The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-08-24
LOCAL AAxxU11.

"Home Artinery."-It has been intimated
that meeting of the battalion Of Home Ar
tillery, commanded by Col. Thomas II. Ellis,
and numbering some three hundred men, was
recently held to take into consideration the
fact that they had received orders to prepare
for active duty in the field.
1t will be remembered that the City Coun-
Gil, some time ago, voted $ll 900, to be used
in buying horses and harness for the use of
the CLONE Artillery" under the supposition
that they would be wanted for use. The
money was expended in the manner designed
the horses aud harness having been procured
on fair terms. 1t was knowledge of the
latter fact, no doubt, that caused tho Confed
crate authorities to supply the battalion with a
dozen or more excellent cannon of various cali
bres, both smooth-bore and rifed. 1t has been
said that the members of the "Home Artillery"
enlisted therein with the distinct understanding
that they were to be employed in home defence.
On the other hand, it has been asserted, with
an equal show of authority, that when the
terms Of enlistment were made known to the
authorities they refused to commission the Of
fcers unless the men were subject to orders
like other soldiers, and that the commissions
were Issued to them with this understanding.
The Battalion Of Home Artillery, as has been
remarked, numbered over 300 men, two-thirds
of whom, it was thought, could conveniently
leave hOme-certainly could do SO with as
much ease as many who are now on the tented
field and who have freely offered their bodies
as targets. for the enemy's shot, to aid in So
curing and perpetuating our menaced rights.
Somewhere in the State of New York, a few
months ago, when the first dread note Of war
was sounded, the patriotic citizens Of a
suburban village formed themselves into a
Home Guard." To give emphasis and effect
to the deed, they held meeting, at which a
resolution was unanimously passed to the
effect that, having united themselves together
for home defence, the guard would in no event
leave home unless in case of an invasion.
Rightly interpreted, this was held to mean
that, on the appearance of the enemy, the
Home Guard" would "scoot' In citing
this we are not be understood as applying it
to our Home Artillery, who would no doubt,
on the appearance Of an enemy hereabout, do
their part towards making him pay for his to-
merity. Inasmucb, however, as events OF recent
occurrence have shown that the possibility OF
having sn enemy very near the city to contend
with is az exceedingly bare one, and is getting
more so each day, the people in -alged lively
hope that the larger portion OF the Home Ar
tiliery' would find it convenient to display on
another field those patriotic emotions watch
we're supposed to be rampant in the breast of
each Individual member. Ten days ago it was
said that the warriors composing the battalion
were only waiting for the harness to be used
in drawing their cann0ns and caisSons to the
the field of carnage, when they would be of.
Ia view Of their prospective exodus, the re-
porter had been drawing heavily on his mental
bread basket for the wherewithal to do the
fa1i in #
play of patriotic tervor on the part of large
aud influential body of his fellow-citizens. A
little asasonable regret is not out Of place that
an unforeseen contingency has n1pped
tho intended demonstration in the bud
It gas asrertaiDed yesterday, from what Is
deemed reliable authority, that the Home
Guard DlttsliCl held meeting few nignts
since tc determine whether they would go or
stay. The former IVES proved by the action
Of the meeting to be aiarmingly IL the Voca-
tive. "otay" had ''the cal'' by immense odds.
one company (so it is reported) Went entirely
for t. 10 another "go" had one advocate
In another twer .y-fve. Alas, for the uncer-
tainty Of human expectation
We understand that the horses and harness
intended to be used by tho military organi2a-
ton above alluded 70 have been turned over
lin part to the King William Artillery, "a
splendid corps,) commanded by Capt. Ihos.
II. Carter, and that the remainder will be
given to another corps, who expect soon 10 be
ordered CT This was the only thing that
could be done, as IT would not be right to lot
the horses stay here and cat their heads Of,
and do nothing.
1t has boen suggested that as there ara ne
cessarily a largo number of the Confederate
soldiers who enlisted to fight the enemy, now
necessarily detained here to keep guard over
the captured Yankee prisoners, that It would
be most judicious for the Richmond Home Ar
tillery to take their places, and thus relieve
them Of the merely police duties they are now
called on to perform in keeping "watch and
ward" over the Lincoluites. This would be
defending our homes against the breaking out
Of something almost as bad as the smallpox