Special to New York Papers

(Herald’s Special.)

WASHINGTON, March 24. – The party which left here on Tuesday to look for the remains of Colonel Slocum, Maj. [Ballou] and Capt. Tower of the 2d Rhode Island Regiment, killed at Bull Run, returned this morning bringing their remains.  The party was composed of Governor Sprague, Col. Arnold, Mr. Walter Coleman, his secretary, Lieut. Col. Sailges, Capt. Dennison and Surgeon Grady of the Rhode Island Cavalry, accompanied by two of the Rhode Island Volunteers who had been taken prisoners at Bull Run and had noted the place were officers were buried.  The party arrived Friday at Dudley’s Church.  Col. Slocum and Maj. [Ballou] were buried in the yard of [a] building nearby which was used as a hospital on the day of battle.  This building had been destroyed by the rebels, but the graves were found.  After they had commenced to dig a negro girl inquired if they were digging for the body of Col. Slocum and stated that about six weeks after the battle some soldiers of a Georgia regiment had dug it up, cut off the head and buried the body at the side of the run close by, and taken the coffin away to bury a dead negro.  Her story was corroborated by a white boy and man who lived in the same neighborhood.  On repairing to the spot indicated there was found a pile of ashes and which were pronounced by the Surgeon to be human corpses, which were buried in a box and Major [Ballou] in a coffin.  Upon opening the graves the box was recognized by Mr. Richardson who was present at the interment, and the remains in it were identified as Col. Slocum’s.  Upon opening the other grave it was found to be empty, showing that the body dug up and burned by the Georgia barbarians was that of Maj. [Ballou], as only the two have been interred in that yard.

(Tribune’s Dispatch.)

It is rumored that Green Clay will be transferred from the Secretaryship of Legation at St. Petersburg to that at Turin, the present incumbent, Mr. Fry, having declined on account of ill health.

Dr. John Evans of Chicago has been nominated and confirmed as Governor of Colorado territory, vice Gov. Milliu.  Stephen S. Hardin, of Indiana was on Friday nominated Governor of Utah, vice Geo. Dawson, rejected.

Small squads of rebel horsemen are scouring the country within five miles of Manassas impressing all able bodied men left, robbing the farmers for the hundredth time and destroying what they can’t carry away.

The Saturday’s work of the Ways and Means Committee on demands of delegations for the modification of the tax bill was to put a 3 percent ad valorem charge upon paper of every description; to adopt the schedule on leather substantially as they were presented to the Committee by Mr. Alley, a tanner, and a member of the House; to fix the rate on hoop skirts, umbrellas and parasols at f per cent ad valorem; ready made clothing at 3 per cent ad valorem; to leave salt is in the bill; and later long discussion to let the tax as first reported on tobacco and all its manufactures stand unaltered.  The tax on billiard dabbles was reduced half – to ten dollars a year.  On rock oil petroleum and coal oils the only change was of phraseology so that the refining and produce from distillation shall not be charged for brokers.  The committee took off the tenth of one per cent on their stock sales. Thinking that through their use of powers of attorney, transfer stamps and other assessable incidents of their business they would get taxed enough.  Flour was not disposed of.  The desire to tax of course exists.  The only difficulty in fixing the rate has been presented by the Canadian reciprocity treaty.  The belief has at least obtained in the Committee that flour can be taxed by branding the barrels and taxing the sales without violating the stipulations of that treaty.  The charge on the gross receipts of horse railroads was reduced one half.  It was decided not to tax coal at all, because it enters in the business of nearly the whole nation.  During the discussion on this bill the work on the tariff progressed.  Reference is continually had to it and when an article is taxed for income revenue at the same time an equivalent custom duty is placed on the tax list.  This principle will be adhered to throughout.

The Times’ Washington correspondence says the Commission of State Prisons will, to-morrow, take up the case of the celebrated Mrs. Grenshaw [sic], who will probably be transferred from a state prison to a Lunatic Asylum.

Gen. Montengrey [sic] has been transferred from his post as Military Governor of Alexandria, and placed in a like command at Annapolis.

Painful rumors have been afloat for two days, affecting a prominent officer in the civil department of the Government.  We are promised the denouement this week.

It is not true that the steamer Vanderbilt has been purchased by the Government to be altered to an iron clad vessel.  She is merely chartered for a short time as transport.

The commanding officer at Fort Craig writes to the Government that he has not a doubt of being able to hold the post.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 29, 1862, p. 4

From Washington

WASHINGTON, March 24.

Col. Segur representative from the Accomac district, arrived here this evening, confirming the intelligence about the destruction of the Privateer Nashville, and Fort Macon, by the rebels.

