Thoughtfully curated historical journalism
PORTLAND, Sept. 27.
It appears from authentic official statements that Maine has filled her quotas under both calls for 300,000 men. Her quota under the first was 7,000, and all the men have been in the field for four weeks past under the last call for drafted men.
The telegraph has given the news of the dismissal from the service of Commander Preble, of the blockading squadron off Mobile, for allowing a vessel carrying the English flag to run the blockade, when he had power to prevent it. The people will not complain of any necessary increase of stringency in the Navy Department. An application of equal stringency to some other Departments would not be ungrateful to the popular heart. With reference to this particular case, however, we feel confident, as do the numerous friends of Commander Preble in this city, that when all the facts shall come to be known, he will be restored to his command. Commander P. is a Portland boy, was raised in this city, educated in our Public High School, and is known to be as true a sailor, as honest a man, and as loyal a citizen as ever stepped on shipboard, or obeyed an order. He is a nephew of the late Commodore Preble, and, like his old weather beaten kinsman, has seen hard and honorable service. His friends, we repeat, cherish abiding confidence that there must be palliating circumstances, which, when known, will cause his name to be restored to the service.
The funeral of Col. Netter yesterday was a most imposing affair. Personally, he was known to but few of our citizens, but his reputation was familiar to all. The large military procession which followed his remains to the grave, gave proof of the high regard entertained by our citizens for the services of so gallant a soldier of the Republic.
The remains of Col. Netter arrived on the steamer Delaware late Saturday night. This was the first authentic intelligence obtained of the Colonel’s death. No opportunity was given to announce the time of the funeral, which was fixed for 4 o’clock. Adjutant Sonntag, however, did his best to notify the members of the different companies of the Indiana Legion, and by half past 2 o’clock they commenced collecting at their various headquarters. By 3 o’clock they were in line on Third street, where they were formed the regiment under the command of Lieut. Col. Gwathmey and the battalion under Major Walker. The regiment was headed by the German Brass Band and the battalion by the Crescent City Band.
How the Disaster Occurred.
The surrender of Harper’s Ferry surprised everybody when it was announced. It was not easy to understand how it had become necessary. Col. Miles had under his command about 13,000 men, including the cavalry that escaped. He had all the artillery necessary to a successful defence of the position, including fifty pieces of field artillery, besides all the heavy guns in the various batteries on the Heights. There was no lack of ammunition or stores, and the place should have been held against double the force that was brought against it. The batteries on Maryland Heights were finely placed and very powerful. This was the key to the position, and a capable and determined officer would have held it success fully without serious difficulty.
Our advices from Maryland are of the highest importance. They show that the rebel army it retreating from that State much more expeditiously than they came into it, and that they are not making their escape unscathed. Gen. Burnside passed through Frederick on Saturday morning, and the whole National army pushed on after the retreating enemy by every available road, and even crossed the fields. The reception of Gen. Burnside in Frederick was a perfect ovation, the people turning out with the wildest enthusiasm ; and when Gen. McClellan entered the place, the streets and sidewalks were perfectly blocked with the enthusiastic masses, including a large proportion of ladies. The firing heard on Friday was an artillery duel between Gen. Pleasanton and the rear guard of the rebels, who were so hard pushed that they were forced to fall back to Middletown, from which place they were also driven in the afternoon. On Saturday our cavalry had two affairs with the enemy, and so pushed them that they were forced to burn half a mile of their wagon trains. This, in addition to a train of a hundred ammunition and subsistence wagons, captured by Gen. Franklin, will prove quite a serious loss tor the rebels. Our troops were in fine spirits, and much elated at the cordial reception extended to them by the people of Maryland. All danger of an invasion of Pennsylvania may now be considered past, as the rebels will no doubt have enough to do to escape the death they have courted. Gov. Curtin, however, does not relax his preparations, but is determined to put the State upon a thorough war footing.
The men of Russia, the masses, are about to have a little voice at least, in their own government. It seems that the chief source of the rioting in Tokio was because a park where the people were wont to meet was closed against them, which they construed to mean a denial on the part of the authorities of their right of petition which their constitution guarantees to them. And that was in the land of the Mikado, among a supposed to be pagan people. Surely these should be disquieting days to those who have thrones and who claim a divine right to rule. Many a strong swimmer has been carried down by what seamen call “the undertow.” There is an undertow in the hearts of men and it is gaining in volume and power all the time. Man is asserting himself more and more. Man’s right to be free and to help frame the laws he is to obey is crystalizing into a fixed determination the world around, and in civil government the impression is deepening that no man has any divine rights save those of heart and brain.
DEATH OF GENERAL RENO.
Washington, Sept. 15.
An officer slightly wounded in the battle yesterday, who arrived here late to-day, represented that the fight took place three or four miles from Middletown, Frederick county, at the foot of the first mountain going west. The enemy were strongly posted there, but our men, with the most determined courage, drove them up the mountain, through a strip of woods, cornfields and open ground. The rebels made occasional stands behind walls and fences, but were driven thence to the top of the mountain and over into the valley, where, it being now night, our troops were called from further pursuit. Not one of our men faltered. This part of the contest was maintained by our troops of the centre. Two colonels were among the rebel slain found on the field this morning.