Valley Spirit

The Spirit will now be issued semi-weekly on Wednesday and Saturday morning. The change was made in order to keep readers advised of all the events occurring so rapidly.

The Spirit welcomes its new subscribers and thanks them for paying their subscriptions in advance.

The Spirit is in a "more prosperous condition than at any time since the paper was started" because of a larger subscription list and more advertising and job work.

Fort Pickens is prepared to withstand an attack. A partial blockade exists at Pensacola.

Two letters from J.S.K., who is from Chambersburg, that discuss life in Camp Scott, a visit from the governor, and the desire of the men to do something other than sit in camp.

Miscellaneous war news. The Union men in Annapolis believe that the Virginia troops will move soon, since they lack provisions and must either fight or disperse.

The President issued a proclamation declaring that a state of insurrection exists in the State of Florida. The U.S. forces on the Florida coast are directed to permit no person to "exercise any office or authority upon the Island of Key West, the Tortugas and Santa Rosa, which may be inconsistent with the laws and Constitution of the United States."

Old Point Comfort is reportedly fully prepared to resist any attack made upon it. Southern troops are concentrating in the vicinity of Norfolk.

"It is rumored that the Government is in treaty for the services of the steamship Great Eastern as a transport."

"The 2d Connecticut regiment of volunteers, under Col. Ferry, sailed last night for Washington, in the steamship Cahawba."

Over one hundred men are working on bridges on the Bush and Gunpowder rivers. These will be done on Sunday and the trains will begin to run on Monday and Tuesday.

Fifteen hundred more troops arrived in Washington, bringing the total number to nearly 25,000. Rumors of the concentration of troops in Virginia are spreading across the city, but no one believes them.

The convention to form a separate state west of the Alleghenies will meet in Washington Hall in Wheeling on Monday. Thirty counties are expected to be represented. The federal government has provided troops and encouragement. "Strong Union sermons were delivered [in Wheeling] yesterday, fast day, in all the churches. Dissenters from Union faith were invited to leave."

A group of 50 mounted insurgents fired on the picket guard at Camp Butler. Shots were exchanged, but the group escaped.

A former federal officer who joined the Confederate army states that the Southern troops at Harper's Ferry are provided with inferior arms and poor provisions. He thinks that their chances for defeating a federal force are bad. "He is determined, however, to stick by their waning fortunes." In addition "Confident expectation prevails in high circles at this point that a battle will be fought between Richmond and Washington within ten days."

The mountain forests on the Maryland side of the Potomac near Harper's Ferry were fired last night and valuable timber was destroyed. Eight hundred Confederate soldiers were encamped on the Maryland shore and the heights in that area were being fortified. They have also made preparations so that bridges and other property can be blown up in a moments notice if necessary.

"Several soldiers have been rejected at 'Camp Slifer,' being unable on account of some physical disability to pass the medical inspection."

"The Rev. Mr. Nicholas (Presbyterian), preached a sermon, on Sunday afternoon, to the soldiers at 'Camp Slifer,' and Rev. M. Harden (Methodist) to those at 'Camp McAllen.'"

"On Sunday last, Mr. Conrad Harman invited one of the Pittsburgh Companies, in the 7th Regiment, to his residence for the purpose of partaking of a collation prepared for them. The whole affair passed off very orderly and pleasantly."

"On Sunday last the different churches were filled with the soldiers encamped at this place. They marched to the churches in companies and without an exception, their conduct while in church was of the most exemplary character."

"The establishment at which the bread is prepared for the troops is now in the 'full tide of successful experiment,' turning out twenty-five hundred pounds of bread a day with all ease. There is no complaint now against the quality of the bread."

"It was announced in the respective churches on Sunday last, that the ladies of the various denominations would meet in the Presbyterian Lecture Room, on Monday, to organize an association to supply regularly the Hospital at this place, with all the comforts necessary for the sick soldiers."

"Capt. P. B. Housum and Capt. John Doebler have returned to 'Camp Scott.' These gentlemen have been on a visit to their homes, at this place, for several days. They left on Monday morning and do not expect to see their friends again until the 'wars are o'er.'"

"The Surgeons of the Regiments at this post have all left for Philadelphia to attend a convention of the medical men of the army from this State. The sick here are left in charge of the Assistants who are thoroughly qualified to discharge all the duties that may devolve upon them."

