Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

December 21.—The Kentucky House of Representatives, by a vote of sixty-nine to eleven, concurred in the Senate’s amendment to the bill reported by the House Committee on Federal Relations, thanking the President for his modifications of General Fremont’s proclamation and Secretary Cameron’s report, and requesting the President to dismiss Secretary Cameron from the Cabinet.

At Baltimore, Md., this morning, the deputy provost-marshal overhauled the steamer George Weems, as she was about leaving for the Patuxent River landings, and arrested a man named W. T. Wilson, an Englishman, who had secreted in his clothing, and in a bladder in his hat, a quantity of morphine and quinine. He also arrested a man named Hanna, of Chester County, Pa., formerly of California. Both were supposed to be rebel agents.

—This morning a little before daylight, the pickets at Stump Neck, on the Potomac River, saw a boat with a man in it approaching from the Virginia shore. They concealed themselves till the man landed, when they arrested him. He brought with him a number of letters, which were taken charge of and conveyed, with the prisoner, to General Hooker’s head-quarters. Another man was waiting with a horse, upon which to convey the mail-bag. He was also arrested and the horse seized.

Early this morning, as the U. S. gunboat Resolute was on her way down the Potomac, from Washington, some pickets of rebel cavalry were seen at Holland Point, near the White House. Acting Master Tole, in command, fired a few shells among them, scattering the rebels in all directions. A number of them ran out of a house, near which their horses were picketed, and rode off as fast as they could. A boat’s crew was then sent on shore in charge of acting master’s mate J. L. Plunkett. On their way they saw some women and children busily leaving the houses. On entering, the building was found to be deserted, but there were traces of recent occupation by cavalry.—N. Y. Herald, December 23.

—Charles Anderson, brother of General Robert Anderson, addressed a large audience at Cooper Institute, New York, this evening. The cause of the rebellion he attributed to the check received by men in their greedy pursuit of political power.

—The Southern papers of this date are filled with articles expressive of delight at the prospect of a war between England and the United States, in reference to the seizure of Messrs. Mason and Slidell.

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Late addition to Vol. 3:

 

December 21.—In the Confederate Congress, an act was passed, entitling Kentucky to have twelve members in the House of Representatives.

A series of resolutions were also adopted, the third of which is as follows:

Resolved, That no peace ought to be concluded with the United States, which does not insure to Maryland an opportunity of forming a part of this Confederacy.

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