Newspaper Page Text
DAILY TIMES.
J. W. WARREN - - Editor. |
OOLUMBTJS:
Saturday Morning, December 24,1864.
(From the Atlanta Intelligencer, 20th.)
Atlanta—Her Past, Her Present, and Her
Fntnre.
Twenty-five years ago, and the site which
Atlanta, the “Gati City” of the South, occu
pies, was a forest, which but a few years an
tecedent to that period was the abode of the
red man, who roamed over it in search of !
’ j
game, and who subsequently reluofantly aban- ,
doned it for other lands west of the Arkansas j
river. The march of civilization —the rapid i
advance of the white man with his implements i
of agriculture—had imposed this necessity j
upon the poor indian, and soon after his rc- ;
tnoval, nay, before it was fairly accomplished* j
the axe had felled the forest in many a locality, !
and the plough-share and the hoe had begun j
their work, in fulfillment, as it were, of the
decree of the Eternal, that by the sweat of j
the brow, the children of Adam should earn
their bread. Then was developed that great !
system of Railroads in Georgia, which brought
the line from Savannah to Macon, and from
Macon in continuation to the present site of
Atlanta ; which brought the line from it to
Augusta also, which carried from it the great i
State Road over and through the mountains
of Cherokee, Georgia, to Chattanooga, in Ten
nessee ; aud which also carried from it the At
lanta & West Point Railroad to connect with
ih< A1 bam-i Ro id leading to Montgomery—a
system of Internal Railroad improvements,
deemed in its conception, ideal and extrava
gant, but which, through the energy of our
people, was finally triumphantly accomplish
ed, and which, in a few short years, built up
the most flourishing interior city of the South
—a city at the opening of the present war
that bade lair to rival in population and j
wealth as it did in commercial enterprise, any i
city in the Southern Confederacy. War came, j
and still Atlanta was a progressive city.— I
Population and wealth, until the Spring of
present year, literally almost poured into it.
Asa Commercial Depot, it was in advance of
any city in the adjoining States ; as a Finan*
cial Mart, it rivalled her most prosperous sis
ter cities of the South ; and as a Military
Post, it became second to none, save Richmond,
in importance. Would that we could even
now agree with the authorities at the Capital
of the Confederacy, that it should have oc
cupied that relation only in their considera
tion, and not the first —but we forbear, in this
particular, to the future, and not to the past,
it were better to turn an observing eye. Such
was the importance of Atlanta, that to the
enemy it became a prize coveted as much as
Richmond. It were idle in us now to take
even a brief retrospective view of the almost
superhuman efforts made, alas ! too success
fully made, to capture and possess it—the
powerful army that at last invested it—the
thousands slain, and the ocean of blood, as it
were, that were Bpilled before it was evacua
ted by our forces, aud was occupied by tbe
enemy's. These are themes familiar as ‘house*
hold words' to every Georgian, and are in
delibly impressed upou the hearts of every
loyal son of the South. They are known with
the past of Atlanta—the past, up to the time
tbe barbarian hordes, under the leadership of
their barbarian chief—(than whom no vandal
Captain of ancient times left a blacker, or
more cruel record for tbe historian to indite,
than he has done)—took possession of, and
then, amid the glare of its thousands of burn
ing tenements, its splendid mansions, its vast
warehouses, magnificent and costly mechan
ical workshops, down to the bumble cottage
residence, all ia one vast sheet of fire, the
flames rising so as to light the country round
for miles and miles—ingloriously took up his
march to the sea. Why, oh ! why did the
vengeance of the Eternal sleep when this foul
work was progressing. But no!— “Not my
will, but Thin*, O Lord, be Done.”
So much now only for the past of Atlanta.—
We must turn next to her present, and in doing
so.have a melancholy duty, indeed, toper
form.
As you approaoh the city from either side,
you will find it, as well as the Stone, and
Kennesaw range of Mountains at a distance
of over twenty miles, no longer hidden from
your view by the dense growth of forest trees,
which, but a few short months ago, obstructed
it and their view from the eye of the traveller.
For miles around, scarcely a tree is standing,
and near and within a few miles of the city
fire and the axe have destroyed the habita
tions of the rich and of the poor, and laid
waste the country round. But a few days ago,
the putrid carcasses of dead horses and mules
met the eye, while the stench that exhaled
from them filled the air, producing a loathing
on the part ot all who ventured into the city,
unutterably disgusting, nor were they relieved
from this oppressive sensation when they first
entered it, for within its corporate limits lay
the last remains of man and beast emitting the
same c isgusting odor. Now, as you approach
the city, the desolation that meets your view
is painful in the greatest degree. Within the
limits of an editorial article like this, it is im
possible to present to the reader any graphic
description of it. To record it as it should
be, for the benefit of posterity, would require
the historian's pen, and many a chapter in his
tory. To the eye, it appears that “destruc
tion s devastating doom" had been dealt before
the once flourishing city, the pride and boast
of Georgia ; the monument of the statesman
ship and enterprise and industry of the peo
ple of the “Umpire State.”
