After about forty days at the Parole Camp in St. Louis and at home, we were declared exchanged by the Secretary of War, E. M. Stanton, and ordered to report to General Sherman at Savannah, Georgia. Going by way of New York we took passage to Savannah on the steamer Fulton, a large side-wheeler and reported to General Sherman just in time to go on the campaign through the Carolinas to Goldsboro, North Carolina.

DAVENPORT,

Saturday, November 9, 1839.

November 6, a pleasant day-snow disappeared from the ground before noon.-7, a hard frost last night-the first we have had during the fall. A warm and pleasant day, after sunset the west was decked in its richest hues, the few clouds that hung about the horizon were fringed with the richest gold, and the whole heavens appeared to be lit up by rays of light reflected from the unruffled bosom of the great western ocean. No pen can describe, no pencil paint the beauties of a western sunset on such an evening. 8, a beautiful morning, the air rather cold, fine day, more like April than November, not a cloud to be seen, or a breath of wind to ruffle the bosom of the majestic Mississipi. The Steamer Trubedore arrived from DuBuque yesterday, and left this day for St. Louis.-Editorial. Davenport, Iowa Sun, Nov. 13, 1839.

"The Western Adventurer and Advocate of Free Discussion" has just been established in the Far West-published simultaneously at Commerce, Illinois, and Montrose, Wisconsin, on a large and fair sheet, at $2 per annum. We are surprised that so large and fair a paper can be afforded at that price so far West. It seems to be devoted in good part to the discussion of Slavery.-Th. Gregg, Editor. Albany, N. Y.The Jeffersonian, March 3, 1838.

THE WRITINGS OF JUDGE GEORGE G. WRIGHT.

[During his later years the Honorable George G. Wright wrote much that was never published on Iowa biographical and historical subjects. He was singularly apt in the interpretation and delineation of character. His memoranda are therefore valuable contributions. A muscular difficulty combined with a rapidity of mental operation produced a handwriting as noted in its way as that of Horace Greeley. William W. Baldwin, of Burlington, his nephew, a close associate, and Mr. Simon Casady, of Des Moines, likewise long associated with him, have assisted in the reading and have verified the most difficult passages.-EDITOR.]

GENERAL BAKER.

Among the most eccentric and yet in his line ablest and most efficient officials ever in Iowa was Gen. Nathaniel B. Baker.

With good education-a graduate of the best New England university-having read in the office of Franklin Pierce, a lawyer-member of the New Hampshire legislature-Speaker thereof for two terms-his only service,-Governor of the state in 1854-editor of the Patriot, leading paper of his party (Democratic)-coming to Iowa in 1856-settled in Clinton Co.-elected to the Iowa House in 1860-and was in what is known as the War Session, 1861-in July, 1861, was made Adjutant General and reappointed in 1864,-it will thus be seen that his official relations with the two states were almost continuous and in all respects leading. A Democrat in New Hampshire and when coming to Iowa-at the very moment of the War of the Rebellion, outspoken and most active for the cause of the Union,-standing with the gallant Major Kellogg and others of his party for the most aggressive warfare and liberal appropriation for the flag and suppression of the Rebellion, ever strong as a Republican, he was at once recognized as a man of great value and strength-one whose services were not to be either overlooked nor under-estimated.

General Baker was sui generis. Not by any means a teetotaler-taking more interest in a policy or growing party than the work of Speaker of the New Hampshire legislature or the duties of Governor-text books, whether in Latin or mathematics, engrossed his attention much less than a good cigar or a free enjoying time with his classmates, not a plodder-never a bookworm, he yet had a mind so active that he grasped readily leading principles and clove to his lessons and conclusions with a constancy which gave him a good standing in his classes and high position in any place to which he was elected.

I have said he was eccentric. By this I mean that he preferred rest to work-a good time to close attention to his official duties-talked about everything in a rambling, apparently incoherent way-was on the street more than in his office-never seemed to know what was going on or to influence his subordinates—and yet whether as Speaker, legislator, Governor or Adjutant General was among the most efficient, painstaking and correct officials ever in Iowa or elsewhere. His records in all the multifarious work of the war and following, are models of neatness, completeness and correctness. It may be doubted whether in another like office in any state a record can be found in all respects so satisfactory and readily comprehended and understood. He was prompt, energetic and systematic, and to such an extent as to elicit the most flattering compliments from the press and others in almost every state in the Union. Of few other things are the people of this State more justly proud.

General Baker was a man of commanding presence-always plain-spoken and earnest-but little if any of the courtiernone of "that creeping, cat-like quiet that stamps all sinister, two-sided men."

His nature was phenomenally generous and the warmest in its attachments and friendships. The needy or those in poverty he never passed without a kindly word or help. Such a man never made money-never accumulated he spent as he earned, either for actual needs or to gratify his tastes or charitable disposition.