1749. Fri Oct 2 1863: From Morris Island. Head Quarters 7th Regt. Conn. Vols. Morris Island, Sept. 12, 1863.

Dear Journal: having some time to myself I will embrace the opportunity of writing these few lines to you and the readers of your valuable paper. On the 1st day of August the "Seventh" had orders to leave St. Augustine and report at Folly Island, and, in pursuance of those orders, embarked on board the transport Boston and passed over St. Augustine bar at 11 o'clock on August 3d, arriving at Folly Island, S.C., on the next day about 10 o'clock, when we received orders to report to Gen. Terry, at Morris Island; and accordingly we started again, arriving there about 10 o'clock in the evening, when we found our other four companies or what was left of them, encamped in the sand near the beach, and we took our places with them. This island is nothing but a sand bank. There are no trees or other vegetation on it and is by far the worst island we have been to yet.

When we arrived here we found our forces on one end and the rebels on the other; and we were bound to have the whole and we have got it. Forts Wagner and Gregg, we laid seige to, and intrenched till we got clear into the fort, when we found that the devils had left. I call them devils, and so would any man that has seen what I have in that fort. On the morning of the September 7th, there were piles of dead men lying on the ground and in their splinter proofs. I saw from 75 to 100 piled in tiers--just earth enough to cover them and keep them from sight and the living trampled on them, and staid in there when our fire became too hot. They took their dead men out of sight and fastened torpedoes to them so that when our men went to bury them they would explode and kill and wound us, as a number of them have already done. Talk about barbarism! I think Beauregard has shown us a specimen of barbarous warfare, and had ought to be exposed to the world and made to suffer the most fearful death that can be inflicted. We have taken up a large number to this day, and are finding them every day (I mean torpedoes), not those little paper ones they use to have Fourth of Julys. These are Copperhead torpedoes. Fort Wagner is built of sand and wood, and is without doubt the strongest fort the Rebels had near Charleston, and the only way we could take it without a fearful loss of life was by engineering, for which our commanding general, Gilmore, cannot be surpassed. I could not stand it. There was a regiment out burying them as soon as we got in possesion. I do not think it was a very pleasant job. The most of the boys in our regiment were used to man Parrot guns and mortars. Co. H, the company the Willimantic boys are in, were on both Parrotts and mortars. They did well and were very much liked. Capt. Dennis had the command of a mortar battery, and five 10-inch mortars I was gunenr on one and fired the last shot at Wagner. The advice of old folks would not exactly work here, that is, keep your mouths shut. We open our mouths and shut our ears.

I wish I could say our Navy was as good as our troops. They lie off here in sight, and comparatively do nothing. You will see in New York papers, what great things our iron-clads do here. All I have to say, we would like to see them do their part. Oh, that Foote had lived to have taken command of the fleet here, we would not have had to do it all. The 7th C.V., has got its name, and will uphold it wherever they go. The Rebel flag waves over Sumter, but it will not wave long. We have not much news here, now, but will make a lot soon, when you shall hear again from, Yours truly, E.H. Ripley.

1750. Fri Oct 2 1863: The Norwich Bulletin, of Wednesday, mentions a remarkable coincidence, that within the space of three days, three of their oldest citizens, residents of Norwich town, have died, all at the advanced age of eighty-six years--namely: Mrs. Elizabeth, widow of Samuel Baily, and Mrs. Hannah Savage, on the 26th, and Nathaniel McClellan, of the Woodstock McClellan families, on the 28th ultimo.

1751. Fri Oct 2 1863: The steamer City of Washington has arrived at New York, with news to the 17th. The emancipation society has written to Earl Russell, thanking him for stopping the rams in the Mersey, and begging him not to lose sight of movements on the Clyde.

The Times editorially expresses satisfaction that the iron clads in the Mersey will not be allowed to leave until something more is known of their ownership and destination.

1752. Fri Oct 2 1863: The Paris Moniteur explains that the Florida is not a privateer, but forms part of the confederate marine, duly commissioned, and has all the characteristics of an ordinary vessel of war. Ninety-five of the crew of the Florida had arrived at Liverpool in a state of destitution. Reports that they had received large sums in wages and prize money are fabrications. The men were mostly pressed from the confederate army. At Brest they loudly demanded wages, when they were all discharged with notes on confederate agents in Liverpool, for sums varying from 100 to 130 dollars. These claims were repudiated, and the men swore vengeance. It was reported that the two Federal vessels were en route for Brest to prevent the departure of the Florida.