A? you advance nearer and nearer to the
city’s lines, the enemy’s lines of formidable
fortifications —though of earthworks only,
equal in strength to any in the Confederacy—
meet your view, and within them others, some
erected by our own forces, but none so formid
able as those which Yankee industry and
Yankee fear, have placed before, for the pro
tection n<? holding of the city—all now
abandoned in tiherman’s flight to the sea.
AppaiHug as is the foregoing picture, it falls
far short in horror, when compared to that
which greets you on entering the city’s limits.
Here you will see the awful effects of one
vast extended conflagration—a city destroyed
by FlßE—two-thirds at least of it devoured by
flames—naught remaining of that portion of it
doomed to destruction by a remorseless and
cruel toe, what could not be destroyed——
the stone, and the brick, and the mortar—ash
*“ a ' one remaiuin « of what had been combus-
tible in it.- nature. Wc sicken as we present
this picture of Atlanta to our distant readers*
Even now as we look upon the smoked and
blackened ruins, familiar at last to our view,
by which we are surrounded, we are amazed
and appalled at the savage ferocity of our Yan
kee foes, and at the fiery vengeance they have
inflicted upon the city.
But these feelings soon gave way to another,
that of contempt for the miscreant who order
ed it, and for his legions who did the bidding.
Never before have we felt more confident in
final triumph over such foes, than we do, as
we pen these lines. Doomed to utter destruc
tion, one-third of Atlanta still lives. This
will be the nucleus, the corner stone, the foun
dation as it were, upon which the city will
again be restored. Os this, more anon ; and
for the present let it suffice that we lay before
our readers, a condemned, statement of what
Yankee outrage has perpetrated, which is in
fluenced by fear that he could not hold the
city, the demon Sherman, determined to des
troy it.
We will take as our starting point that
place in the city where the four principal
streets converge, to-wit: ibe streets of White
hall, Peachtree, Marietta and Decatur. That
point is Hunnicutt’s Drug Store.
We will first extend our walk over Peach
tree. The first is the business s ouse on which
was the beautiful Drug Store befoie mention*
ed. This is all a heap of ruins which the
torch of the enemy has occasioned. Nearly
opposite was the building for a long time oc
cupied as a barracks and latterly as an auction
and commission house. This has shared the
same fate. Extending our walk in a Northerly
direction, we find on our left a small wooden
building in Judson’s Marble Yard that escap
ed the ravaging element. After this we see
on this street nothing but the ruins of A. G.
Wyley <te Co’s large commission house and
the business houses on our right, known as
Cherokee Block, and Winship's buildings
which were among the largest edifices !n the
city. They were in number about twenty,
three stories high, with cellars. A great Teal
of the business cf Atlanta was done in these
buildings. The second building standing is
a small wooden one owned by Dr. Tucker, of
Penfield. and at the time of our giving up the
city, occupied by Ralls as a family grocery.
The mansions of Sasseen and Ezzard stand,
though one of them bears the mark of shells.
The Wesleyan Chapel remains, but horribly
desecrated. It is left more in the condition
of a hog pen than the bouse of God. After
this, Peachtree has suffered little until we
reach the suburbs of the city, when occasion
ally we find a house torn down to build huts.
We extended our walk on tbe street to the
residence of Col. R. A. Crawford, and was sur
prised that the vandals who had spread ruin
and desolation over so large a portion of the
city should even have spared the fences and
shrubbery of this favored street. What arts
were employed to induce the modern Attila
to spare the beautiful residences on this street,
or whether the unusual promptings of human
ity came to their relief, we do not know. We
only know the results in this case, but not
the cause. From Ralls' store to the dwelling
house of Mrs. Luckie, all the dwellings re
main except Mr. Ripley’s, Mr. Grubb's, Rev.
Mr. Pinkerton’s and a house built by J. R.
Wallace.
The street which we next notice, as it stands
out in a striking contrast, is Marietta. This
street runs in a parallel direction wi’h the
Western k Atlantic railroad for the distance
of a mile and a quarter. All the business
houses on this street are destroyed. After
leaving these houses, no house on either side
is completely destroyed for the space of a
block, and as far as the residence of Mr.
