Mt&nut. 
LY 
1 
[From Mason’s Normal Singer, by permission.] 
AUTUMN 
[Special Correspondence of Moore's Rural New-Yorker.] 
LETTERS FROM CALIFORNIA. 
New Series.— Nairn tier Seven. 
IJ 
I 
Depreciation of gold and silver— The value of money purely 
conventional—Property of absolute and relative value—Yield 
cf California, gold mines—San Francisco—Its mystic growth 
—Already the re,it of -refinement and wealth—Its stores and 
richly dressed citizens—a comic reminiscence of mining life — 
Autumn in California—Her winter and one in Xew England 
contrasted. 
San Francisco, Cal., Dec. 30,1860. 
The relative value of coin in California differs 
from all other States in the Union, except Oregon, in 
which the standard of prices is much the same as 
here. That gold is diminished in value here, because 
it is plenty, is certain. When coin is very plenty, it 
requires more of it to bny a bat, a pair of boots, or a 
plow. When scarce, it is dearer, and less of it pays 
for these articles. 
In the early or barbaric period of the development 
of a nation, the exponents of wealth,—gold and sil¬ 
ver,—are little needed, and therefore little coveted. 
The value of these metala is purely conventional 
Gold is not valuable because it is gold, but because 
it is the representative of property. Its value can be 
decreased or diminished at the will of the legislators 
of a nation, or it can be deprived of all value, except 
that which it possesses intrinsically in its uses in the 
arts. When the followers of Cortez gave a string of 
glass beads to the natives of Mexico for an ounce of 
gold, they gave the local, political value of the dust. 
When, in 1850, a butcher gave a beef’s head to an 
Indian for a thimbleful of the yellow dust, the dig¬ 
ger (Indian) got the worth of his gold; or, when a 
miner gave two ounces (.834,00) for a pair of boots, be 
received in exchange the full local value of the 
precious metal in useful property. When the I’rz- 
zaros and their followers shod their chargers with 
silver from lack of iron, plainly the silver was worth 
less than iron, for it took three sets of silver shoes 
of equal weight to last as long as one of iron. Evi¬ 
dently, then, gold and silver have only a relative and 
a local value. But the value of food and clothing is 
absolute. The value of a house for shelter from the 
blasts of winter and the heat of summer, in all climes, 
is real and uniform. Hence the value of forests for 
timber, of quarries for walls, of bone and sinew to 
fashion and construct. Their value is uniformly the 
same; their price changes only as money is more or 
less plenty. But the dividing line between property 
of absolute and relative value, is too subtle to bo 
traced. The Bcbolar will recollect the instance In 
Roman history, when money was so plenty that it 
took wbat a mule could draw or carry to pay for a 
bushel of wheat, or A night's entertainment at an inn. 
But, we will not make too strong a case of the vanity 
of gold, or its fluctuating, uncertain value, lest some 
roguish render will accuse us of imitating the animal 
in the fable, who, having lost his tail, tried to per¬ 
suade the rest of his friends to dispense with the 
superfluity. 
The average yield of the mines of California for ten 
years, is estimated at §164,380 per day. The portion 
which has been sent oir to the East for the purchase 
of necessaries and luxuries, is equivalent to a stream 
the average volume of which is $137,000 each day for 
ten years. Californians are the most lavish of money 
of n»-» t . ,.p The v-sho with which it is 
obtained, and the almost fabulous amount deposited 
in her mining regions, drifts them in the wake of 
extravagance and fast living. 
San Francisco, horn but yesterday, is already the seat 
of a rellncincut and elegance nowhere surpassed. Its 
trade is vast, its wealth daily increasing, Its position 
and its magnificent bay, the immense country behind 
and on every side of it, rich in all the productions of 
nature, its coastwise and foreign trade, and its 
peculiarly energetic, intelligent, and enterprising 
citizens, will soon make it one of the largest, most 
delightful, and wealthiest cities of the Uuion. The 
visitor is struck with wonder. He cannot realize the 
scene before him. It would seem to have been the 
mere work of enchantment. 
