Valley Spirit

Messrs. Barrett and M'Dowell, Proprietors, and Forster and Jones, Editors of the Harrisburg Patriot and Union, were arrested a short time since, by order of the Provost Marshall of Washington and taken to that city under charge of a military guard and imprisoned in the old capital prison. The cause of this arrest and imprisonment was the issuing of a hand-bill from the office of the Patriot and Union, by two printer boys, announcing that Jim Lane was in town, and would enlist colored recruits for the war.

The issuing of this hand-bill was held to be discouraging to the enlistment of white men. Now, if enlisting, or advocating the enlistment of negroes is calculated to discourage the enlistment of white men, why, we ask in all seriousness, has not Jim Lane himself been arrested under the late order of Secretary Standon [sic]? He, we are told, has gone to Kansas to enlist two full regiments of negroes. Or why have not the Editors of the NY Tribune, of the Harrisburg Telegragh [sic] and other kindred abolition sheets been arrested, who have been advocating the enlistment and arming of negroes for months past? It's a poor rule that wont [sic] work both ways. But it would seem that what is taken for the highest degree of loyalty and patriotism in Jim Lane and abolition Editors and orators, instantly becomes treason, when proposed by a couple of irresponsible printer boys belonging to a Democratic newspaper office. Is this impartial and even-handed justice? We think that every honest and fair minded man must say that it is not.

We could have no sympathy with any parties who would be guilty of discouraging enlistments, and if we felt convinced that the parties arrested had any such design we would say they deserved the severest punishment commensurate with the crime. But we must confess our inability to see anything of the kind in the transaction which caused the arrest of these men.

The following just and sensible remarks on this subject we find in the Northampton County Journal, the organ of the Republican party in that county, Would to God, there were more such honorable and fair-minded men editing Republican newspapers. In speaking of the late order of the Secretary of war and the arrest at Harrisburg, the Editor remarks:

But we hope that in the execution of this order, the govnment [sic] will pursue a course of even handed justice. There should and there must be no favor shown on account of political party affinities. The editors lately arrested at Harrisburg for publishing incendiary hand-bills, no doubt, deserved what they got, but in the judgment of many their offence was not half so grand as that of Wendell Philips and the whole radical faction of the North. The former lately delivered an address, in which, by heaping up abuse and ridicule upon the President and some of our Generals, he has done more to weaken confidence in the government and to discourage enlistments than any other one man in the North. The order should not only reach and punish known sympathizers with secession, but also that large class of radical abolitionists who are most fond and hearty in their denunciation of the government because it does not adopt and carry out their plans for suppressing the rebellion. Unless the order is thus impartially executed, sparing none however high, or whatever their political creed, it will do more harm than good. It is just the thing now needed to enable the government to prosecute the war, if it be executed without fear or favor.

Near Arlington Heights.

Saturday, August 16th, 1862

Correspondence of the Spirit and Times.

Messrs. Editors: Here we are, at last, encamped on the sacred soil, on one of the Arlington Heights, five miles from Washington City, two and a half miles from Alexandria, and some two miles from the mansion of the Rebel General Lee. Our regiment was formed on Wednesday last, consisting of eight companies from Franklin and two from Juniata county James G. Elder, of St. Thomas, was chosen Colonel; D. W. Rowe, of Greencastle, Lieut. Colonel, and James C. Austin, of Chambersburg, Major.

On Thursday evening we received orders to strike our tents at three o'clock the coming morning, and be ready to march, with two days cooked rations. The orders were promptly obeyed, but it was nine o'clock before we were marched to the railroad, where a long train of cars was in waiting for us; after remaining seated in the open cars for nearly three hours, we started for Baltimore on the Northern Central Railway, after innumerable unpleasant delays, we arrived at eight o'clock. We took supper at the "Union Relief Association," and immediately left for the Federal Capital, which we reached about three o'clock, this morning; here we were likewise indebted to the Washington "Ladies Retreat" for our breakfast. After breakfast, the boys were allowed an hour or so to see the sights of the town; and you may well imagine they made very good use of their time. Unlike some regiments and companies we have seen, they did not rush as soon as dismissed, to the hotels and grogeries, but wended their way to the Capitol, President's House, Public Departments, Smithsonian Institute, and other buildings and places of note and interest. At about twelve o'clock, the one hundred and twenty fourth regiment, Col. Bell, and the one hundred and twenty sixth, (our's) took up their line of march over the Long Bridge. The day was exceedingly warm, the road dusty, and the march about five miles long. You may know it was the most fatiguing half day's duty many of us had ever performed. There was but little shade along the road, and still less water; and with a heavy knapsack weighing forty or fifty pounds together with a musket and accoutrements, a haversack with rations and a canteen, many of the men were almost exhausted. If our march had been much longer some of us would most assuredly have been left behind. It was a very strong march for raw recruits, but although greatly fatigued, we all escaped without any serious consequences. The location of present camp is a pleasant one. It is situated on a hill overlooking the Potomac and the Valley stretching away to Alexandria, a small brook runs through it and several wells of good water are in the immediate vicinity.