Goode, which is standing. Destructive shells,
however, have scarcely cseaped any on either
block. The Presbyterian Church received
half a dozen or more which at one time we
learn, drove out a number of citizens that had
sought it as a place of refuge and safety. We
examined the house of Mr. Silvey, which
stands on the top of the first rise, and found
it pierced through and through with shells,
some of which exploded in the very midst of
the building, causing great destruction. We
counted as many as twenty shell marks on the
premises of this single house. After passing
Mr. Goode’s honse, tbe torch had been applied
to every building on this street, its entire
length with the exception of the residences of
Dean, Mills and Mrs. Sowers, and a few insig
nificant structures immediately east ot Mar
shall’s sword factory. The fiends assigned to
the work of destroying Marietta street did
their duty recklessly. Nothing but charred
mins are left to mark the spots of business
houses, private residences, the Sword and
Button factories and the Grist Mill.
* Whitehall street is an entire rnin except
the space extending from Roark’s corner to
Capt. Gaskill’s residence, which is left stand
ing. Those acquainted with the city will
know what amount of destruction this implies.
Full one half of the business houses of Atlan
ta are included in this count. The ruin is
complete. Costly structures leave nothing to
tell what once they were, but fragments of
walls which stand in silent grandeur. On this
street was the residence of Col. J. S. Thrash
er, Superintendent of the Press Association,
situated in a plot of ground of 20 acres.
Nothing but a small outhouse is left. The
tasteful and ornamental residences near the
Macon and Western railroad have ceased to
be. Millions of dollars even in peace times
would not suffice to restore this wreck to it*
former beauty. It is a matter of surprise that
the block on Whitehall, bounded on the north
by Mitehell and on the south by Peters street,
should have been suffered to remain. An old
gentleman of *l3 winters who resided in one
of the buildings on this block has given us
the reason. He informs us that the order had
been given to fire this portion of the city al
so, but on his reporting to the authorities that
a man by the name of Baker who lived near
to him was at the time in the agonies of death,
both blocks were spared as well as other
blocks, the fire from which would have inevi
tably communicated to this. It may be ow
ing to this fact that that portion of the city
remaining which extends from Roark’s corner
to Capt. Gaskill's* house on Whitehall in an
easterly direction to Washington street, and
which is the largest body of buildings left ir
any one place, was suffered to remain.
The next street that claims our attention is
Decatur. On this were the two principal ho
tels, the “Atlanta Hotel” and the “Trout
House.” Both of these have been burned,
and also the “Washington Hall,” on the Geor
gia R. R., another house of entertainment.—
The business houses on Decatur «treet have
all been consumed except the one under the
Masonic Hall, which the square and compass,
the symbols of the mystic brotherhood, saved,
and a few small wooden buildings. For the
space of three hundred yards on this street,
begining with the spot where stood the “Chris
tian Church’ and ending where the Govern
ment Armory was located, private dwellings
have been left. After these, for the remainder
of the street, some three miles in the direction
of Decatur, all the dwellimgs on either side
have been burned, with two or three trifling
exceptions. In this burning, the fine mansion
of General L. J. Gartrell, who we regret to say
was recently wounded, has yielded to the de
vouring element whose aid the enemy so gen
erally invoked.
Having disposed of these principal streets
let us pay our attention to others.
On the street in the rear of the Trout House,
every house was burned.
On Calhoun street every house stands ex
copt Joseph Barnes’and the brick house ad
joining.
On Houston street every house is destroyed
from Mrs. Willi tmson’e, East, which stands,
except Bob Yancey’s (servant), Col. Whita
ker’s, and Mr. Johnson’s. From Mrs. William
son’s to Peachtree all stand.
On Ivey street the houses destroyed are
those of A. Wallace, and all on the same block,
E. B Walker’s (badly injured), Joseph Wy
ley’s, Cleveland’s and the house on the cor
ner of Ivey and Houston. John Glenn’s un
injured.
On Walton street nearly every house was
destroyed.
On Prior street all standing from Alabama
street, to Raw3on's house except the Kilby
boarding house, and a house C. C, Hewly
lived in, and the house opposite. From Raw
son’s out, all destroyed except the one Mr.
Coleman built.
On Washington street the houses are all
standing except that of W. P. Inman’s, the
house adjoining, and the two houses oppo
site.
On Crew street all the houses are standing
except the oue built by E. E. Rawson, the one
occupied by F. M. Richardson, the one owned
and occupied by T. S. Stoy, the one occupied
by Mrs. Enright, and tbe one owned by E.
Buice.
On McDonough street from City Hall to
Ball’s house all the buildings stand except
those of John M. Clark, James Morriss, Will
iams, and B. T. Lamb. From Mr. Ball's out,
all destroyed.
On Hunter street all houses stand except
Reid’s, Browning’s, and an old house occu
pied as a hospital. Every house between Mc-
Donough and Fair streets destroyed except L.
P. Graot’s, Pettus’, and one in the rear of
Williams’ on Frazier street.