Never have we visited a city where the citizens of 
both sexes dress more richly (not to say showily) 
than in Han Francisco. Tho show windows of its 
first class dry goods houses exhibit to the eye the 
richest display of silks and dress goods, imported 
from Europe and the Celestial Empire. I.adies some¬ 
times suddenly loose their powers of locomotion, on 
attempting to pass these bazaars of fashion and 
wealth. A lady’s fondness for inspecting silks, and 
bonnets, and cloaks, is inherent, and excepting only 
in those of the Bloomer persuasion, ineradicable. 
We have seen a fish woman, with a basket of oys¬ 
ters balanced on her head, stop to gaze with unaf¬ 
fected pleasure upon a cloud of lace, down, and 
roses, which a man could scarcely be sure was meant 
for a matter of headgear, anyhow; arid we have seen 
the great Governor Dowwtb obliged to wait on the 
pavement, unemployed, while the lady that still clung 
to his arm feasted her eyes on the same v-ork of art. 
1 lie taste is as essentially feminine as the proclivity 
to fainting in public places. 
One can sometimes glean a reminiscence of an old 
“ forty-niner,” and even more modern miners, rich 
in humor and illustrative of human character. In 
those early times, females were as "few and far 
between as angel’s visits” in California, and espe¬ 
cially in the milling districts. One of the better and 
more enterprising miners went East and returned with 
his family — a wife, a son, and a daughter of “sweet 
(sixteen.” Scores of his brethren, who had been long 
years absent from the domestic circle, and had not 
seen nor spoken with a female during all that time, 
eagerly embraced the opportunity to call at his houpe 
and pay their devotions to bis wife and daughter, and 
again feast their eyes on the charms of womanhood. 
Among the number was a stalwart, hale, aud hearty 
Digger Indian, who wanted to see the “white 
squaws,” as he called them, and presented himself at 
the miner’s door unwittingly in his usual state of 
mdiiyt The clever miner met him, and told him 
his request should be granted, but he must firBt 
appear in white man’s clothing. The Digger took 
Come, when morning smiling gaylv. 
Drives the mists along the vallev; 
Come, when first the distant horn, 
Winding, wakes the joyful morn. 
8 . 
To the early morning hour. 
Ere the dew has left the bower; 
Tn the ruddy, purple beam, 
Come, and see the vineyard’s gleam. 
4. 
Thou shalt feel a new-bom pleasure, 
Gazing thus on autumn’s treasure 
And the joyful songs shall raise 
Sweeter songs of gratoful praise. 
The autumn climate of this State is delightful, and 
productive of great buoyancy of spirits. In Califor¬ 
nia there is no “chill November’s surly blast.’’ Its 
latest autumn is a season of bracing winds, matchless 
skies, and genial sunshine. We enter the month 
which Longckii.ow, writing from New England, 
designates “the saddest of the year,” through a wel¬ 
come gateway between a long and fiery summer and 
the Bullen aspect of January. Nature mingles rejoic¬ 
ings with her weeds of mourning. Tho birds, which 
in the East forsake the freezing lakes and rivers, aud 
desert their orchard habitations for the milder clime 
of the cotton field and the orange tree, here, at 
the corresponding season, gather in from the region 
of snow from the far North, caroling their cheerful 
songs about the abodes of men. A frost or two in 
October only variegates the garniture of the wood¬ 
land. Notwithstanding the absence of Verdure, the 
hills in their stately pines, and the valleys and plains 
in their broad, branching oaks, make the eart.li look 
cheerful. 
An autumnal sunset in California uplands is a sight 
to dwell in the memory always, and in all places. 
