Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-07-21
NeSTs from the Souih.

~~--~
g interesting Information in relation to matters in
Il the South, from which we extract the following
i The Py0s says:
We had very interesting interview yester'
!, day with an intelligent gentleman, who was
formerly resident Of this city, but who has
: been living for some months In Richmond, Vir-
. ginia. After many unsuccessful efforts, he was
fortunate enough to secure pass to enable him
to reach the North, and he left the capital Of
the Old Dominion on the 9Th OF July. IL was
impossible at that time to travel on either oil
the direct routes, and he went to Bristol, Ten
nessee, where he was arrested and lodged In jail
over night, but released the next morning, after
an examination by the military authorities.
He then proceeded to Nashville, Tennessee,
where a similar fate awaited him; but, after
. some difficulty, he also obtained his release
there, and, proceeding direct to Louisville,
met no further distractions on his journey, pis
Cincinnati, Pittsburg, Harrisburg, and Lancas-
ter, to this city.
Some Of the intelligence he communicated TO
US was OF very important character, and 1t
was all full of interest. He informed US, for
instance, that great pains had been taken to fit
out the steamer Yorktown, which was formerly
connected with line running between New
York and Richmond, so that she may break the
blockade, and commit fearful ravages as q pri-
vateer. It was supposed that by this time she
would be finished, and her crew Is already en-.
listed. They have razed her down fore and
aft, and have put on board of her eight sixty
eight Founders, four forward and four aft. A
epace Of thirty feet on each side of the wheel.
house Is covered with Eve eightiDch wrought
iron plates, and q protection also has been
placed in front of the engine house. The floor
Of the deck is also protected with iron, and the
pilot Is secured as much as possible from danger,
But our informant believes that, Notwithstanding
these precautions, shot fred into the beam
will disable the engine. This information may
be of some service 10 our cruisers near Fortress
| Monroe and on the Potomac, who, we trust, will
keep sharp lookout for the steel-clad York.
town, and prepare to give a good account Of
| her.
The total number Of troops on the official
muster roll OF the Confederate army in Virginia,
| few weeks ago, was one hundred and eighty |
thousand, but 1t mnst be remembered that this |
formidable array embraces all those who have
arrived from other Southern States, all the raw
militia impressed into the service in Virginia,
and thousands of men who are heartily disgust
ed with, or deadly hostile 20, secession, and who
will embrace the first opportunity that offers to
escape from the secession ranks.
IL was supposed that at Manassas Gap and
Manassas Junction about sixty thousand troops
were stationed, at and near Norfolk about twen-
ty thousand, in the vicinity of Richmond abuut
seven thousand, that General Johnson had from
fifteen TO twenty thousand exclusive of his re-
cent reinforcement of five thousand, that n the
neghborhood Of Fairfax Court House there were
at the time of hs departure not more than from
fifteen to twenty-five hundred. The remaining
troops are scattered at different points through.
out the State, embracing in part those who are
under the command of Gen. Wise, and those O
who were recently defeated in several battles by
Gen. Mcclellan.
Men are found In the ranks of almost every
age from thirteen to sixty, and many of them !
are crippled or defGrmed, as they have no rigid I
inspection aud gladly accept all whose services r
they can obtain. There is no uniformity in !
their clothing, and often members of the same
company wear suits of different colors.
In conversing with troops from the South, he
expressed surprise that Fort Pickens had not ye.
been captured, but they replied that it was now
too strong to be taken, except with great loss Of
life, and there was little probability of Its soon
falling into their hands. OF the capture of /,
Fortress Monroe the soldiers seemed more san :
guine. They said that when they were ready to |.
march against IL, they would soon find means to
force our troops to surrender. /;
Public sentiment In the city of Richmond has !.
recently undergone very considerable change. .
Some five or Elk weeks ago, scarcely man !
could be found, who had not been carried away !
by. the secession excitement, but now, among
the masses and the workingmen, Union feel.
ing is rapidly being developed, and, If fair
election could beheld at this time and public SEN
timent truly expressed, very large Union vote
would be polled. On the UTner hand, the poll Z
ticians and those who at present appear on the
surface to control public sentiment, are very
loud and bitter in their denunciations OF the Q
North, and declare that they will never be sub. 9
jugated-that, no matter how large may be our ,
force, or how many victories we may win, they
will fight for independence until their last dol.
lar is spent and their last man killed. d
Great pains have been taken to fortify Rich q
mond, and it s the prevailing opinion there that
even If our armies should, by any chance, ap.
proach that city, they would be unable to enter q
IL. Several heavy batteries, mounted with a n
large number of 65-pounders, have been erect. :,
ed-one In the direction Of Acquia creek, an :,
0ther on James river, another out by Howard u
Grove, towards Norfolk; and the best pass to-
wards the city, which is from the northwest, ia
veil guarded, and they believe can be success. Of
ully defended against any force we can muster. in
Provisions Of some kinds are now becoming A,
carce In Richmond, and command high prices. :,
The stock Of bacon is very low, but this years y
rop OF wheat and corn is a very fair one, and N
here is little probability Of any want Of these Y
rtcles in the South during the coming season. A
n Virginia and Tennessee the yield has been =.
unusually great. Our informant saw In the 'e
ormer State one plantation containing 1000 ar
crss, and In the other 800 acres Of frst-rate .
Tbeat, and many excellent crops Of corn. l.
The effects Of the blockade are beginning to
e seriously felt. The stocks Of salt and lesth.
r, and many other articles for which there Is :
reat demand ara yerv low lee In aiso va,v
carce, and can only be obtained at price rang.
ng from FIVE to fifteen cents per pound and then th
ot without physIcisn's prescription. For ca
lass Of ice.water fifteen cents is charged at po
ONE Of the hotels. The cargo recently taken sa,
that city by the 81. Nicholas, after her cap pu
are by the pirate, Captain Thomas, was dis. Yc
osed Of by the State taking half Of Il, and the =
ther half was obtained by Mr.. Crenshaw, the ,
roprietor Of the Spottswood House, where JEFF. III
avis and family are quartered. lc
Notwithstanding all the precautions which ,u
ave been taken, goods of great Importance TO ~,
le insurgents are still occasionally forwarded ~.
} them from the North. On the fourth of July .r,
lirty barrels Of linseed oil arrived there from
10 city Of Philadelphia, and was of great use '.'
} them in the manufacture of oil-oloth for -
syersacks and knapsacks. Il was obtained BY -,
urcell Co., OF Richmond; and It might not w.
, amiss for our authorities TO inquire what nj,
1e Of our establishments furnished it. eve
About six weeks ago buckles aud sewing bee
lread for the manufacture Of military equip. tSO
ents, became very scarce, but Mr.. King, of Tn,
10 firm Of King d Lambert, went TO Massa. sav
,usetts, by the Louisville and Nashville Rail. mo
lad, and obtained o good supply. which he lIas lon
'ok back with him by the same route. use
There is still plenty Of employment for all :.
hn md lad -. .f.It L..