Unusual Units
An application has been made to the proper
authorities by a gentlemen of New York city, of acknowledged means, for the
formation of a "Black Zouave Regiment," to be composed of colored citizens.
Each man is to measure six feet in height. This gentleman proposes to donate
the sum of $10,000 towards carrying out his design.
Calcium Light Infantry - Under the guidance of Professor Grant, a regiment is organizing under the above title, in accordance with directions from the War Department. It is raised for special service and is distinguished from all other regiments in the field by use of the calcium light. This light, we understand, is so arranged as to reveal the position and movements of the enemy in the night, by throwing the light upon them, while those who use it are concealed by darkness. Col. Grant intends to make this regiment one of the best in the service. See advertisement for recruits.
In Ulster they are getting up a Havelock company, to be comprised entirely of officers and men who use no intoxicating liquors, and who observe all moral and religious obligations.
A regiment of volunteers has been commenced at Albany to be composed entirely of men over forty five years.
A wealthy man by the name of Charles Smith, the papers tell us, has commenced to raise a regiment to be composed entirely of men of his own name. He says there are Smiths enough, and he is undoubtedly right. He will thus render the name famous, and perhaps arouse the Thompsons and Joneses.
One of the New York regiments contains thirty schoolmasters. It ought to be able to "lick" the southern boys.
A regiment has been raised in Muscatine, Iowa, composed wholly of pledged temperance men.
The jews of Syracuse are moving to raise an Israelite regiment, and have subscribed $2,500 as a recruiting fund, and already enlisted nineteen volunteers. They are to hold meetings every evening this week, and each recruit receives $25 bounty over that of the government and state.
Sixty four ladies of Hanover, Mass., and adjoining towns, have petitioned the Governor to permit them to form a rifle company, as "owing to the illness of the home guards," the quota of that town is not being filled.
One of the most successful military organizations in St. Louis is composed of gentlemen over forty-five years old, and legally exempt from service. They have formed two companies of the "Old Guard" and have drills every night.
At the Battle of Bull Run, the Dansville Coronet Band lost all their instruments. Their loss cannot be replaced much short of $500. This band was attached to the 13th regiment.
The firemen of Philadelphia are preparing ambulances in anticipation of the time when they will be entrusted with the conveyance of the sick and wounded to the hospitals.
It is stated that soldiers of the Ninety Ninth New York regiment, stationed between Norfolk and Suffolk in Virginia, carry on an extensive business by kidnapping negroes and selling them within the rebel lines.
They have, it is said, a rifle company in Vermont, whose captain takes them out once a week to practice; he draws them up in single file, and sets a cider barrel rolling down the hill; the men commence shooting from right to left, at the bung hole as it comes up. After the shooting is over, the captain examines the barrel, and if he finds a shot that did not enter the bung hole, the member who missed it is expelled. None have been expelled.
An Iowa regiment has a rule that any man who utters an oath shall read a chapter in the Bible. Several have got nearly through the Old Testament.
Fall Leaf, Fremont's old Indian guide, is raising a company of Delawares to go with the great expedition to the Indian country - All the Indians are delighted with the prospect of a chance to help white men slay each other.
When Governor Curtis issued his call for troops for the defense of Pennsylvania the proprietor of the Philadelphia Dial, a daily paper, immediately suspended publication and organized a company. Every man in the office volunteered - editors, printers and all.
A good story is told of Billy Wilson's Zouaves at Baton Rouge. It is said that the boys, not exactly liking their camping ground, made a rush for the State Prison, knocked down the keepers, entered the building, turned the keys on the inside wall gate, and cried, "Now we are at home!"
A woman at Columbus, Georgia proclaims herself ready to take the field, and command a regiment of women in the rebel cause.
Sixteen substitutes in the Third New Hampshire Regiment of mounted infantry have deserted to the enemy with their horses since the regiment has been stationed in Florida. Six more attempted the same thing, but were intercepted, and one of them was shot as a warning.
A requisition was made a few days since on the Government for boots for the colored regiment at Camp Quincy, Ill. The sizes were so enormous that they could not be procured at Chicago, and the agent had to telegraph Washington to know what was to be done. He was ordered to have the regimental feet measured and send the result to Washington so that the boots could be constructed there. The sizes range from 12's to 20's. This regiment will be apt to "trample on the rights of the South."
As the 2d battalion of 63d Indiana Regiment was returning from Terre Haute on Saturday, an attempt was made to hang Hon. D.W. Voorhees who was reelected to Congress from Indiana in the last election. Mr. Voorhees was traveling as a passenger on the same train with the soldiers. He was rescued by the officers, but compelled by the soldiers to leave the train at Green Castle.
A company of Georgia Home Guards composed mainly of deserters from the rebel army, and numbering 125 men, were captured near Dalton last Friday by a force of rebels, and all but twenty of them were hung.
A dress parade of bounty jumpers took place in Indianapolis, Ind. a few days since. Over 100 of them were lashed to a long rope with a Herculean African leading the column and ringing a bell. Each jumper carried a large placard on his back as an advertisement of his profession. A line of friendly bayonets on each side kept off the curious crowd and the soul-stirring notes of the Rogue's March kept time to their tramping feet.
There is a New York regiment which, during their three years of service, traveled by sea and land more than 12,000 miles, fought twenty general engagements, marched through fifteen states, and had been under Burnside, Pope, McClellan, McDowell, Meade, Sherman and Grant.
The recruits in the Boston barracks last week set the buildings on fire and in the confusion thirty of the rascals escaped.
A regiment of Indians 1,000 strong passed through Baltimore yesterday for Washington. They attracted much attention.
Fifteen telegraphers have been drawn in Philadelphia. They propose to apply for a separate organization as a company for telegraph duty.
One hundred sailors were selected at Portsmouth, N.H. on Saturday to be sent to Baltimore and upon examination it was found that most of them had on citizens clothes under their sailor’s dress and were armed, evidently intending to escape at the first opportunity. They were put in the hold of the United States ship Vandalis and the hatches fastened down.
A letter to the Baltimore American from a citizen of Leesburgh says that a whole Mississippi regiment stationed there revolted Saturday, broke their muskets to pieces and started home.
We
give an extract of a letter from yet another Massachusetts soldier in
Indianapolis. The letter is dated Oct. 16th and is addressed to the
father of the young man, doing business in Boston. The Courier of that city
holds it open for the inspection of any one who wishes to see it. He writes:
“There is not much to write you. The election passed off quietly. The 60th
Mass. Was represented at the polls in large force. I was on guard that day, but
there were five or six of the companies went to the polls and voted from twenty
to thirty times apiece. One captain on the left flank of the regiment put on a
corporal’s blouse and voted thirty times. There were men who voted that had been
dead and buried from six months to a year. One company went thirty miles in the
country and voted for Gov. Morton. They had all expenses paid and a good dinner
and all the rum they wanted to drink. All voted for Morton and it was all right.
I will tell you more when I get home.”
Of a full 1,000 Germans who left Columbus three years ago in the 58th Ohio Regiment with gay pennants flying and martial music; barely 100 now return.
A terrible affray took place in Auburn, N.Y. on Saturday between an armed squad of the Reserve Corps and a number of veteran soldiers belonging to the 75th N.Y.V.V. During the melee two of the 75th were killed and two severely wounded.
The Northwestern militia who took service for one hundred days to defend Washington are in trouble. They received an order to march to the front to fill up Grant's depleted columns. Many demurred, some regiments threw down their arms. They were brought up suddenly by an armed squad, forced to obedience and sent to the Chickahominy.
It is proposed to send to the army hospitals the entire graduating class of the medical college at Burlington, Vt.