With the thermometer averaging 65’ by day and 48 
by night, no one with a coat to his back and three 
meals per day, need have low spirits. When in Jan- 
nary all New England is chill and wintry, clad in gar¬ 
ments of frost, and over-arched with angry skies, 
where the frigid storm-king revels in his might, and 
licrce polar winds rush down from the icy North 
laden with biting breath, here, on tins roast, tropical 
breezes from the warm chambers of the South come 
lovingly up, ami diffuse themselves over the State, 
aud all up and down the coast, creating a semi- 
tropical climate, in which vegetation assumes new 
life, and flourishes in great luxuriance. For mild 
riCHM uc vii maw and of iottlHirufctir^ t-'itll- 
fornia stands unrivaled by any of her sister States on 
the Atlantic. With pertinency may we apply to her 
the following beautiful sentiment: 
“The sunny land, the sunny land, where Nature has dis¬ 
played 
Her fairest works with lavish hand, in hill, and vale, and 
glade; 
Her streams flow on iu melody, through fair and fruitful 
plains, 
And from the mountain to the sea, with beauty, plenty 
reigns.” M. B. R. 
NEWS DEPARTMENT. 
" From prairie, O, plowman! speed boldly away— 
There’s seed to he sown in God’s furrows to-day— 
Row landward, lone Asher! stout woodman, come home! 
Let smith leave his anvil and weaver his loom, 
And hamlet and city ring loud with the cry, 
‘ For God and our ceuntry wed I fight till we die! 
Here s welcome to wounding, aud combat, and scars, 
And the glory of death—for the Stripes and the Stars!’ ” 
ROCHESTER, N. Y., SEPTEMBER 14. 1861. 
THE WAR’S PROGRESS. 
facts, scknes, incidents, etc. 
Y 
llje condition joyously, and away lie ran to a Jew_ 
clothing shop, and arrayed himself c Qp-ttpie, all right, 
as he sapposed, for the occasion. He hastened back, 
and presenting himself before the miner's door, now 
demanded that the “white squaws” should be 
brought out. In his haste, he had neglected one 
rather essential article, always worn by gentlemen in 
polite circles, and he stood like a statue, habited in a 
pair of long legged miner's boots, a long skirted dress 
coat, a hat, and ashiri collar, only. This was a capital 
joke os the enamored Digger. The miners laughed 
usuly at bis expense, and he had to be deprived of 
bis coveted luxury—all because, either from hot 
mste or want of experience in making his toilet, he 
ad P res cuted his honor destitute of that trifling 
garment politely termed breeches/ 
In and about Washington.—Camp Life, &e. 
Vert soon after the appointment of Maj.-Gen. 
McClellan t.o the command upon the Potomac, it 
became evident that, in addition to strictness of 
discipline imposed upon the soldiers, the “Knights 
of the Quill” were to come under the supervision of 
the “ Young Soldier.” Wars aud rumors of wars 
were exceedingly prolific; not the simplest move 
could be ordered or accomplished without blazon¬ 
ing it to the world, thus depriving the military 
profession of one of its most powerful auxiliaries— 
secresy. This defect has been remedied, and now a 
dearth in the line of news exists where once was 
profusion and recklessness. Such information as is 
at all reliable must be gleaned from the regular 
correspondence of certain journals, and in this 
even, the censorship of military power aud author¬ 
ity is recognized. We give below various matters 
of interest thus obtained: 
Ocr Army—Rebel Designs. —The issue of Wilkes' 
Spirit of the Tones for the 7th instant contains a 
letter from the editor-in-chief, in which he remarks 
that “the entire of their (the rebel,) strength 
is concentrated along the face of the Potomac, 
and being in as good condition and as high spirits 
as they can expect to be at any future time, 
it is reasonably judged they meditate an early move¬ 
ment to penetrate our lines. Daring the whole of 
the past week, they have exhibited an unusual ac¬ 
tivity in skirmishing and scouting; and, on one 
occasion, felt oar temper with a force of two hun¬ 
dred cavalry, who made a plunge at tho picket 
guard of Gen, Richardson’s Brigade, near Bailey’s 
Cross Roads. The Union soldiers were, however, 
not taken hy surprise. Forming quickly, they re¬ 
pulsed the troopers, and then charging vigorously 
upon their retreat, succeeded in killing several, and 
stampeding all the rest. It is thought by many 
that these repeated attempts to puncture our lines 
are intended to provoke a general engagement, by 
tempting out supporting forces from both sides; 
while, by others, these frequently-repeated raids are 
taken to be feints, to occupy the attention of our 
Generals, while the more serious demonstration is 
being prosecuted in another quarter. What General 
McClellan thinks upon the subject, no one knows; 
but he evidently is persuaded that Washington is 
the most important point to watch, and therefore 
confers upon it the advantage of his presence. To 
judge by his manner, and the satisfaction bo ex¬ 
presses with the Condition of the troops, he Is quite 
at ease, and evidently in no degree discomposed by 
the new constructions of the enemy. He could 
easily annoy and interrupt them, and retard their 
works, but he is thickening so fast himself, that, he 
can afford to lot them lay a few extra ounces to 
their ribs. It is not too much to say that with one 
week’s respite more, wo will be proof against all 
danger of assault; and if the enemy should then 
have the temerity to try our strength, he would bo 
hurled back with a terrific loss. Indeed, I have no 
doubt that we are, even now, entirely capable of 
resisting any attack lie could make upon us, but a 
0'\v duj'H mure will place the matter bt-yoinl lLie re 
motest possibility or doubt. Disgraceful Is it, to the 
last extreme, that ever such a possibility existed. 
