and Tullahoma; but, in
fact, the bridge was not destroyed, and trains on the railroad were only
delayed two hours. The expedition succeeded, however, in picking up a
few stragglers and horses.

26. General Stanley has returned from Huntsville, bringing with him
about one thousand North Alabama negroes. This is a blow at the enemy in
the right place. Deprived of slave labor, the whites will be compelled
to send home, or leave at home, white men enough to cultivate the land
and keep their families from starving.

27. Adjutant Wilson visited Rousseau's division at Cowan, and reports
the return of Starkweather from Wisconsin, with the stars. This
gentleman has been mourning over the ingratitude of Republics ever since
the battle of Perryville; but henceforth he will, doubtless, feel
better.

A court-martial has been called for the trial of Colonel A. B. Moore,
One Hundred and Fourth Illinois. Some ill-feeling in his regiment has
led one of his officers to prefer charges against him.

28. General Thomas is an officer of the regular army; the field is his
home; the tent his house, and war his business. He regards rather
coolly, therefore, the applications of volunteer officers for leaves of
absence. Why should they not be as contented as himself? He does not
seem to consider that they suddenly dropped business, every thing, in
fact, to hasten to the field. But, then, on second thought, I incline to
the opinion that the old man is right. Half the army would be at home if
leaves and furloughs could be had for the asking.

29. Lieutenant Orr received notice yesterday of his appointment as
captain in the subsistence department, and last night opened a barrel of
beer and stood treat. I did not join the party until about ten o'clock,
and then Captain Hewitt, of the battery, the story-teller of the
brigade, was in full blast, and the applause was uproarious. He was
telling of a militia captain of Fentress county, Tennessee, who called
out his company upon the supposition that we were again at war with
Great Britain; that Washington had been captured by the invaders, and
the arch-iv-es destroyed. A bystander questioned the correctness of the
Captain's information, when he became very angry, and, producing a
newspaper, said: "D--n you, sir, do you think _I_ can't read, sir?" The
man thus interrogated looked over the paper, saw that it announced the
occupation of Washington by the British, but called the attention of the
excited