On Fair street, all stand except two houses
owned by Marshal Jones, two belonging to
Z. R. Jones, and the two houses opposite, Dr.
Hardin’s, and Dr. Grant’s.
If you run a line from Walton Spring near
ly south to the Mineral Spring, then south
west to Thomas Sorutchin’s, en Mitchell
street, then south to Col. L. J. Glenn’s, nearly
every bouse is destroyed.
Lynoh’B building, between the W. k A. R.
R. and Lambert’s garden, are destroyed. All
of “Snake Nation’’ is destroyed. The block o f
business houses on Alabama street, on which
iB tbe “Gate City Hotel” is left.
Edwardy’s and Joiner’s magnificent man
sions are destroyed.
The Railroads are destroyed in the coraple
test manner by burning the cross ties, and
bendißg and twisting the iron. As you stand
on the crossing on Whitehall and look up the
Western and Atlantic Road, the piles of cross
ties are *o numerous and spread out to such
an extent, as to remind one of the ocean when
its waves are raised by a brisk wind. It is an
ocean of ruins.
The walls of the car shed were battered
down by battering rams. The City Hall, two
Baptist Churches, two Methodist, two Presby
terian, the Catholic and one Episcopal, St.
Philips, are all the churches left. The Ma
sonic Hall was also left.
The fire iB represented by those who beheld
it, to have been terrific and sublime. The
city from centre to circumference was envel
oped in a sheet of flame, which in the opinion
of those who witnessed it, was to have con
sumed all or nearly all the buildings in the
city. By the failure of the fire-fiends to per
form the task assigned them, ot the private
dwellings, nearly one out of every three es
caped, while of the whole real estate of the
city fully five-sixths in value have been laid
in ashes.
It was very evident that the Yankees inten
ded to remain peacefully in Atlanta until the
next spring. They so declared their intention
to the citizens who remained, and the pre
parations which they had made for the ap
proaching winter lead us to the same conclu
sion.
While the Yankees were in Atlanta, besides
their general bad behavior, they were guilty
of acts which show their character in its true
light. Their general search for silver and gold
led them into the very vaults of the dead.
They took the pailing from around the public
cemetery and made two enclosures for the
burial of their dead of the 20th—the star corps
of Sherman. The marble was taken from
Oatman’s and Judson’s yards, and the turf of
blue grass with which the graves are corfted
over, from the private yards of some of the
citizens. The monument erected by this corps
is imposing, but we must remember that the
marble was stolen, and the fence of the Ceme
tery taken away, thereby leaving all the other
graves exposed ! Such conduct is more char
acteristic of Goths and Vandals than of Chris
tian men of the 19th century. Nor did these
Yankees content themselves with desecrating
the burying place of the dead; they made a
burial ground of places appropriated to the
living. On a back lot belonging to Col
Whitaker, about forty Yankee graves are to be
seen; and on the S. E. corner of the Atlanta
Hotel, a few feet off, is to be seen ft Yankee
grav#. We caution our people who comeback
to occupy their houses, against shells and par
cels of gunpowder which our barbaric foe may
have left in places to cause injury or death to
the unsuspecting. One accident of this kind
has already come to our knowledge.
In referring to the uumilitary conduct of our
foe, we must not omit to mention that the
Yankees burned the fire engine No. 2, aud the
material of “Hook A Ladder Company,” snip
ped North Xos. 1 k 4, leaving No. 3 in a badly
damaged state. They, according to unques
tioned authority, shipped North the furniture
ot the citizens by train loads. All the pomps
wer* ruined. Our foe respected oot tha pri_
vate dwellings of the poor or the superb man
sions of the wealthy, and what remains of our
once beautiful city is due to causes with which
we are not yet sufficiently familiar to lay be
fore our readers. The stillness of the grave, for
weeks, reigned over this once bustling, noisy
city. No whistle from railroad engines, no
crowing of cocks, no grunting of hogs, no
braying of mules, uo lowing of cows, no whir
ring of machinery, no sound of the hammer or
saw—nothing but the howling of dogs was in
our midst. Profound silence reigned in our
-streets, no pedestrians on Whitehall, no chil
dren in the streets, no drays, no wagons, no
glorious sound of the Gospel in the
the theatre was hushed in the silence of death.
Ruin, universal ruin, was the exclamation of
all. It is true that the same sun shines above
our heads, the same healthful breezes sweep
over our hills, the same refreshing draughts of
water are under the ground, but all else have
changed! We can only liken Atlanta to Mos
cow after her own citizens had fired it; but a
merciful God has not suffered it to be like
Babylon and Tyre, like Thebes or Palmyra.
The energy for which her citizens have been
distinguished has already begun to manifest
itself. But so much for the past and present of
Atlanta. Let us now look to its future!