The Federal army here, and hereabouts, in addi¬ 
tion to being now in formidable numbers, are in 
very creditable shape. Penetrated with a sense of 
insecurity through the want of discipline, they have, 
for the’ last three weeks, yielded uu amount of intelli¬ 
gent endeavor to their duty that lias actually trans¬ 
lated them into soldiers; and, hopeless as I was of 
some particular regiments a few weeks ago, I now 
begin to sec in them the gravity and steadiness of 
veterans. The confidence in their young General, 
which, at first, was not much more than a vague sort 
of hope, lias now risen to a sound enthusiasm. They 
are no longer ignorant of his abilities as a com¬ 
mander, for they have seen and measured his sur¬ 
prising conquest over themselves. From a disjointed, 
drooping mob, be has constructed them Into a self- 
reliant army; and in tho pride of their resurrection, 
they are animated with an eager desire to once more 
embrace tho enemy. When the clash cornes, the 
battle will be more bitter than before, and l do not 
believe that the turbulent and foaming billows which 
will rise from the tumult at the end, will flow again 
this way. From this moment, therefore, look for¬ 
ward toward us with hope, and if all action Is 
delayed a fortnight, you can permit that hope to take 
the very strongest shape.” 
A correspondent of the Buffalo Courier, attached 
to the 21st Regiment N. Y. Volunteers, writes under 
date of August 2!)th:—“ \ mail you a letter thus early 
because I do not know at what time I may again have 
an opportunity—perhaps never. The canse of this 
uncertainty is the 6teady advance of the rebels upon 
us. Yesterday they were only two and a half or 
three miles from us, and later in the afternoon they 
shelled ’ our pickets out of one of the most com¬ 
manding ‘hills’ In that section of the country, and 
still later, and hour or so, they had six pieces of 
artillery planted upon the most conspicuous point, 
thus enabling them to sweep the whole of that coun¬ 
try within cannon shot. Oar pickets never fired a 
shot in return, but were quietly ordered to retreat 
without firing a gun. Nor is this the only point that 
is threatened. All along the lines it is just the same. 
What they are up to 1 cannot conceive. But this I 
do know, they will have tho infernalest fight that 
ever was known, if they attack any part of our lines, 
for we are all prepared, and Gen. McClellan has some 
terrible punishment iu store for them, or he would 
not let them advance so coolly without, firing a shot. 
He has, within the last three days, advanced 50,000 
fresh troops on this side, making, m all, that are now 
under immediate command, over 100,000 men. This 
skirmishing cannot la*t much longer without bring¬ 
ing on a general engagement, when, I hope and trust 
in God, our side may gain the victory.” 
How McCi-kclan takes his Observations.—A 
correspondent of the New York Tribune, writing 
from Washington, says:- “We may, perhaps, meet a 
man in a broad straw hat. and without his tale-telling 
Bhorflder-straps, riding slowly through the camp, look- 
ingintentiy at the men, and noting every item oftheir 
accommodations, and overhearing, without seeming 
iugto listen, every word of their much or little grumb¬ 
ling. Unless he happens to he personally known, 
few take notice of him, and the utmost of recog¬ 
nition he receives is from the wide-awake sentry, who 
demands bis authority for passing through the lines. 