The day before we left Camp Curtin, Major General Wool paid us a vit [sic]. He was greeted with the most enthusiastic cheers by the men; and intimated that the nine months volunteers would be ordered into active service as soon as possible.

It is rumored in camp that last night a party of ten guerillas [sic] were captured within two miles of our camp. Two of them were shot in the encounter and the remainder were taken prisoners. Scouting parties are out after them nightly; to-morrow we expect to go ourselves. They will receive but little quarter, if any of our parties succeed in entrapping them.

A portion of McClellan's army has already arrived below Alexandria, and everything seems to indicate that the second advance upon Richmond will be made from the direction of Fredericksburg and the Rappahannock. By extracts from Richmond papers received here, it would seem that the Rebels really begin to fear for the safety of their Capital. If such be the case they will, in all probability, make another demonstration, before many of the new recruits can get to this side of the river. We have no desire to participate in any serious engagement until we become tolerably well drilled, but after that we want to do our whole duty. Our present camp is surrounded with forts on all sides, at distances varying from one to three miles. Forts Runyan, Albany, Scott, North Blencker and Corcoran, all within the range of the naked eye, can be seen to turn their bristling parapets towards the foe, and are each within shelling distance of the others.

With the exception of some little sickness occasioned by change of water and climate, all still continue to enjoy excellent health, and are in the liveliest spirits.

We were the first Pennsylvania nine months regiment, which reached the Federal Capital; but now they come pouring in by thousands. Thus far we have all been thrown into one camp; but it is to be hoped that different camps will be established, as it becomes very uncomfortable when thirty thousand men are massed in a single camp.

Our reception in Baltimore was very cordial--flags and handkerchiefs were fluttering from hundreds of windows, while many followed us along our route, cheering and encouraging us. I saw regiments passing through the streets of Baltimore last winter, but their reception did not bespeak as healthy a union sentiment as our's did. At least, one thing is certain, the union men are now much bolder in the expression of their sentiments than they formerly were.

Henceforth, our movements are very uncertain. But I shall try to keep you advised as to our whereabouts. For the present letters for Capt. Doebler a company should be directed to Company A, 126th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Washington City, D.C.

The companies of the Regiment run as follows:

A--Capt. Doebler.
B--Capt. Austin.
C--Capt. Brownson.
D--Capt. Reed.
E--Capt. W.W. Walker, (Waynesboro).
F--Capt. Wharton.
G--Capt. Miles.
H--Capt. John H. Walker.
I--Capt. Martin.
K--Capt. Davison, (Greencastle).

I hope this letter will reach you in time for next week's issue. I must now close as the mail will soon leave for town.

K.

The Governors of the States are ordered forthwith, to proceed to furnish their respective quotas of the 300,000 militia called for by the President, and to appoint commandants and designate rendezvous. They are also ordered to cause an enrollment to be made forthwith, by the Assessors of the several counties.

When the enrollment is completed, it is to be filed in the offices of the Sheriffs of the several counties. The Governor is then to appoint a Commissioner for each county to superintend the draft and decide upon exemptions. These cases are specified. Exemptions for physical disability will not be allowed, unless it unfits the claimant for service for a period of more than thirty days, and it must be certified by a Surgeon to be appointed in each county for the purpose. Within ten days of the filing of the lists of enrollment the draft is to be made by the Sheriff of the county, who is to publicly place in a Jury wheel a separately folded ballot for each name on the list; and when they are all in, a person to be appointed by the Commissioners is to draw, blindfolded, a number of ballots, equal to the quota for the county.

Subsequent paragraphs of the regulation provide for the publication of the list, furnishing substitutes &c., and the assembling of drafted men within five days after they are drawn.