That which built Atlanta and made it a
flourishing city, will again restore it, purified,
we trust, in many particulars, by the fiery or
deal through which it has past. Soon the
whistle of the steam engine will again be heard
in its limits, and soon the cars from Macon,
and Montgomery, and Augusta, will bear their
burdens into and through the city. Ere long,
too, we feel confident that the State Road will
be in process of reconstruction, a portion at
least of it being engaged in transporting to it
the rich produce of Cherokee Georgia. Let
no one despond as to the future of our city! The
business portion of it, though now in ruins, is
in the main, the property’ of individuals who
have abundant means to clear away the ruins
and to rebuild, or of traitors who have fled to
the enemy, and who have in their base disloy
alty forfeited their estates to the Confederacy.
Doubtless our Government Authorities in the
rich harvest they have thus reaped, will not
hesitate so to dispose of it, as that its proceeds
may be applied to the clearing away and re
building of the city.
W r hat Atlanta now first needs is energetic,
good government. This, combined with devo
ted loyalty and enterprise on the part of her
citizens, and she will soon rise from her ashes.
We write of loyalty for the reason that ever
since the day Georgia seceded from the old
and rotton Union, Atlanta has been cursed
with the presence of men and women who
were as spies in its midst, and did all in their
power secretly to promote its downfall. The
number of those who have gone over to the
enemy is, though too late, proof strong as holy
writ, of their disloyal proclivities. In the fu
ture, Atlanta must not contain, must not feed,
and must not, as she has heretofore, done
tolerate the presence of such as citizens, much
less place them high in positions. There
should, too, in the future, be unity of action,
and devotion to the city’s interests, on the
part of its present and coming citizens. Wo
want no drones in cur midst. Such legislation,
too, as under its peculiar condition, our city
has a right to ask from Congress and the State
Legislature, must be speedily invoked, and we
doubt not what is asked for, will be promptly
granted. But her citizens must “put their
own shoulders to the wheel,” and pull hard
themselves to draw her out of the slough into
which Yankee ferocity and Yankee vengeance
have cast her. Efforts like these will soon
restore her to her former greatness. For our
own part, and we say it for the Proprietor of
this Journal, our lot is cast in the “Gate City.”
It is our home, and thank God, we are again
in it. All that we can do to promote its fu
ture prosperity, as we have done in the past,
shall be done. At its past, nor at its present,
are we dismayed. Outraged, we are not con
quered. Overrun, we are not subdued. At
home again, after an exile of a few months,
we feel buoyant in looking to the future,
doubting not that/’He who giveth the Victory,’'
will in His own good time give to the Confed
eracy that Independence, lor which so much
blood has been shed by her own patriotic
sons, and for which Atlanta has suffered so
much — alas ! so much 1
MARRIED.
On the 22d inst., at the residence of John D. Car
ter, by the Rev. Artemua Wright, Leon Wyman,
of Montgomery, and Miss Victoria Hoxky, of this
city.
Funeral Services.
The funeral sermon of Lieut. Henry L. Thomas
will be preached at St. Paul’s Church, Sunday
morning, 10 o’clock. Relatives and friends of the
family are respeotfully invited to attend,
dec 24 It*
—a—^
Notice.
Headquarters Post, ) 1
Columbus, Ga. t December 23,1864, >
Owners who have had negroes engaged on the for
tifications about Columbus, and who have taken
them away, or whose negroes have left the works
and returned home, are hereby notified that strin
gent orders have been received at these headquar
ters to have all such negroes collected again.
Planters are hereby notified to return all such
negroes without delay, or subject themselves to
have some sent Ifor by a force of cavalry, detailed
here fox that purpose. The hands are required to
be returned on or before 29th inst,, from which
date the cavalry will proceed to collect all that have
not been sent in.
S. L. BISHOP,
dec 6t Ma;. Corn'd* Pul.
For Justice Inferior Court.
We are authorized to announce JAMES A.
WHITESIDE, a? a candidate for Justice of the In
ferior Court of Muscogee oounty.
dec 24 tde*
For Justice Inferior Court.
The friends oi GFORGE W. DOUGL ASS an'
nounce him as a candidate lor the office of Justice
of the Inferior Court of .Muscogee county, on the
first Monday in January next, he being unable, by
reason of disbility, for military duty,
deo 24 tde*
Wanted.
“Negro Laborers, Carpenters and
Blacksmiths.”
V\T E wish to hire for the ensuing year 25 Laborers
and eight to Un Blacksmiths and Carpenters
to work in Government employ, which will exeniDt
negroes from conscription. We will pay oed
prices for smart and active fellows. For particu
lars apply at our Governmeft Works, near the
JOH * D -
For Sale.