Yet if this mao were to appear in all the gaudy para¬ 
phernalia with which the articles of war entitle him 
to bedeck'himself, the muskets of every sentry would 
be at the ‘present,’ and the hand of every man and 
officer would visit his cap with respectful military 
salute — for this unostentatious man is an officer of 
high rank, on a quiet tour of observance, lie may 
be a Brigadier-General, or even a Major-General, or 
it is not impossible that it is the now universally 
trusted McClellan himself. For this young Com 
niamlcr, never fond of show, but ever, save on State 
occasions, wearing the bine blouse of the Sturges 
Rifles, (liis body-guard,) iu preference to tho more 
showy habiliments to which tlio regulations of the 
service entitle him, has many a time reviewed a regi¬ 
ment when they were utterly unconscious of his 
presence, and has passed through many a camp 
which has been in Egyptian darkness as to the rank 
of their quiet guest, in fact, the writer was lately 
in the camp of one of onr best regiments (the Twenty- 
seventh, from Western Now York, ) Urn officers of 
which complained that, they had never yet caught, 
sight of McClellan, when it was known to tho writer 
that Gen. McClellan had three times passed through 
their camp within the preceding forty eight hours. 
This sketch must he understood not as a picture of 
a particular camp at a particular hour of the day, but 
as a short summary of the varied impressions gath¬ 
ered from wandering through a dozen camps, anti, of 
course, encountering each one at an hour different 
from the one at which any other given camp was 
observed.” 
General Lander. — From N. I’. Willis’ graphic 
pictures of people at Washington, we extract the 
following in relation to that brave, accomplished, 
daring officer, General Lander: 
“A day or two before, (to retrogress for a moment,) 
I had seen a military horseman alight at Willard’s, 
walk about in the crowd of officers and strangers for 
ft moment or two, if in Heim»U «»f ttoroo <>no, unil 
then mount and vide away— so common an incident 
at our be-garrlsoncd hotel that it, would have passed 
unobserved, bat for a certain speciality in the man. 
His movement was very peculiar. Above the middle 
height, and most powerfully built, he looked both 
active aud indolent -both slately and careless, ft 
was something between the complete soldierliness of 
a knight templar and the covert agility of a panther 
on a prowl. He was rather too long limbed for strict 
proportion, but the absolute command of every 
nerve, which was visible in his deliberate grace, 
showed it to be no disadvantage the longer legs, 
too, making him, of course, the bettor horseman. 
And such a horseman! He mounted and rode away 
as if the steed bad suddenly become an obedient limb 
of his own — a portion of his centaur consciousness 
— but. without a bit of the dragoon angularity or any 
of the martinet constraint of military education. He 
was, In fact, a magnificent specimen of the bush 
ranger or prairie trapper, only that he was dressed 
elegantly in the uniform of an officer of the army; 
but in both departments perfectly at home. And no¬ 
body could tell me who he was. * * * 
It appears that,, after all, Lander and I were not 
such very new acquaintances — in fact, that f had 
had something to do with his present vocation aud 
destiny! He gave me a droll description of his hav¬ 
ing conceived once an ambition to be a poet, and of 
bis having called on me (with a copy of verses in his 
pocket) for advice. Dread the ‘ maiden effort,’ criti¬ 
cised it carefully, and oonclnded hy' frankly express¬ 
ing my opinion that ‘poetry wus not hi* trade,’ 
advising him to turn his practical talents and 
personal advantages to better account. He fell very 
grateful for the advice at the time — took it —and 
lias been ever since a soldier! Who will say that our 
country owes me nothing, after this? Would ‘the 
Uuiou’ at present rather have ‘Lander a poet,’or 
Lander, the twin-hero to McClellan?” 
The National Loan.—How it is taken. 