"On Saturday last there was received at 'Camp Slifer' thirty thousand rounds of ball-cartridge. The Cartridge Boxes and Percussion Caps have not yet been supplied. It is not likely that any of the regiments will be removed until these necessary equipments are furnished--the many rumors to the contrary notwithstanding."

A few rowdy soldiers who had "made Wolffstown the 'field of their operations,'" stopped their disruptive behavior.

Government sources predict that a battle will be fought either at Harper's Ferry or between Washington and Richmond in the next ten days. The Spirit urges its readers to subscribe to get the "earliest and fullest intelligence of all the war movements."

In a fight amongst some soldiers at 'Camp Slifer,' a guard stabbed one soldier with a bayonet in the thigh.

A few drunken soldiers created a row at Brand's Hotel on Sunday night. When Mr. Brand asked them to leave, he received a blow in the head.

Mr. Adam Reineman, formerly a Chambersburg resident, sent twenty casks of Pittsburgh Beer to the soldiers at "Camp Slifer." To show their gratitude, the soldiers "resolved to return the casks on the next train empty."

The four men listed above came home for a visit.

Rev. Dr. Junkins, formerly of Lexington, Virginia, preached at the Presbyterian Church in Chambersburg last Sunday. He was forced to leave Virginia because of his Union sentiments.

The Spirit draws its readers' attention to the two letters printed on page one from a young soldier at Camp Scott.

Mr. J. W. Deal, the newly appointed Chambersburg Post Master, has taken charge of the office. The office will be moved next Thursday next to the room in the Valley Spirit Building. This will give the town what it has long desired--a suitable post office.

The Spirit dislikes the plan proposed for enlisting the three-month volunteers for three years. These men have been badly clothed and badly treated and have received neither money nor glory, so asking them to "'prolong the agony' is taxing their patriotism rather severely."

The Spirit responds to an inquiry from the Charleston Mercury as to where the Northern friends of the South have gone. The Spirit states that they are where they have always been--"on the platform of Southern rights, the Constitution, and the Union." They blame the Southern secessionists for abandoning the North and going beyond the Constitution and the Union to defend their rights. "The Northern Democracy have no share in the responsibility, but they are unanimously taking a hand in the work of preserving the Union."

The Bank of Chambersburg paid its stockholders a dividend of four percent. The Spirit believes that the stockholders are "blessed," especially since Railroad stock and state bonds have paid so poorly. They point out that the Democratic Party was once considered hostile to banks. Now, they claim that the Party is only hostile to corrupt and fraudulent banks.

Letter from Col. Stumbaugh in reference to the donation made by the Franklin County Bible Society to the volunteers from the county.

"The next session of the Chambersburg Female Seminary will open on the 3rd of next September."

Washington is quiet, and reports have reached the city that there are no signs of northward troop movement in Virginia. Numerous Southern troops have congregated at Richmond. Fifteen hundred Alabama troops and twenty cannon arrived at Manassas Gap Junction on their way to Harper's Ferry.

"Three locomotives came over the Philadelphia road this morning nearly to Canton bridge, which will be ready for use in the course of the day. The telegraph poles are being replaced, and there is every prospect of an immediate resumption of full communication [with Baltimore] by this route."

Miscellaneous Southern war news.

Union soldiers captured General Frost's brigade of Missouri militia. Before the surrendered troops marched back to St. Louis, a disturbance broke out between U.S. volunteers and a crowd that included many women and children. The crowd threw several rocks at the soldiers and fired a few pistol shots. When Capt. Blanlawsky was shot, he gave the order to fire, which was obeyed. More than twenty persons, including two women and several children, were killed. "The unfortunate occurrence has produced an intense excitement in the city. Large bodies of men are thronging the streets."

The steamer Pembroke sailed for Fort Monroe with reinforcements and provisions.

General Pillow has chartered three steamboats for an attack on Cairo, Illinois.

The Canadian commander of the forces has made a requisition upon England for five thousands troops. These are to be used to defend the border. Canada will preserve an armed neutrality. Anyone attempting to enlist Canadians for service in the U.S. will be arrested.

Maryland has been completely pacified through moral suasion--"The moral suasion of an overwhelming and still accumulating military force." The same situation will soon exist in Virginia.

Married on May 2nd.

Married on May 12nd.

Catharine Shoop died on May 7th.

Dorothy Steppler died on May 10th at 7 years of age.