T INSEED OIL CAKE, for stock food, at S4JBroad '
JLi street. V p v . ri t, .y/y
deo 21 Ira J. r. a ML k CO.
Notice to Debtors and Creditors
i LL persons haviDg claims ag»in*t the estate of
t. Mrs. Lt. K. Cairn es. dec’d, late of Muscogee
county, are hereby notified to render them duly a*-
thentieated within the time prescribed by law: and
those indebted to said estate are requested to make
inunediateDaymeut. F 0. TIOKNOR,
wOCf w(vd s4cUr*9
dee 24 St
TECH CITY.
T. J. JACKSON LOCAL KDITOK-
Thb Holihats. —In order to give our employ
ee* a breathing spoil, as well as opportunity te
enjoy the time honored festivities es Christmas
times, ao paper will be issued from this office un
til Tuesday noon. Ia the meantime should any
important news come to hand our readers shall
hare the benefit of it in slips.
— ■■■
Remember the Christmas Tree and dinner for
the benefit of the Free School, at Jacques’ build
ing to-day. Lend a helping hand if you would
feel the happiness of doing a good deed.
—i t m*
Auctioh Sales.— The sale of hogs, cotton, Ac.,
by Ellis and Cos., advertised to take place at the
wharf will come off at their store to day. Re
member the change.
Clhristmas.
A merry Christmas to you, Reader, Patron and
friend! A merry Christmas to each and every
creature of the human kind, whose eyes may fall
on these lines. In the festivities of this time-hon
ored holiday, may the old forget the burthon of
years, and flit back again with a hop skip and a
jump of the imagination to the days of innocent
childhood and blithesome youth; may they revel
over again in bright visions of well-filled stockings,
Ac., glorious Christmas boxes, heaping full of the
bountiful offerings of that fairy friend of children
—the good St. Nicholas, or Kris Kringle and San
ta Claus, as he is familiarly called. May the
children rehearse upon this happy day, the same
drama or new born life, with its world of fresh
feelings just awakening in their young souls to
the happiness of enjoyment—of existence, in
which their progenitors have aeted their part for
more than one thousand years. In the gathered
family circle, where roast Turkios and Mince Pies
crown the plenteous board, may the domestic af
fections take deep root, and lasting principles of
truth, honor and duty, be grafted iu their plastio
hearts. And let the heart of the lone mether,
whose earthly prospects have all faded away be
fore the lurid glare of desolating war forget for
the day the cankering troubles of the past, and
catch fresh inspirations, as she looks forward tea
brighter day, when all these things will be forgot
ten in a glorious re union with the lost and loved.
Let too the hearts of the numberless orphans es
this bloody era rise in their aspirations to the or
phan’s God who will assuredly wipe away their
tears, and secure to them the measure of their oil
and meal. To-day let all, who can, forget sor
row, and turn from the darker to the brighter side
es the picture of life. Let the proud and the
passionate exercise humility ; the humble take
courage from their own immortal souls, aad in
the honest boldness of innocence, dash from
them, that cold crust of bashful reserve, under
which talent and worth hare so often fouad a liv
ing grave. Let the rich remember the poor, and
“do charity—“sweet charity.” poor ! God
bless the poor! Let them call to aid the minis
tering angels of fortitude and patience, to endure
the load of life, which for purposes inscrutable te
human eyes, they have been called, to bear
through, to them, the weary journey of life. Let
them, lift up their hearts, and take comfort this
festal day. Devote it te the detection es the cau
ses of their poverty. Is it for want of industry ?
Labor, with dilligencs and contentment, and
abundanoe will be your reward. From whatever
cause it proceeds, resolve to«daj, to repair it.—
Franklin was once as poor as you. He died the
admiration es the world, and his fame will live
while man lives, to gaze upon his great name
written in lightning on the summer clouds. In
this broad land, none need be poor for any length
of time, who have the hearts, the hands the health
to earve subsistence, if not fortune, out es the
vast quarry of human life.
Christmas, the feast es Christs’ birth, is not so
generally or so elaborately celebrated iu the Con
federacy as in some parts of the old world. The
Church of England and the great body of Euro
pean Protestants observe the day. In tho Catho
lic Church, three masses are performed—ene at
midnight, oae at daylight and one in the morning.
The midnight mass we believe took its origin frem
the fact stated in the Gospel of St. Luke, that
Christ was born in the night of the 24th Dec. It
is said that in the Greek and Roman Churches,
upou this occasion, the manger and holy family,
Ac., are represented at large. The Franciscans in
Rome are famous for this, and attract large crowds
by the exhibitions.
Ia this country we holier* that th* Episcopali
ans are the only Protestant sect who celebrate the
day religiously. These go no farther than the
performance of Church serrice and th* deeeration
of their Churches with ever-greena.
