New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-10-29
TIE GREAT SOUTHERN EXPEDITION,
REHEARsINo THE LANDING.
SAILING OF THE FLEET,


most nnwonted, and doubtless agreeable treat "a.
aay' Though they are but four miles distsnt, 0
uensn'toi ~ minutes SAIL or pleasant half.hoars
10" 70 TIC gymnasticai disposed there are po.sas
ieasons why our friends Of that verdant peninsus
10 not choose TO join in the occasional festivities ,b
of late have distinguished our gayer ode Of the bay
The entrance Of our majestic Zee, Of nearly hun.
dred sail into their little harbor, which hes seldom
before anchored dozen vessels at once WIS matte,
of the greatest wonderment to the Sewalrs Poiu,
Rebels, and their telescopes and marine glasses were
in constant reputation TO determine, If possible, tho
meaning and intent Of this Unprecedented naval
phenomenon. And to-day, their wonder g. the bic
ships having somewhat cooled, il was rcdoubled. IN
fact multiplied by ten, when, at en- early hour, tho
entire bay was covered with seemingly myriad feet
of men-of.war boats, with their gsyly uniformed
crews; with surfboats, manned by regular pea.
coated get of surfmen and the boats Of the trans-
ports, manned by their soldercrews; all Of which,
sup,radded to the many small boats that have their
perennial home on the waters Of the Roads gave the
bay as gay appearance as if each sparkling wave,
in some freak Of new and more Unitarian modern
mythology, had given foaming birth, not TO anew
Venus, but to metallic surf.boat, with oars tsrrsd
" painter" and given dozen Of tobacco-chewme
sailors, all complete.
Aud thus it hsppened-the God Of Precaution snd
Be-sure youre-right-bef you'go-ahead'i-tivenes
whoever or whatever he may be, had inspired Gen.
Sherman with an idea, most sensible, practical and
| eninentIy worthy of the Yankee mind. Gen. Sher.
man, cog tqtng tie fact that be was in change Of
force of Is, 900 men who all be put shore IN
l;rnu, Il.
sal of that most important item Of the programme Of
the expedition. The aid of the boats and crews Of
the various men-ofwar was called into requisitoa
and the various commanders readily promised every
assistance. Gen. Sherman tbeIeupon Issued an order
that the entire force should be dsem arked In order
of battle, every man in heavy marching order The
surf boats, with which each transport 10 pienfuly
provided, were manned by crews from the mence
war. and by certain old surfboa who had bee
sbipped for that purpose. number Of efficient crew
were also found among the soldiers themselves
nanv Of whom, from the New-Epgand Safes 70
pecialy, know far more Of the manipulation OF no
oar, than of the handling Of the musket'
! Few more beautiful sights have ever fallen under
the observation of your correspondent. The d,
was bright and clear; the Last nights breeze had n
parted sufficient vitality to the water TO bring iHf
existence waves, if not huge unwieldy and undo
sirable ct least brsk and vigorous enough TO demand
the constant care OF the sailor-manage:s OF the s
and to impart just enough Of imagined dangas
make the solder-passengers most feverishly annoua
The entire list Of boats could not lie enumerated ave
by hundreds, the msst picturesque snd gracefully
, beautiful of which were the 80 or 40 menof.Wsn
boats with their swartby, unformedcrews Aos@
these were eigbtOared and ten-oared boats, and hs
ease rapidly, and consummate, because uneonscios
grace with which they were handled, was hsa'-
iect of enthusiastic admiration of the thousanda
passengers on the many vessels, whose moss active
part in the duties of the day was simply TO admire
The debarkalion wss accomplished in rea'0s+
ably short tune, the troops reaching the shor
good order, gaining the dry sand with Their pow@
and equipments dry, and instantly forming N hnea
battle on the shore to repel an imaginary Toe. iS
return 70 the ships was achieved with even gsSa
speed-the soldiers all rode with ease and sa'd!,
were safely placed on board their respective vsssa
and the sailors departed after reciprocal cheers. ~
serious accident marred tie oppouupe rehes'sl
though few soldiers got wet jackets ron nes
trudin2 spray, and few others who Shose to WA
rather than 70 wait, got their boots uDpleassnilyh
OF salt water.
This preliminary Decentralization Of the soldiers w
q most happy thought, and 30 much wss learned
many useful hints ia proved, and so much neeeesaq
steadness and confidence was impaired to the MA
that the highest officers, both Of the naval and army
service in charge of the expedition, assert thsis
DAYS experience has been worth even weeksdest I
Prominent among the vessels Of to-dsy's dispAl
was the Ericsson, about which ship there was iofs
hours, much anxiety. The intelligence reached
tha abe was fast aground of the mouth OF the Poss
mac Rumors also, were rife impugning the loysg
Of the pilot, and it than limited that ne u
| run the Ericsson on the Bar in compliance VIE
bargain with Secession friends and that Prec@
certed attack was TO be made on her BY an ovr {
whelming feet OF small craft, from the mouth Of ~
Potomac, and the small inlets therestout. ThsPk
was not specially improbable, and the unessinsaw
specting the steamer was only thoroughly eel fm
BY her ownappearance with flying colors. Asshe -
on board battery of light artillery, her capture weas
he especially valuable to the rebels.
1t has not been without much trouble, and ns
dgent searchng, that competent and willing pr"
have been found to bring the feet safely thus W
but the eagerly-expected arrival to-day Of na's
officer, who Is thoroughly scqusintsd with the VIEW
eastern coast, from here far South, gives assa'sn~
that our progress bsucsforth will not DO re'afdssT
any ignorance Of localities =.
Gen. Sherman. recognizing the urgent neesssv (
for facilities Of instant and constant communists
with the commander Of the naval portion OF w.
expedition. has to-day removed his headqua:'sS
from the Atlantic TO the msnof-war Wabash wnes
Flag. Officer Dupont has bis headquarters VIZ
Gen. Sherman wen, oply small portion Of bis sa
Assistant. Adjutant General, CAPT P'iOulei AN
ds-csmp. Lieut. Merrill and Signal Officer, Dun'1t