Paris rumors say that the new Emperor of Mexico recognizes the confederates in obedience to the instructions of Napoleon; also, that Lincoln's government will not throw difficulty in the way of the French schemes, but will quietly watch events.

1753. Fri Oct 2 1863: Parson Brownlow.--By the following prospectus it will be seen that Parson Brownlow, (who has returned to East Tennessee in triumph with Gen. Burnside,) is soon to issue the Knoxville Whig and Rebel Ventilator, in which he proposes to give the rebels "Hail, Columbia!"

Brownlow's Knoxville Whig and Rebel Ventilator.

I propose to publish a weekly and tri-weekly journal, bearing the above title, at Knoxville, in East Tennessee, and the weekly paper, made up from the contents of the tri-weeklies, I propose to send to distant subscribers for two dollars per annum, invariably paid in advance. Subscriptions and remittance may be forwarded to me at Cincinnati, from which point I expect to ship my paper and materials. I expect to issue the first number in October, as it was in that month, two years ago, my paper was crushed out by the God-forsaken mob at Knoxville, called the Confederate authorities. I will commence with this hell-born and hell-bound rebellion where traitors forced me to leave off and all who wish the paper will do well to begin with the first issue, as I intend that single paper shall be worth the subscription price to any unconditional Union man.

In the rule of my editorial conduct, I shall adjure that servility which destroys the independence of the Press, and cast from me that factious opposition which gives to party what is due to country. And whilst the name of my journal indicates, in unmistakable terms, its politics, I shall, as a faithful sentinel, forget Whigs, Democrats, Know Nothings, and Republicans, and remember only my Government and the preservation of the Federal Union--as richly worth all the sacrifices of blood and treasure their preservation may cost--even to the extermination of the present race of men, and the consumption of all the means of the present age!

Publishers inserting this propspectus once, prominently, and sending me the paper to Cincinnati, will be favored with an exchange. September 7, 1863. W. G. Brownlow.

1754. Fri Oct 2 1863: The Rev. Daniel Waldo, of Syracuse, a native of Windham, was 101 years old on Thursday, the 10th of September.

1755. Fri Oct 2 1863: Mr. Harvey L. Hazen, it will be seen by advertisement, is to give a series of lessons in Dancing, commencing October 21. We are requested, also to say that he proposes giving a cotillion party, the evening before the commencement of the school, October 20. This furnishes a good opportunity for those desirous of learning to "trip the light fantastic toe."

1756. Fri Oct 2 1863: All paroled prisoners who were taken to Sept. 1 have been exchanged and are ordered to report for active duty. Those of our friends in the 18th and others at Camp Parole, Annapolis, will now resume active service.

1757. Fri Oct 2 1863: Town Meeting.--The annual town meeting next Monday, is to be at Willimantic. We understand it is proposed in the warning, to act on the questions of having the town meeting all the time at Willimantic, and of removing the records and "deposits" to this part of the town. The reasons why a good many of our citizens are in favor of having the meeting here all the time are briefly these:

First, The population of the borough is nearly double that in all the rest of the town, and as a large majority of the voters are here, it is no more than just and fair they claim, that the meetings should be where they will accommodate the greatest number, on the principle that the majority shall rule.

Second, It is more inconvenient and involves more loss and expense for the voters in Willimantic to go to Windham, than for those in Windham, to come to Willimantic. Most of the voters in the other sections of the town own teams and it is no expense or hardship for them to come to Willimantic, while the majority here own no teams, and must not only lose their time but pay the expense of their trips to Windham.

Third, We have, until quite recently, ever since we became a village, been to Windham to do all our town business, because the portion of the town outside of Willimantic, contained the larger number of inhabitants. Is there any reason why the people in Windham--the other sections of the town--should not now come to Willimantic when we are in so large a majority? If so, our citizens fail to see it. The same reasons apply in a measure to the removal of the records here, though we believe the people generally do not feel so much interest in that matter as in the town meetings.

We trust, however, that if a serious move is to be made, it will be done after a fair and full conference on the subject, and if anything is to be done it will be, as far as possible, mutually satisfactory to all portions of the town. We should deprecate greatly at any time, but especially under present circumstances, a sectional war. To avoid that we think it would be far better for things to remain in stato quo. We feel no great personal interest in the matter, and only allude to the subject to show our readers in other sections of the town how the matter is regarded by our citizens.