Th* custom of making Christmas presents is
▼ery ancient, and is derived from an old heathen
usage, practiced at the birth of Sol—a Roman
feast which took place on the 25th of Deeember.
It is most prevalent in Germany, and is a good
custom ereywhere. Certainly the children think
so.
We fear eur little friends to-day will find but
little recompense in their efforts jto greet their
j friends with a “merry Christmas !” We once knew
; whereto advise you to call and replenish your store
of toys and bonmots, but alas ! the Struppers' and
the Phelps, like the rest of mankind have chang
ed much in their capacities to please, and we fear
IfW can debut little for you to-day. We think
j the surest plan for our young readers to make
I themselves happy on this occasion will be co fill
their baskets with good things, and their purses
with money, and search out in our city the unfor
tunate children of destitution and want and min
ister to their necessities. Their little lips, hearts
and eyes will bless you, and you will a con
scious happiness that all the gilded trinkets fa th*
world ceuld not impart.
| Thb Ladiis’ Fair. —Notwitnstanding th* ia
i tensely cold weather on Thursday evening, the
| Ladies’ Fair for the soldier’s benefit was attended
; by a very brilliant array of beauty and chivaly>
| and we should suppose quite a handsome sum of
money was realized. This fair, like everything
of the kind undertaken by our ladies, was arrang
| ed in exquisite taste, and reflected great credit
| upon th* heads and hearts of all interested in get
ting it up. The old store rooms of Hull and Dnek
and J. H. Daniel were handsomely deoerated with
evergreen* and artificial flowers, and brilliantly
I illuminated by gas, tapers, tallow, wax and sperm
candles, as well as by the eyes of an unrivaled gal
axy of beautiful women. Numerous articles of
delicate handiwork graced the miniature trees,
tables and stands, while the melodious chattering
of voices soft and low, made the eircumambient
atmosphere redolent with a bewitching harmony
as dnlet toned as the veriabie intonations of innu
merable water-falls.
But what struck >te most forcibly during the
evening (excepting the bright eyes, seraphic
smiles, and mellifluous tones, of a captivating in
dweller of crinoline, in connection with wham our
memory recalled some most remautic and thril
linglj interesting reminiscencies) was the magnifi
cent array of good things prepared by the fair sex
for tha comfort of the inner man, censisting of
meats, confectionery, liquors, Ac., which oould not
fail to strike :he fancy es a hungry local. Through
the kindness of a lady friend, we were “fixed np"
in most comfortable Style, and are oven bow living
over in imraaginatien the grateful repast. Long
live the ladies, and saccess to them in all their
efforts*to ameliorate 'he condition of the suffering
soldier, as well as of the hnuable peer in ear
midst. 1
Shot. — We learn that a boy named Alon/,e Rea
ry accidently shot himself yesterday morning
while out hunting near the Muscogee depot. Tho
shot took effect in the head. The boy was ns*
dead at last accounts, though considered in a
precarious condition.
■■■ .. ""-"--'—-tv'"- _
The Reserve Militia.
The following is Governor Brown’s order
furloughing the Reserve Militia forces en
camped at Macon. It will be seen that he im
poses a number of duties upon them at home,
which if rightly performed, it is hoped, wilt
exert quite a beneficial influence on society
Hbadquartirs, V
Macon, Ga., Dec. 19, 1864. /
General Order, No. —.]
I. All parts of the State, except the sea
coast and a small garrison at Dalton, being
relieved from the presence of the enemy, the
Reserve Militia who have responded to the
last call of the Governor, and are now im
camps of organization, who have not been or
dered to report to Major General Smith, are
hereby furloughed until further orders from
these headquarters.
11. The organizations completed in camp, or
at home under special orders, will be main
tained subject to any future call which necessi
ty may, in the opinion of his Excellency, de
mand. In the meantime, they will, under
the direction of the officers commanding in
their respective counties, perform police and
patrol duty for two days, to-wit: Friday and
Saturday in each week. They will extend all
needful protection to citizens, and special care
will be taken to guard the homes of wives and
families of soldiers who have died, or who
are in service, from depredations of thieves
and marauders. They will arrest all strag
glers and deserters, and send them, if Con
federates, to the nearest military post—or, if
State troops, to the Commandant of the Camp
at Macon.
111. They will arrest all men under fifty
years of age subject to serve with the troops
under Gen. G. W. Smith, and send such to tho
Commandant at Macon, to be forwarded to
their command.
IV. They will at all times, act as a county
police, and arrest all suspicious persons liable
to service, examine their papers, and send all
such as are attempting to pass without proper
authority, to the Commandant of the nearest
military post.
