Middletown 150 Yrs. Ago: Hazing at Wesleyan

From The Constitution, Wednesday, October 7, 1863 (volume 26, number 1345)

War News.

Information has been received from the Army of the Potomac that affairs are apparently unchanged. Nothing is transpiring to indicate any immediate active operations. The enemy is in strong force on the south side of the Rapidan. Gen. Hill’s entire corps is supposed to be there. The enemy’s pickets are on the north and west sides of our lines. A few days ago a considerable column of rebel troops was observed going northward, near the Blue Ridge, perhaps forming a part of the forces reported to be concentrating in the valley.

Col. Delaney, recently captured by the rebels, was attached to Gov. Pierpont’s staff. He was several miles from Alexandria.

The Charleston Courier of the 26th ult. says: “The Yankees in large force were again vigorously at work on battery Wagner all day yesterday. They have made considerable changes and have thrown up formidable sand embankments facing James Island. They also appeared to be busy preparing the ground behind these embankments for platforms for their guns. It has not been positively ascertained whether they have as yet mounted any guns in Wagner or Gregg. Throughout Friday, fort Moultrie and battery Bee on Sullivan’s Island and battery Simbins on James Island, shelled the enemy on Morris Island very severely. The fire became so hot that the Yankee working parties at Gregg and Wagner were completely checked in their digging operations, in the afternoon, for some length of time. Two of the ammunition chests at battery Wagner were exploded yesterday, at Cumming’s Point. A shell from Fort Moultrie exploded by a wagon, killing one horse and scattering those engaged in loading.”

A Vicksburg correspondent, under date of September 21st, says :--

Rumors are afloat of the repulse of Gen. Herron at Morgan’s bend, twenty miles above Port Hudson, and of his being driven under cover of the gunboats to save his command. They are wholly untrue, so far as is known here. Gen. Herron is there with his division, holding a large Rebel force in check, until the balance of the 13th army corps can reach the Rebel rear by way of Brashear city. This was the destination of Gen. Ord’s corps. From Brashear city, it was said, General Ord would march to Alexandria, and thence to Texas. This is rumor only, and may be entitled to but little weight.

It gains some additional probability from the news brought by Capt. Dunham, of General Banks’ staff, who came up as bearer of despatches. He thinks Gen. Banks and staff have left New Orleans to join the expedition before this time, which argues that it is expected to be of more than ordinary importance.

Mexico.

By advices from Mexico, it is evident that the Mexicans are not willing to acquiesce quietly in the new order of affairs. Vigorous efforts are being made by Juarez and his government to oppose the invaders of the land. An army of considerable strength is organizing, and it is their intention to fight the enemy with determination. It is safe to say that they can cause the French much trouble and may make it necessary for them to send reinforcements to the army.

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It is said that Kossuth is now residing in the environs of Turin. He is in actual want of the necessities of life; his wife is in a rapid decline, and he soured against the world in a pitiable degree.

An attempt was made on Saturday night to fire the barracks of the conscript camp, New Haven. They were set on fire in two places, but by prompt action the flames were subdued.

Fitz Greene Halleck, the poet, who has been rusticating at Guilford this summer, was for many years the confidential clerk of John Jacob Astor, who settled on him an annuity of fifty dollars. He is sixty-eight years old.

The brig Thomas Turrell, of New Haven, has made the quickest passage to and from the West Indies to that port on record, the round trip being made in twenty-five days.

An individual named Jones, acting as orderly at the conscript camp, New Haven, arranged on Saturday with three substitutes to get them out of the camp by paying him two hundred dollars. To carry out his plan he divulged it to one of the guard whose beat it was proposed to cross, who reported to the commanding officer. One of the fellows got over the line and was soon caught, which frightened the others, who went back to camp. There was found on the person of the former $580, which was confiscated. The dishonest orderly was put under arrest.

Eight persons, several of them women, have been arrested for the murder of Mr. De Prey in Michigan. He was an agent for the sale of reaping machines, and no other motive can be imagined for his murder than the desire of obtaining money.

As a Tennessee lady was entering Memphis with a couple of bales of cotton, she was stopped by three guerillas, who offered to relieve her of her burden by burning it. She produced a revolver intimating that if the guerillas did not go off the revolver would. There was no occasion for shooting.

A story is told of a fast young man at Boston who run a $30,000 yacht, won the heart of an heiress, spent $1,000 for boquets at a single party, bought and got trusted in the most miscellaneous manner, and finally collapsed with a debt of $300,000 on his back.

Two elopements have occurred at Lowell recently, which have startled the citizens of that place to no inconsiderable extent. One of the parties borrowed $2000 before his departure for Canada.

Judge Nelson, of the U. S. District Court, has decided that a board of enrolling officers under the provisions of the conscription law having once made a decision in the case of a conscript, exhausts its powers, and cannot revise or reverse any decision they may have made.

Town Election.

The annual Town Election took place on Monday. The democratic ticket was elected by a small majority. The vote was the largest ever polled for the election of town officers. Last year the entire vote was 1154. This year 1488, giving an increase of 334. The Second, Third, and Fourth gave Union majorities ! The 2d 20 maj., Westfield and Middlefield 25 maj. each. It was only by the large Irish vote in the first district that the Union ticket was defeated. ...

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Dr. Baker had his horse stolen from in front of his residence on Saturday evening last. The thief was so anxious to be off that he did not wait to untie the tie line, but cut it. The horse was found the following day in Meriden hitched to a post.

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The initiation of the Freshman Class by the Sophomores, which has become a “regular institution” in most colleges, came off at the Wesleyan University with a vengeance on Friday night. The Freshmen were attacked in the early part of the evening by the Sophomores, when the Freshmen drove their assailants off. The Sophomores returned armed with weapons of various kinds, and a serious fight occurred. Surgical aid has been required.

Closing Stores.

The dry goods, clothing, and boot and shoe merchants of this city, have agreed to close their stores at eight o’clock during the coming winter.

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The 24th Regiment assembled on Friday, and was mustered out of service. From some cause the paymaster was not on hand, and nothing definite could be ascertained when the money would be forthcoming. The men were disappointed, some expressing their disapprobation in loud terms. The paymaster’s clerk arrived late in the evening. It is expected that the pay rolls will be completed, and the men paid off to-day, Tuesday.

The Weather.

The mornings last week, usually broke heavy with fog, which after a few hours yielded to pleasant days. Wednesday and Thursday the mercury ranged twenty-five and twenty-seven degrees.

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