Times’ Correspondence

The commission on State prisoners will to-morrow take up the case of the celebrated Mrs. Greenough [sic], who will probably be transferred from a State prison to a lunatic asylum.

Gen. Montgomery has been transferred from his post as military governor of Alexandria and placed in a like command at Annapolis.

Painful rumors have been afloat for two days affecting a prominent officer in the civil department of the government.  We are promised the denouncement this week.

It is not true that the steamer Vanderbilt has been purchased by the Government to be altered to an iron-clad vessel.  She is merely charted for a short time as transport.

The commanding officer at Fort Craig writes to the Government that he has not a doubt of being able to hold that post.

Tribune Correspondence.

It is rumored that Green Clay will be transferred from the Secretaryship of Legation at St. Petersburg to that at Turin, the present incumbent, Mr. Fry, having resigned on account of ill health.

Dr. John Evans, of Chicago, has been nominated and confirmed as Governor of Colorado Territory, vice Gov. Gilpin.

Stephen S. Harding, of Ind., was, on Friday, nominated Governor of Utah, vice Gov. Dawson, rejected.

Small squads of rebel horsemen are scouring the country within five miles of Manassas, impressing all the able bodied men left, robbing the former for the hundredth time, and destroying what they can’t carry away.

The Saturday’s work of the ways and means committee on demands of delegations for modifications of the tax bill, was to put a 3 per cent ad valorem charge upon paper of every description; to adopt the schedules on leather substantially as they were presented to the committee by Mr. Alley, a tanner and a member of the House; to fix the rate on hoop skirts, umbrellas, and parasols, at 5 per cent ad valorem; on ready made clothing, at 3 per cent ad valorem; to leave salt as is in the bill; and after long discussion, to let the tax as first reported on tobacco and all its manufacturers stand unaltered.  The tax on billiard tables was reduced half to ten dollars a year; on rock oil, petroleum and coal oils, the only change was of phraseology, so that gas, tar, and the products from redistillation shall not be changed; for brokers the committee took off the tenth of one per cent on their stock sales, thinking that through their use of powers of attorney, transferred stamps and other assessable incidents of the business, they would get taxed enough.  Flour was not disposed, the desire to tax it of course duly exists of; the only difficulty in fixing the rate has been presented by the Canadian reciprocity treaty.  The belief has at least obtained in committee that flour can be taxed by branding the barrels and taxing the sales without violating the stipulations of that treaty; the charge on the gross receipts of horse railroads was reduced one half; it was decided not to tax coal at all; because it enters into the business and domestic life of nearly the whole nation.

During the discussions on the bill the work on the tariff progresses.  Reference is continually had to it, when an article is tax for internal revenue; at the same time an equivalent customs entry is placed on the tax list.  This principle will be adhered to throughout.

Herald’s Dispatch.

The party which left here on Tuesday ot look for the remains. Of Col. Slocum, Major Ballou, and Capt. tower of the 2d Rhode Island regiment, killed at Bull Run, returned this morning bringing their remains.  The party was composed of Gov. Sprague, Col. Arnold, Mr. Walter Coleman, his secretary Tristram Burges, Lieut. Col. Sayles and Capt. Dennison and Surgeon Greely, of the R. I. Cavalry, accompanied by two of the R. I. volunteers, who had been twin prisoners at Bull Run, and had noted the place where the officers were buried.  The party arrived Friday at Sudley’s Church.

Col. Slocum and Maj. Ballou were buried in the yard of a building near by, which was used as a hospital on the day of the battle.  This building had been destroyed by the rebels, but the graves were found.  After they had commenced to dig a negro girl inquired if they were digging for the body of Col. Slocum, and stated that about six weeks after the battle some soldiers of a Georgia regiment had dug it up, cut off the head, and buried the body at the side of the run close by, and taken the coffin away to bury a dead negro.  Her story was corroborated by a white boy and a white man who lived in the same neighborhood.  On repairing to the spot indicated, there was found a pile of ashes and bones, which were pronounced by the surgeon to be human. – Col. Slocum had been buried in a box, and Maj. Ballou in a coffin.  Upon opening the graves the box was recognized by Mr. Richardson, who was present at the interment, and the remains in it were identified as Col. Slocum.  Upon opening the other grave it was found to be empty, showing that the body dug up and burned by the Georgia barbarians was that of Maj. Ballou, only those two having been buried in that yard.

Gen. Hitchcock is here, aiding the war department by his advice.

Senator Lane, of Ind., has received advices from Savannah, Tenn., of the formation of a Union regiment in Alabama.

The Republican asserts that the President has remove Gen. Denver from the command of the department of Kansas.

The entire national debt is now four hundred millions of dollars.