V. Officers in command of companies will
repoit weekly to their superior officers, com
manding Regiments or Battalions ; aud these
will make monthly reports to Headquarters
VI. The Militia in any county, who do not
conform promptly to these orders, will be held
for field duty.
VII. All men in the various counties sub
ject to the call of his Excelloncy, of the 19ih
ult., and who have failed to report for duly,
will be required to perform such extra service,
in their respective counties, as the officer com
manding shall deem necessary.
VIII. All armed details, sent to the various
counties to arrest and bring up persons refus
ing to respond, will report to their respective
camps, with the persona arrested, and will de
liver them to the commandants of *he camp
to be reported by them to the Comraander-ii-
Chief for proper action. They will, on their
return, deliver their arms to the commandant
of their camp, and then be released on fur
lough, under these General Orders.
IX. The Commander-in-Chief takes tbw
occasion to express his thanks to the Reserve
Militia, who have responded with Buch alae
rity to the call of their State in her hour of
trial.
By order of
JOSEPH E. BROWN,
Governor and Commander-in-Chief.
W. K. DbGraffenrkip,
Major and A. A.€,
Printer Wanted.
A good COMPOSITOR can find permanent em
ployment by immediate application at this offiee.
dec 19 ts
AUCTION SALES.
By Ellis, Livingston & Cos.
WE will sell on Saturday, December, 24th, at M
o’clock, in front of our Auction Room
-40 Fattening and Stock Hogs, 2 Cow*
and Calves and many other articles
Plantation use.
—also—
-20 Bales ol Cotton.
6 bbls. Corn Whiskey,
3000 Florida Cigars, old and fin«,
100 lbs. Cast Steel,
Glass Decanters, Jars,
Bowls, Pitchers, Clothing,
Bedsteads, &c.
dec 23 $lB
Notice,
In the absence of Dr. T. J. WORD, lam author
ized and revested to collect his accounts as early as
possible. Persons indebted to him will please (cal
and settle immediately.
dec 23 4t J. W. SAPPINGTOX.
HO FOR ATLANTA!
The Southern Express Company will receive
freight (under forty pounds each package) and
money parcels for Atlanta via Macon & Western
Railroad, from this date. S. 11. RILL,
dec 6 ts _ Agent
Headquarters Conscript Skrvick, Ga. 1
Augusta, Dec. 13, 1984-1
Circular?* /
No. 27, «
In accordance with (orders from the Bnrean es
Conscription, Enrolling Officers will return at one*
all reports, directing the ariest of Deserters and ab
sentees from the army, which were issued (prior to
the Ist July, 1864 ; with a report of their action thu
far, in endeavoring to secure their arrest.
JNO. F. ANDREWS,
Major and Acting Commd't
dec 21 3t Conscripts,'Georgia.
At Home Again,
THOSE wanting cutting done will please eaM,
I am at your service.
C. H. JONES,
134, Rroati street, Columbus, Ga
dec 21 4t
LOST,
A Confederate States Certificate for 4 per seat.
Bonds, issued by W. H. Young, Depositary, *t
Columbus, dated March 14, 1564, and numbered
1238, for Six Thousand Dollars. The public is cau
tioned from trading for said Certificate, as appliea
tion has been made for a duplicate.
dee 21 lm2w* H. BLACKMAI.
YARNS axad OSNARIKtHI
TO EXCHANGE FOR
GROUND PDAS,
At the GRANT FACTORY.
dec 17 ts
SSOO Ren aril.
CTOLEN from my stable, theßth inst., a small dap
u pie cream PONY, white mane and tail, astalion.
very fat, four years old. Will pay S2OO for the poar
ana S3OO for the theif, delivered to me in Amerieoe.
Ga, or E. J. Pinckard, in Columbus, Ga.
dec 15 2w R. C. BLACK
SSO Reward.
LEFT my lot on Monday last a RED COW, me
dium size, heavy with calf, mark : slit and ero?
in one ear and slit in the other, with white spot
her face, small horns turned unwards. (
dec 19 6t* JOHN McGOTER* ,
To Printers !
WE offer for sale a complete BOOK BlSDßßY
(exceptßul ng Machine,) two hand
and about
1,000 Poiilids of Type Metal.
nov2l-tf
Everybody Look Here.
WILL be sold on the 10th January, 1865, on th*
plantation of John H<S*ard, Jr., on Plia t
diver, on the Colu nbns brunch of the 8. W.-V
R.. all the corn, fodder, peas, mule: , cattle, hog*
plantation implements. Terms cash,
At the same tiLi.» will be rented the plantation •*
eight hundred acres, and hired for the year. a like
ly set of plantation negroee, for good notes with a* -
proved securities. R. R HOWARD,
td* '-sm Ageet.