Daily Southern Cross, 16 January 1865, Page 5
From the West. St. Louis, October 25. The dead bodies of Major Wilson, of the Third Missouri Militia, and six of his men, captured by the rebels at Pilot Knob, and given up to a guerilla band for execution, for alleged killing of some rebels in Arkansas last summer, were found in Franklin County yesterday. Wilson's body had several holes in it. A rebel major and six privates are now in Alton prison as hostages for Wilson and his men, and doubtless will be shot in retaliation. We have nothing later from the rebel Price.
Daily Southern Cross, 27 January 1865, Page 5
The Federal General Canby, while reconnoiting White River, Arkansas, on board the steamer 'Cricket,' on the 6th, was shot and fatally wounded by a guerilla on the shore.
North Otago Times, 11 May 1865, Page 1
AMERICA. New York, Feb. 27.
The South is making vigorous preparations to prosecute war. The army of the Potomac has made a slight advance. Sherman is reported to have captured Branchville. Mobile, it is rumored, has surrendered. The Confederate Senate almost unanimously rejected the bill to arm 200,000 slaves. General Lee is appointed Commander-in- Chief. Lincoln has signed a joint resolution giving England notice terminating the treaty of 1817, regulating the naval force on the lakes. The Federal Congress passed a constitutional amendment abolishing slavery by 115 against 66 votes. The Confederates captured and burnt two Federal supply ships on the Arkansas River. The Confederate General Winder is dead. Peace resolutions have again been introduced, requesting Lincoln to restore the Union upon the basis of the Constitution and laws, with a guarantee to the South of protection of its rights. The resolution was defeated by seventy-three to forty-three votes. The South have passed an act making the paper duty 15 per cent. The Missouri convention has endorsed Lincoln's action at the peace conference. Bounties for volunteers have been raised in New York.
Evening Post, 23 May 1865, Page 2
The Confederates had been defeated in Arkansas.
Daily Southern Cross, 22 January 1866, Page 4
The work of reconstruction is progressing rapidly in the United States. The members of Congress were assembling in Washington at latest dates ; but Arkansas and Tennessee were the only Southern States expected to take part, in the organization of the House. One of the most remarkable facts connected with the American troubles is the ease and celerity with which the vast army of veteran troops has been reduced. On the 1st of May, 1865 there were on the strength of the Federal army, in the field and in hospital, 1,500,000 ; on the 1st of December the strength of the army was 175,000 men ; and the Secretary of the War Department anticipates that by May it will be a peace footing of 50,000. General Grant has expressed an opinion that the peace establishment should consist of 75,000 effectives.
North Otago Times, 7 June 1866, Page 3
Washington, March 23. The Committee on Ways and Means and Coinage have recommended Congress to authorise and encourage by law the introduction and use of the metrical system of weights and measures, with the view to familiarise the people with the system. Provision is to be made by the law for the immediate distribution to Custom houses and States of the metrical standards of weights and measures. They also recommend to introduce the system into post offices, by making a single letter weigh fifteen grammes, and to cause the new cent pieces to he so coined that they shall weigh respectively five and ten grammes, and that their diameters shall be made to bear determinate and simple ratio to the metrical mint length.
The Secretary of War informs Congress, in answer to a resolution, that on January 9 there were 152,611 men in service — namely, regulars, 26,587 ; white volunteers, 57,593 ; colored, 65,766 ; staff-officers, &c, 1700. These were distributed as follows : —
10,890 in Missouri
4641 in Virginia
3106 in North Carolina
4768 in South Carolina
1063 in Georgia
10,193 in Mississippi
10,623 in Alabama
10,684 in Tennessee
8567 in Arkansas
10,153 in Louisiana
and 29,2248 in Texas.
Orders have been issued for the further reduction of 18,654 whites and 23,000 colored soldiers, being in all 41,744 men.
Daily Southern Cross, 14 June 1866, Page 5
A report received at the Freedmen's Bureau from Arkansas says rations were issued to 4,501 refugees in February, against 2,310 the preceding month, and that rations were issued to 567 freedmen, against 547 in January. The number of destitute refugees who have been supplied from the Government stores has increased, as was anticipated, nearly 100 per cent, since January. No issues are made to freedmen except such as are wholly unable to labour and have no one to depend on to supply their wants. It is stated that thus far all efforts to induce the civil authorities of a single county to make an attempt to provide for their own poor, white or black, have entirely failed.