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New York Times December 5, 1863
Punisment of John J. Woodbridge and John B. Murray commanding Fort Norfolk

NORFOLK, Thursday, Nov. 19, 1863.

Gen. BUTLER, with a portion of his Staff, left yesterday for the North Carolina section of his Department. The General is displaying his wonted activity, and a very important movement of troops is now going on.
Brig.-Gen. EDWARD A. WILD, commanding the colored troops in this Department, arrived a few days ago from Folly Island, S.C., and has established his headquarters in this city -- singularly enough, in a building immediately opposite the residence of the late Dr. WRIGHT, whose family cannot look from their front windows without seeing the dusky guards pacing the sidewalk. His brigade at present consists of the First United States, from Maryland: the Fifth United States, from Ohio; the Tenth United States, raised here; the Second and Third North Carolina regiments, and detachments from the First North Carolina and Fifty-fifth Massachusetts, which are stationed at Folly Island. The regiment from Ohio arrived here yesterday via Baltimore. It was recruited near Columbus. These regiments are all encamped in the vicinity of Portsmouth. A portion of the troops, stationed here some months ago, have been employed in the construction of a series of fortifications constituting the interior line of defence. All the colored troops now raising in Maryland will be sent to this point, as a central station, for instruction and organization. The division, when completed, will on commanded by Gen. BIRNEY.
The record of Gen. WILD is a very honorable one. He was wounded twice at the battle of Fair Oaks, and at Antietam lost his left arm, which was shot off close to the shoulder by a cannon ball. He served in the Crimean war as a surgeon in the Turkish army. At the breaking out of the rebellion he entered the army as a Captain in the First Massachusetts, and subsequently became Colonel of the Thirty-fifth. He was promoted to a Brigadier-Generalship for distinguished military services, last Spring. He is a native of Brookline, Mass., and 38 years of age.
His Staff consists of the following officers:
Capt. WALTER H. WILD, A.D.C.
Capt. JAMES S. DRAYTON, Brigade Quartermaster.
1st Lieut. HIRAM W. ALLEN, Assistant Adj't-Gen.
Two vacancies remain to be filled.

DISMISSED FROM THE SERVICE.

Capt. THOMAS A.P. CHAMPLIN, late Commissary of Subsistence at this post, has been convicted by general Court-martial of embezzlement of Government property, and sentenced "to be dismissed the service of the United States, and to forfeit all pay and allowances now due him by the United States Government."

SEVERE PUNISHMENT OF A NORFOLK MERCHANT.

Provost-Judge BELL, of Gen. BUTLER's Staff, has sentenced JOHN J. WOODBRIDGE, a distinguished merchant in this city, charged with importing spiritous liquors into this Department without a permit from the Treasury Department or any officer authorized thereby, and in contravention of the order of the Commanding-General of this Department, upon the schooner Village Belle, upon Nov. 13, 1863, and at various other times, to six months' hard labor at Fort Norfolk. Mr. WOODBRIDGE is a highly respected citizen, and the severity of this sentence has naturally given rise to much comment.

THE ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-EIGHTH NEW-YORK.

Col. WILLIAM JOHNSON, of the One Hundred and Forty-eighth New-York, having-resigned on account of severe illness, Lieut.-Col. GEORGE M. GUION has been promoted to his place. Col. GUION has been in command of the regiment-several months, and has now an enviable reputation as a skillful and efficient officer. He entered the service early in 1861, and passed through the Peninsular campaign as Captain in the Thirty-third, taking part in nearly every battle. Our victory at Williamsburgh was mainly due to a splendid charge of his regiment, under command of Gen. HANCOCK.
By the promotion of Lieut-Col. GUION, the gallan Maj. MURRAY becomes the second officer of the regiment. He also passed through the Peninsular campaign as Captain in the Fiftieth New-York regiment of engineers, distinguishing himself on many trying occasions. He is now in command at Fort Norfolk, and enjoys a wide reputation in this Department as an accomplished officer and a perfect gentleman.

A SCHOOL OF WHALES.

A number of whales are now disporting themselves in Hampton Roads, and attract much attention. An immense school of mullets, miles in extent, accounts for their unusual presence here.

CAPTURE OF CAVALRY.

A squad of SPEAR's cavalry, out on a foraging excursion, was gobbled up the other day by a rebel scouting party near Suffolk. Not grayback had been seen in the vicinity for many weeks previously.

TEWKSBURY.

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Source of Information

New York Times December 5, 1863