The closing week in August witnessed the open¬ 
ing of an office on the corner of Nassau and Wail 
streets, New York, for the purpose of receiving indi¬ 
vidual subscriptions to the popular loan. Mr. Cisco 
is the Sub-Treasurer, and his place of business is at 
the point designated. Within the cool, deep shades 
of the granite building reigns that perfect order and 
quiet always associated with great financial transac¬ 
tions. Taking the New York Herald for a guide, 
step in and examine. Eutering from Wall street, 
and turning to the left you will soon find yourself in 
a handsomely furnished private office. Behind a low 
table sits Mr. Cisco, a pleasant, amiable gentleman, 
under whose excellent supervision the department 
has been carried on for fifteen years, without a single 
blunder or mistake, although there are many branches 
of art under his charge, in which correctness and 
infallibility is rather a matter of instinct than of 
education. Iu spite of his multifarious and onerous 
duties, you will find this gentleman ready to give you 
any information you may desire in regard to the pop¬ 
ular loan. There is uo need to ask him the particu¬ 
lars concerning the notes or the manner of subscrib¬ 
ing for them. He has anticipated any such queries, 
and has prepared a set of instructions, brief and 
explicit, which you may read for yourself, and which 
have been condensed tor the public. Pass, then, to 
the matter which comes more immediately under his 
direct supervision —the subscriptions by letter. He 
tells you that the subscriptions have been very active, 
and are still upon the increase. The amounts range 
from fifty to fifty thousand dollars, these being the 
extreme sums yet deposited. 
Many of the subscribers seem to be actuated by 
patriotic motives alone, aud write: “ I wish to Hub- 
scribe so many 1 dollars to support our government,” 
or “to support the best government on earth.” 
A correspondent at Roranton, Fa. -evidently a 
mechanic — sends on a thousand dollars, and begs 
Mr. Cisco to send an agent there, “ os there are tons 
of gold mating, which the government needs and can 
have.” There is not much chance for (Inc writing or 
patriotic expression in theso letters, to be sure, but 
yet in many cases the patriotism shines out of them 
as plainly as ever it (lid in Webster’s speeches or 
Scott's army orders. Look at this letter, pray. Is 
that the chirograpliy of a rich man, or of a poor one? 
Cannot you see the mark of hard toil in every stroke 
of the pen? Cannot you see tho mark of hard earn¬ 
ings in that word “fifty," ufterwards changed into 
“sixty?” Is there not a romance under all this 
which you would like to know? and was it not patri¬ 
otism which induced this poor laborer to scrape 
together ten more dollars for his country — reserving 
nothing — risking ail his savings? 
There’s ft rich man’s letter for you — a full, round, 
easy hand; a pompous “five thousand dollars:” a 
great broad seal. Evidently that was written by a 
man well to do, comfortable and on the lookout for a 
safe Investment, and it doesn’t, touch your sympathy 
so nearly, hut does it not show a confidence in the 
stability of the government, In the future of these 
United States, which no Bull Run reverses, no warn¬ 
ings of the London Times, no threats of English cap¬ 
italists can shake or destroy? Next comes a letter in 
a lady’s hand — delicate, well written, concise. She 
cannot subscribe much, but she sends her little “to 
sustain the government,” and she may rest assured 
that it will. 
Here’s a family letter —five hundred dollars for 
Mr. John Smith; one hundred for Mrs. John Smith, 
ami fifty dollars each for all the little Smiths, from 
yonug Johu to Sarah. That is from the country — 
yes, look at the post mark. A comfortable farmer, 
decidedly— brusque, honest, open-hearted and open- 
handed. Young John, no doubt, has gone oil' to the 
wars; for if we mistake not, there is a tear-blot 
opposite his name, dropped from kind, gentle, moth¬ 
erly eyes which looked over old John's shonlder as 
he copied the long list of names from the family 
Bible. Little Sarah must be very young indeed, for, 
see, she has blotted her own name with her small, 
pretty dimpled hand in her eagerness to see it and to 
trace it with her lingers, and in her simple astonish¬ 
ment that it doesn’t look nt, all like herself. 
What a curious, crabbed hand the next letter is 
written in. This is from a widow, and she subscribes 
largely. How firm and Independent the words stand 
along tho page, and how plainly they speak the will 
of tho woman to aid the government with h- r 
strong hands, as well ns with her means, if she wr ■ 
only a man. 