The Senate to-day confirmed about 400 army appointment, principally of minor ranks.  Among them in the Adjutant General’s office department is R. J. Wagoner, of Ky.; Assistant Ad.t. Gen., with rank of Captain.  The only two Brigadier Generals of volunteers confirmed are Wm. K. Strong and Col. Mahon M. Monson [sic], of Ind.

Postmaster General Blair to-day issued the following notice to the Postmasters of the U. S.:

“The Secretary of War now regulates the transmission of information by telegraph affecting the conduct of the war.  In order to prevent the communication of such information to the rebels, it is also thought necessary by the secretary to put restrictions on the publication of facts of this character, however derived, and the aid of this department is requested for this purpose.

“You will therefore notify publishers not to publish any fact which has been excluded from the telegraph and that a disregard of this order will subject the paper to be excluded from the mails.

Signed,

M. BLAIR, P. M. Gen.”

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, March 25, 1862, p. 1

Sullivan Ballou to his wife, Sarah

HEAD-QUARTERS, CAMP CLARK,

WASHINGTON, D. C., July 14, 1861.

MY VERY DEAR WIFE:

The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days, perhaps to-morrow. Lest I should not be able to write you again, I feel impelled to write a few lines, that may fall under your eye when I shall be no more.

Our movement may be one of a few days’ duration and full of pleasure — and it may be one of severe conflict and death to me. “Not my will, but thine, O God, be done.” If it is necessary that I should fall on the battle-field for my country, I am ready. I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in, the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter. I know how strongly American civilization now leans upon the triumph of the government, and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and suffering of the Revolution, and I am willing, perfectly willing to lay down all my joys in this life to help maintain this government, and to pay that debt.

But, my dear wife, when I know, that, with my own joys, I lay down nearly all of yours, and replace them in this life with cares and sorrows, — when, after having eaten for long years the bitter fruit of orphanage myself, I must offer it, as their only sustenance, to my dear little children, is it weak or dishonorable, that, while the banner of my purpose floats calmly and proudly in the breeze, underneath, my unbounded love for you, my darling wife and children, should struggle in fierce, though useless, contest with my love of country?

I cannot describe to you my feelings on this calm summer Sabbath night, when two thousand men are sleeping around me, many of them enjoying the last, perhaps, before that of death; and I, suspicious that Death is creeping behind me with his fatal dart, am communing with God, my country and thee.

I have sought most closely and diligently, and often in my breast, for a wrong motive in thus hazarding the happiness of all those I loved, and I could not find one. A pure love of my country, and of the principles I have often advocated before the people, and "the name of honor, that I love more than I fear death," have called upon me, and I have obeyed.

Sarah, my love for you is deathless. It seems to bind me with mighty cables, that nothing but Omnipotence can break; and yet, my love of country comes over me like a strong wind, and bears me irresistibly on with all those chains, to the battlefield. The memories of all the blissful moments I have spent with you, come crowding over me, and I feel most deeply grateful to God and you, that I have enjoyed them so long. And how hard it is for me to give them up, and burn to ashes the hopes of future years, when, God willing, we might still have lived and loved together, and seen our boys grow up to honorable manhood around us.

I know I have but few claims upon Divine Providence, but something whispers to me, perhaps it is the wafted prayer of my little Edgar, that I shall return to my loved ones unharmed. If I do not, my dear Sarah, never forget how much I love you, nor that, when my last breath escapes me on the battle-field, it will whisper your name.

Forgive my many faults, and the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless, how foolish I have oftentimes been! How gladly would I wash out with my tears, every little spot upon your happiness, and struggle with all the misfortune of this world, to shield you and my children from harm. But I cannot. I must watch you from the spirit land and hover near you, while you buffet the storms with your precious little freight, and wait with sad patience till we meet to part no more.

But, O Sarah, if the dead can come back to this earth, and flit unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you — in the gladdest day, and the darkest night — amidst your happiest scenes and gloomiest hours — always, always; and, if there be soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath; or the cool air cools your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by.

Sarah, do not mourn me dead; think I am gone, and wait for me, for we shall meet again.

As for my little boys, they will grow as I have done, and never know a father's love and care. Little Willie is too young to remember me long, and my blue-eyed Edgar will keep my frolics with him among the dimmest memories of his childhood. Sarah, I have unlimited confidence in your maternal care, and your development of their characters. Tell my two mothers, I call God's blessing upon them. O Sarah, I wait for you there! Come to me, and lead thither my children.

Sullivan.

SOURCES: Henry Sweetser Burrage, Editor, Brown University In The Civil War, A Memorial, p. 105-8; Adin Ballou, An Elaborate History And Genealogy Of The Ballous In America, p. 1058-9