Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-11-22
HIGHLY INTERESTING LETTER.

Il
| CON. BARRos-rASEEK LAND &C.
The following interesting letter, which we copy from
the Petersburg Exprss is from the pen of one Of the
released HAtteras prisoners, Mr. Joseph D. Bsrnes Of
hertford, Co., n. g. Il will be read with interest:
| November 18th, 1851.
Editors of Exprs" Hsvinl seen frequent quotations
In your paper and in the Day Book in reference 10 con-
versatons held with one or others Of my brother prison.
ers on eur return from Yankeedom, have concluded
that perhaps, full statement Of facts and opinions
cleaned during our visit the unhoy side Of Jordan,
may be read with interest BY some OF your patrons
During sojourn in New York, prisoners of war,
held In close and wel-satched Imprisonment In
Castle Williams on Governors Island Our officers bow
| ever having more extended range AID liberal privi-
ezes we're domiciied in Fort Columbus on the came
| island. We were enabled through the kindness Of our
many friends in the city, 10 procure anything that
might need TO render our unhappy condition ss comfort
able the circumstances would permit. We bad FREE
quent that friends many and that
should lack for nothing If they should be permitted
| administer to our wants
There has been evidently asotening Of feeling aten.
ded With demonstrations oil kindness toward and tie
cause we represented. Kindness and deeds OF charity
manifested wards the Federal prisoners in Richmond
have been circulated through the Northern papers with
| a hsppy effect We have more than been rccip.
en,s Of donations from the fathers mothers OF prison.
| ers held a. such in the South.
| We we're assured that Of ralerce ard standing
|
ton and change Of sentiment. isis extensively ftl
aud is ripenng into rebellion The greatest key VAS
felt from the consequences ha might stie FROM the Sip
Of the blockade by Messrs. Mason and Slidell Tnree
| steamers we're sent Immediately In search Of them
From the same We learn that all circles
| ions to bring about full exchange Of prisoners.
OF the disloysy disafection and reschery that at
in the enemy's camp there is positive evidence. will
give only few instances aud leave your leaders to draw
their own conclusions While as the RIP Rtus or Fort
| 49, NJ I. .hor1 6ghf
and with il that all the cspans OF the -Fsmmsny Ge2
men, we're killed This readily accounted for by
one of the New York Volunteers said that he knew
the regiment and bad been with the in epcampment
and on marches aud conf :enty affirmed that these
tans we're killed by their men, Cor they had swofa
70 do 20. A fswsdays before the sailing OF the ct
train of powder found connected with the mlgczre
10 Fortress Monroe and but fer the discovery and inter-
cepton Il would have blown up part Of the fort at
least. This they charged upon some OF their
Another instance is the deseron OF Mr. Hale secretary
TO the commodore OF the expedition, taking with him
the signals aud ther dlayag it's departure for several
days In order to obtain new signals from Washington.
Tds circumstance gave rise tie Pawnees attempt on
| the Poiomsc Information also received that he
was riddled and had thrown her guns overheard and
has sincs been condemned have mentioned these be-
cause they topics OF conversation il the enemys
| camp.
There we're twenty six Of the N. Y volunteers from
one regiment on the Rip Raps living in uucomfors,
BILE state Of hanshnent for INDUCING in such innoceI
massment muDy so common 10 the Northern camps.
These mon almost destitute Of clothing With oplya
suciency OF food to sustain life An adjustment Of tbs
difficulties between the two sections Of country is
hoped for and expected BY all with whom have convss.
ed on the SUBJECT to be made at the assembling Of tho
Rump Congress
AS some mention made Of the traitor, @. Il. Eos.
tors conversation with me- viii mate the particulars
On entering the room be seemed TO have known that
Vas there as the only Of number that bad
aver seen him before To his question OF recognition
sarcastiray remarked that Frequently met him in
our Democratic meetings OF Hartford, in It's
tons He then wished to administer TO my wants or
cessities peculiarly otherwise, which obstnately
refused and assured him tina. an abundance await
ed our arrival in Dixie. His utmatum Of im-
pudence soon followed cultural tGsous Of eulogies
and deprecions about the stsrs and stripes, and the
cause In which we are engaged, in Offering posi-
ton under the old Government This resented N h
ali the asoerity the circumstancsa wcu.d ADMIT, msnd
ing that he should not make sllusou Of the kad in
my presence, and turned from the traitor with conieup.
Osp. Leach then Ia command at the FIrt, who was
near aud listening with interest 10 what said
" reprmanded BIN for asking improper questions aud
inmated that their Government did not wish their az
mica augmented gi,h se himself wlo we're t,A
tors 10 their own. Ny object In csing the attention Of
the press to this circumstance Is to conhrm the pubic
mind that O. Il. ! ster Is not only himself trsitorto
the cause be has to proLec but that he Is using
his utmost enieavors at every opportunity, TO induce
others to follow bis infamous and tratorous
Asrw PICTURE OF THE BATTLE OF HirrlRAs.
The frs. day of the bomblrinea; the Ice of battle
ships were engaged with For: Clark and th. little ts'ts
~ Of s- guns located the edge of toe End, would
have succeeded in keeping enSmys chips beyond sn
chorage and in the situation they could have coneusno
material damsge ii the guus had been in proper tim,
and the fort supplied with shot and she'll But will men,
ton here that there has come under my own observation
but one gun with proper attachments for regulating its
elevation and sighting in all NY stay the coast. And
81 oh 0f n
been furnished with sights, The simple irvencn Ct The
war Of 1912 hs. rendered cannon so effective dur.
ing that struggle.
At one o'clock the gunners Of this little fort had dis
charged their last cartridge and ceased firing SO sooa
this dcovered by the enemy, they hove to aud
fred in shower Of shot and shell too great for in
| defeoceless condition to Withstand. After spking
their cannon they retreatei TO Fsrt Hetteras por-
ton Of the feet then went up the beach, and preped3
land five thousand men, WHICH ye expected had been
safely accomplished nor had we any means Of ascertain
ing What sctu lily done, their occupation Of Fott
Clark rendered communication With the island i'm
possible The Monticello endeayored TO througn the
inlet and cut eff Portsmouth endorsements which
were then coming No. As sjon as she OFFERED the inlet
she csms within rarge Of the short hirtytwos OF fort
Haeris for tho frs. time, and was lied into With fuca
rapidly that, besides the damage Of her upper dicks
killing several shots entered below lice be-
fore she could haul of. SO hsd landed which
done under heavy FIRE, bosts left for sbing.
ton and Newbsrn for other recruits, thus rendering
timely retreat impossible i. suggested that We
should reake Fort Clark during the night and several
OF the officers were more G an anxious to attempt IT,.
But "a the cannon the fort had been ppefecy spiked
Il was now formid BILE battery for the enemys deuce
rAsd oannpn battery had also been erected on the
ridge beyond tie fort, and, more than all, had nc
means Of asceraining whether all Of the I've thousand
seen landing up the bsoh had succeeded in doing 30 or
not Our scouts, however, said they had. Thus from
best information must storm and take Fort Clark
and also battery Of two rifsd aud Ave thou.
sand men could be sent from our for against them
have mentioned heso particulars In answer TO the cues.
ton frequently asked why do not attack the three
hundred men on tte shcrei
Commodore Birron came in some time during the
night Of the rs; August; to whom the whole command
was Immediately dciyered But so soon as he had an
opportunity Of Inspecting the fort and is of
defence arid that he would be unable to hsld the fort an
hour II then late to retreat and by too late
to mount the cannon, which had been living for nh,