Here is a parcel of letters from clergymen, states¬ 
men, servants, clerks, farmers, capitalists—each indi¬ 
vidual arid peculiar, hut all telling the same story. 
Then comes a clumsy sort of document, 111 spelled, 
and making a frightful mess of what it wishes to say, 
as though the writer were not exactly clear in his 
mind in regard to his intentions. An Irishman, wo 
will warrant. Yes, “Patrick," anil a name begin¬ 
ning with O. He would be in the Sixty-ninth if bo 
were yonng enough, but he spares $100 for bis 
adopted country, in his old age, and promises 
another hundred “If It bo required.” The dear old 
fellow clearly thinks lie is giving his money away, 
but how willingly In- does it! Russoll’s letter on 
Meftghcr Inis warmed him up, and what is money to 
the honor of Old Ireland ? 
Next is a merchant’s letter, business-like and 
explicit. He knows that, he is making a good invest¬ 
ment; and seven and three-tenths per cent, interest 
pays; that his money is .safer with the government 
than in his drawer, and ho subscribes largely. 
Then there Is a letter from a savings bank, taking 
thousands of dollars of stock. The Institution makes 
the investment, certainly; hut it represents hundreds 
and hundreds of poor folk, of whose confidence in 
the preservation of the Union this subscription is an 
exponent. No government supported thus can fail. 
Each one of these letters is more than a set oft’ to 
any that a rascally correspondent may write “gener¬ 
ally discouraging to the North.” 
Fort Ilulteru-t Rebel* In New York. 
The N. Y. Commercial Advertiser of the 2d inst. 
gives a very interesting account of tho arrival in our 
commercial emporium of the rebels captured at Forts 
Clark and Hatteras. Wc condense therefrom as 
follows: 
The U. S. screw frigate Minnesota, Oapt, .1. G. Van 
Brnnt, hearing the broad blue pennant of Silas 
Stringbam, Flag officer and Oommander-in-Chief of 
the blockading squadron, arrived this morning at 
nine o’clock, aud anchored off the Battery. She 
brings hero six hundred aud ninety-one prisoners of 
war, captured at the late engagement at Hatteras 
Inlet. The Minnesota is a first-class screw frigate of 
thirty-two hundred tuns register and mounts forty 
guns; she has two engines of four hundred and fifty 
horse-power, and is propelled by an auxiliary hoist¬ 
ing propeller; she has four eleven-inch guns,, capable 
of throwing halls of one hundred and sixty pounds 
weight. She carries a crew of about eight hundred, 
all told. 
During the passage up the bay, the rebel officers 
occupied the quarter deck, and were intently engaged 
in viewing the vesseLs passing to and fro, and the 
beautiful landscape on either side of our noble bay. 
The rebel soldiers were scattered from the waste to 
the forecastle on each side of the ship, looking out 
of the port holes, leaning on the very guns that had 
aided in their subjugation. The crew were busy 
about the deck, the majority of them being armed 
with a cutlass and a boarding pistol. Wo also 
noticed that the twelve-pounder boat howitzers were 
placed aft, so that in the event of the rebels attempt¬ 
ing to rise, thoy might be quelled. The officers on 
duty also had their side arms and pistols. The ma¬ 
rines were out in full force, and prepared to keep the 
prisoners iu check. 
The Minnesota entered the Narrows this morning 
about eight o’clock under steam alone, and with 
trim yards, and the entire crew attired iu blue pants, 
white frocks, and white caps. She looked like a 
picture on the smooth waters of the bay. At the 
fore floated the pennant of the flag’ofllcet, aud at the 
mizzen peak lazily, but proudly, drooped the good 
old Stars and Stripes. Stopping but for a few mo¬ 
ments ut the quarantine to be boarded hy the health 
officer, she resumed her trip up the bay. After pass¬ 
ing Robbins’ Reef light house, she hoisted her 
private signal, which was promptly answered by the 
gunboat Rhode Island, which was coming up the 
bay, and the frigate Fotomac, laying at anchor off 
the Battery. 
The prisoners on the passage hither were allowed 
