattle and merchandise, but occasionally also with; passengers.; ■:' On the Ist instant, the < Stars: left the former city, and had on board a general cargo, consisting of. bacon, butter, flour, cattle, pigs, and poultry, as well as a great number Of — passengers, principally' cabin. Captain Blinman, her. master,- possessed great experience in the navigation of the English and Irish Channels, and before ; his appointment; to the command he frequently piloted her. On leavingWaterford she encountered some very "rough weather,' Her master assisted by the first mate, did all he could" to render the vessel mauageable; in: the gale. ' The ■ weather off Milford Haven,; on Tuesday, night, was; 'very rough and'thick.. \ Off the coast: near the ; entrance to that haven are some small clusters of. rocks, r rendering the approach to it from the westward or-.'. ceedingly dangerous. On One,of these, known as the" "Crow," rode the ill-fated' Mars'; iri'the turmoil and darkness of the night,' struck'; and, although no doubt everything which stout hearts -and practised, hands could do in the. terrible emergency, was done,, • she became a total wreck. > It is understood that when, the catastrophe oocurred, the*crew and passengers of : the steamer numbered fifty-six,- and there is a strong'reason for fearing that fifty poor creaturesI'met »■{• watery grave. It is said that the Mars had a larger;; number of cattle aboard thaa usual, and that about 300 were lost. , Six men got into MiLfbrd, '. and it' is1 thought that they* are all that * escaped the wreck;; Lloyd's agent has visited the spot were the Mars was lost, and reports her sunk in deep water. The bodies of a man and a young woman have been ; washed on' shore, i Only two of the. crew were- saved, name*! James Case and Joseph Cross, both of Bristol^1 and four pig-drivers. Nothing was saved besides.— Liver-' pool Albion. , ' ' ' : ' ' " •' '■:■'-"!'■- '■■ ■*';-' P-

" The time would arrive when a ship would bo fonght by an engineer, a stoker, and an artillerist. —(A laugh.) The modern character of a sailor would become like that of a soldier. ' He would live off the coast or in towns; and it was to be feared that when he lost the excitement of active service there would not be the same inducement to the youths of this country to enter the naval service."— The Earl of Hardwick in the House of Lords. •• , -

An action was brought against the Morning Post, at the Surrey assizes, on Friday,.by Lady Jane Walrond, for an article entitled "Spinsters and their Idols;"-in reference to a dispute between Miss Walrond and a Miss 'C. Norton, respecting a dog. Verdict ofone farthing damages.