The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-02-04

toaccompish the escalade without much diff
Guilty or loss of life,
Fort Moultrie, under the skilIfuI direction
OF Major Ripley. with his black brigade of
PICKS and shov els, has thrown up breastworks
ana mounted heavy guns 10 sueh an extent
that the whole appearance of the fort has
changed, and has almost attained it's utmost
state OF efficiency. Huge heaps of sand bags
surmount the ramparts faced with Palmetto
logs ana covered with hides, from the embra-
sures OF which the grim dogs of war protrude
their muzzles, nine of them levelled direct at
Fort Sumter. What is conceived to be the
weakest point i'll the granite mass has been
selected as the mark at which all these cannon
are pointed, and they will give the work of
the mason n severe test The interior of the
Tort also presents most warlike aspect. The
oven for hot shot is in readiness, like your
team fire engines, for firing up ut any mo-
ment, and all the equipments for carnage
piled up around the grn-carriages. The mag
aZine has been buried in a cavern of sand
bags, and is believed to be beyond the reach
OF shot or shell. Every arrangement has
been made not only for the protection Of the
men, but for receiving the balls of Sumter
with the least possible damage.
LATEST FROM PENSACOLA.
A letter in the Mobile Tribune, dated Pensa-
cola, Jan. 22d, gives some interesting intelli-
gence from that point
The Wyandotte, carrying four guns, is lying
Off Fort PickeDs. She was ordered in for re-
pairs and cannot fire her guns with safety
Lieut.. Bergman, her commander. is friendly
10 the South, and a very much respected gen
tleman. His men say that they are working
for those who pay best"
The rumor of the arrival of the Macedo-
nian was occasioned by the Wyandotte's hav-
ing 10 put TO sea on account Of bad weather.
and on her return she was hailed as the Mace
donian.
Lieut.. Simmer is New EngIander by birth
Report SAYS that he wears gold spectacies and
plays on the fiddle. He has not been favor
ite here. 1t is believed that he does not want
to fight, and has orders not to fire unless at
tackled. His men plrddCd on the top of the
fort recently, and 162 was the greatest number
of them counted through our glasses He
sends TO the Navy Yard under 4 flag of truce
by a Sergeant. Recently, he pat all his COM
missoned officers in irons for refusing to fight
the South.
A boat, carrying a lone star flag, with six
men on board, a few days ago ran under the
guns of Fort Pickens. No unfriendIy notice
taken of il. 1t is also true that six soldiers
landed near the fort and Were arrested by
Lieut. Simmer for "intruding ON his quar-
ters, but Were immedia tely dismissed.
Commandant Chase returned yesterday from
his visit TO the Governor of Alabama. 1t is
reported that the Governor of this State has
given to the Governor of your State the right
10 appoint the commander of the troops now
here. Whether it is true or not, cannot state
positively.
The mails are virtually stopped, and the
telegraph, presume is under surveillance
a private, q feW uayS ago, sent, or supposed
he sent, telegram home, but he got no an
swer 10 it, on account, presume, of its stric-
lures on the commandant. The soldiers get
little or no news except by private convey
ance. The men are in good quarters, with
rations of bacon, sea biscuit, sugar, coffee,
and beans and rice. Everything else that they
consume is purchased by themselves.
Warrington is nearly deserted by women
and many OF its houses are vacant What is
left of its population is composed chiefly of
persons whose chief business seems TO be to
fleece the soldiers. The Haynesville (Ala J
Guards, Capt. Willingham, are ordered home
by Governor Moore. 1t is an independent
company, and has been paying its own ex
penses. The Governor wrote them that there
was no prospect of fight, and that Fort
Pckens would be given up. Thirty of the
Lauderdale Miss Rifles have left on fur
Tough, and several members of other compa-
nies have left under similar circumst tances.
The report that Mississippi troops are leav
ing is untrue. The real cause of complaint
among them is the belief (whether true or
false, time, perhaps, will presently show
that the heads of this expedition are not the
men to command it. They pray for such n
man as JEFF. Davis TO lead them, and this, l
can tell you, is very natural sentiment
among Mississipians. As gentlemen and
Southerners, they think that they ought TO
be put to work to prepare for attacking Lieut..
SINNERS stronghold. We have no negroes
or other Iaborers and are willing, for the great
purpose before us, to take their place in any
hard service. As it is, we have nothing to do
except camp duty, and, by the by, we are kept
so well at that, that most of us are becoming
we'll drilled soldiers.
As to the ability of the force here to take the
fort, there is no doubt among many of our best
military men. Two hours and half they say
will be sufficient to accomplish the purpose.
1t can be fired on from SIX different points.
StOrming par ties can go under this fire, sharp
shooters in the meantime picking off the gun
ners from sand pits, as was done at Sebasto-
pol There is, however, no prospect of fight
within ten days. If not by that time, the
men disposed TO take the fort any how.
They not willing to come home without
seeing il in the hands of the South
The health of the soldiers is good The
strictcst discipline is observed. There is no
disorder more than may be expected in camp
life. No guns are allowed 10 be fired, and the
general orders every day are that every one
shall be ready at a moments notice for action.
FLORIDA ITEMS.
The Tallahassee FIoridian of the Goth ult ,
furnishes the following items:
On the last day of the session of the Con-
yention, an Ordinance was adopted abolish :
ing the office of Surveyor General, the Navy
Agency at Pensacola, Timber Agencies, In
spectors Of Customs, &c.
The Hon John B. Galbraith was elected
Attorney General of the State by the General
Assembly on Thursday last. Mr.. G.. is the
present Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives, in which position he has shown himself
an accomplished parliamentarian.
A proclamation has been issued by Cover
nor Perry, in accordance with instruc tions
proceeding from, the State Convention, declar-
ing an amnesty for offences committed against
the criminal laws of the State in the counties
OF Calhoun ana Franklin during the past
year.
The volunteers collected at Chattahooche
Arsenal, consisting of companies from =. effer-
SON Leon and Jackson counties, numbering
some 300 men, have been discharged by order
of Gov. Perry. These troops were originally
intended for Pensacola, but the number col
lected ut that point being sufficient for the
purpose designed, renders it unnecessary to
forward any detachment from this section
at present.
GOV. HoUsToN's MESSAGE.
The message of Gov. Houston 10 the Texas
Legislature, advocates "a settlement 'now and
forever of our difficulties with the North,
but thinks the action and position of Texas
should be with the border States, and not the
cotton States. He says:
/ "Were governments formed in an hour, and
human liberty the natural result of revolution,
| less responsibility would attach to us as we
! consider the momentous ques ton before us. -
/ A long struggle amid bloodshed and privation,
secured the liberty which has been our boast
for three quarters of a century. Wisdom, pa
| triotism, and the noble concessions of grea /
minds framed our Constitution. Long eentu-
ries of heroic strife attest the progress of free
1 dom a this culmiu a tinp Fra ho