1758. Fri Oct 2 1863: Child Lost.--Quite an alarm was created in the village early Wednesday evening by a report that a little girl of three years, the daughter of Mr. J.R. Fry, who lives on Jackson street about a half a mile north of the village, had strayed away from home and was lost. One of the bells was run and quite a number turned out to look for the missing child. Fortunately the family and immediate neighbors had been so active and diligent in their search that the little one was found before the village people arrived. She had strayed some half a mile from home where she was found in a ditch on the premises of Mr. John S. Smoth, and restored unharmed to her anxious and alarmed parents.

1759. Fri Oct 2 1863: Sergt. Charles H. Ripley, of Windham Co. H, 7th Regiment, C.V., is home from Morris Island on a thirty days furlough. He has never been home since the regiment left, about two years since. Furloughs were only to be granted to those who had distinguished themselves by good conduct and faithful service. Of course Charles is "one of them."

1760. Fri Oct 2 1863: Capt. Frank S. Long, of the 21st Regiment, is home on a brief furlough.

1761. Fri Oct 2 1863: Colonel Solomon Porter died at his residence in Hartford, Wednesday morning, aged 74. He was one of the last of the old merchants of Hartford. He was a prominent Free Mason and one of the originators of the State Bank and for many years its' President. The recent death of his daughter, Mrs. Pardee, affected him very much, and his feeble condition of body broke down under the painful disease which caused his death.

1762. Fri Oct 2 1863: A dentist in Middleton gave a laughing gas exhibition the other evening, to illustrate its effects in the extraction of teeth, when one or two of his subjects pitched into him, and he was obliged to show the "manual dexterity of heels" to save himself.

1763. Fri Oct 2 1863: A little daughter of William B. Ames, aged 2 1-2 years, of Litchfield, ran against a dipper of boiling water which was in the hands of a member of the family. The water flooded the child's neck and breast, causing the most terrible wounds, from which she lingered in great agony for seventeen days, until death put an end to her suffering on Sunday last.

1764. Fri Oct 2 1863: Eighty-one sick soldiers belonging to Connecticut regiments, arrived at the Knight Hospital on Monday. They represent the 8th, 11th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 18th and 21st regiments.

1765. Fri Oct 2 1863: Daniel R. Latimer, depot master at Montville, was seriously and perhaps fatally injured Thursday morning, on board a vessel at Comstock's wharf.

1766. Fri Oct 2 1863: Mr. Clark Greenman, of Mystic Bridge, recently stated that he should like to be represented in the army, and that he would give $1000 to any man who would assume his name and enlist. The offer was accepted by one of the workmen in the Greenville ship yard, and he is now in Col. Fisk's cavalry battalion.

1767. Fri Oct 2 1863: Deaths.

In Willimantic, Sept. 30, Jennie B., daughter of Ephraim S. Herrick, Jr., aged 21 months.

In Danielsonville, September 19, Wm. Stone, aged 88.

In Killingly, September 22, Amos Hammond, aged 73.

In Canterbury, September 21, Lucy M. Sweet, aged 35.

At Ship Island, September 1, of Typhoid Fever, Sergt. Charles H. Potter, of Windham, aged 26, member of 24th Regt. C.V. Mr. Potter leaves a wife and 2 children to mourn his loss.

In Mansfield, October 1st Henrietta Douglass, only daughter of George C. and Julia A. Rixford, aged 9 years, 10 months and 15 days.

1768. Fri Oct 2 1863: Order of Notice. Tolland, Sept. 8, A.D. 1863. Adeline A. Barrows, vs. George W. Barrows, State of Conntecticut, Tolland County. Upon the petition of the said Adeline A. Barrows, praying for reasons therein set forth, for a divorce, now pending before the Superior Court in and for Tolland County, to be held on the first Tuesday of December, A.D., 1863. It appearing to, and being found by the subscribing authority, that the said Respondent is gone to parts unknown. Therefore, ordered that notice of the pendency of said petition be given by publishing this order in Willimantic, four weeks successively, commencing on or before the second day of October, A.D., 1863. Joseph Bishop, Clerk of the Superior Court for Tolland County.

1769. Fri Oct 2 1863: A Brave Old Man.--Mr. Nathan Merwin of Milford, 72 years of age, (who was one of the door keepers in the House of the General Assemble which convened in this city last May.) was the only man who posessed sufficient courage to go to the help of the schooner Winona,which was wrecked off that town during the severe gale of Friday. He saw the perilous condition of the vessel and crew, and in a small boat went out to the sinking schooner and succeeded in rescuing three of the crew and the captain, bringing them safely to the shore. We agree with the New Haven Journal, that he deserves a gold medal from the humane society for his energy and courage on that occasion.