The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-10-26
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The Charleston IS. c. Courier, of Tuesday
last, has the following Interesting particulars
in regard to affairs at Key West, Fla, which
It obtained from two gentlemen reported ia.
Tampa (fla.) Peninsula az having lately es-
capped from the former place
They estimate the forces Mt Key West and
Fort jefferson at about ,0oo men. There are
about 2j0 regulars, two companies of artil-
lery, and one CONF any of Billy Wilson's lou
ayes. The workmen, about one hundred and
fifty in number, had also formed themselves
into company OF Home Guards. There is
a citizen patrol corps composed of Northern
men, commanded ~ Capt Daniel Davis a
Connecticut Yankee, a low and vulgar fell
low, despised by all the better portion of the
community
Our iniormants state that thew v-ere cor,-
PEELED 10 leave in such haste 10 avoid taking
The oath OF allegiance; that they left in u
small boat, the wind blowing Il gale at the
time, having with them only ten pounds OF
hard bread and three gallons of water for
their whole company of six men. Tie bread
was soon spoiled from salt water, and in this
CONDITION, after being out four days aud
nights, they were picked up by the sloop Kat,
Date, and taken lnto Tampa.
They state mat large nun Der of persons at
Key West were compelled to take the oath or
leave their families to the mercy Of the enc
my.
Among those who were under this neces.
sity was Mr.. +. j. Morena, brother-in-law
OF Secretary Mallory. Miny OF those persons
eyes No one Was allowed TO leave Key West
without taking the oath, neither for Europe
or Tor an American port. One gentleman
wanted TO accom- any this party aAd Take ms
wife with him. Both slaves ana free negroes
are obliged 10 take the oath
one Tree negro, named Pablo Rogers obsti-
nalely refused, said he was a Southern man
and belonged to st. Augustine. They dis
charged HIM from his employment OF Fort
} eHerson, and sent him adrifc
IneIe Were TWO English frigateS and one
French hIgate at Key West, three guard
boats, number of captures &c The Dom,
mander of the English Irigate Challenger
asked permission OF Major French, Command.
ant OF the tort, to be allowed to exercise his
| lAeh at a target. Major French refused
whereupon the French Commander went Oh
set up target, and practiced att, almost in
lnedl1tely under the gnns of the Fort
MAJOR French did not interfere, but after
| wards paid the trigate visit, when they Gov
cred their Armstrong guns so as to Shield
| them from observation.
The famous schooner Wanderer, which is
one OF the prizes IN port, is now used Us Il pat
| roi and guard boat.
| Oar lntorlnants left three behind who had
| not taken the OATH and were determined TO
| refuse it,
! These were VIM. Randolph, formerly of the
| shaw, and Mr. Duberge
| Our lnfoTmants state that the most living
/ 'tho exaggerated reports Of Northern Veto
ries reach Key West regularly through
!
! When the party left hey West il was re-
! ported that the officers OF the English and
| French man OfWar vessels were to have q
! meeting to draw up Il report TO their Govern
| the blockade.
Messrs Stran and Ford report that the Flo
! rida coast, between Tampa and Key West is
! entirely clear CT the bloeKaders.
heroic CONDUCT OF CONFEDERATE srAxEs.
Inc New Orleans True DeltG, in its grnDhic
account of the splendid exploit OF the Maqas-
| 81, relates an act of ehivalrous courage per-
! formed by two seamen while shot and she'll
were falling thickly upon the ram, which de.
| serves TO be held i'll everlasting remembrance.
The Richmond now took the Vincenncs in
! toW, ana the water Witch grappled the Pre-
| bic, all tn tine keeping up q heavy fire on
! the ram, but without striking her excent
| once, and then knocking down the remaining
! chimney over the vent of the other one. This
! checked up the outlet for the smoke and as
/ they were Yet burning the tar. sulDhUr and
/ tA!Iow. the aspby Xis ting gas that arose from
! IL rushed down and spread throughout the
| boat, threatening 10 suifocate every one in a
! lex minutes. Nothing was 20 be done eNcent
| for some one 10 go Oh deck and cut away the
! wreck, while the ships, less than Il Quarter
! OF mile distant were raining their balls
| ali around them.
| Selling an axe, Mr.. Hardy rushed M the
| companion way, nor could Lieut.. Marley
! who had not discovered the accidant, hold
/ him back. Austin saw him go up, and know
ing t4a al ne could rot stand slone on the
! unguarded top Hardy cut away the fallen
chimney and lis guys with the Xe, while Aus
tin, bracIng his feet firmly apart, held him
steady. All the while the balls and shells
were whistling p8sJ and around them. The
vent WAS opened and the suIphurous smoke
rushed out, just as those below were getting
suffOcated.
EXCITING INTELLIGENCE.
The Newbern IN. o. Progress, Of the 23d
contains the following:
An extra train arrived here yesterday
morning from Goi!sboro', bearing oil sa n
from Gen. Gatlin 10 Gen. Hill, Col. Sln2ie-
tary, and other officers in command IN this
section, which he had received from Gen
Huger, Of Norfolk, to the effect that Il large
Federal feet has left New York for an attack
on this place and Fort Macon. The informa-
ton seems to have reached General II ger
through channel not altogether reliable,
but supported by circums tances which did
not Justify inattention to it, hence he cCrn-
lnunicated the information to Gen. Gariin,
and he urges upon the officer. in commend
here to push forward the works with all pos
slble speed. We think this is right, but at the
| same time Wouid soon think the attack
would fail about Norfolk or somewhere on
the Potomac. 1t may be a feint.
sgaAR--BETTER TIMES COMING.
The Atlanta Iatsyligeneer has the followip &
in regard TO the probabilities Of reduction
in the price of this very desirable article OF
home consumption. The concluding SEN
| fences we cordially recon .:.enG for the adop-
! tion of our readers:
There is every indication that the price of
| sugar must soon come down to 4 living rate
The large sale of this article which takes
| place III Charleston on the 3lst instant, will
help to reduce its value, while the certainty
that an abundant supply will come froln
Louisiana ere long, will also influence the
Market We IL stated in the Franklin
Ia Banner, that active measures are now
being adopted for sugar making. About the
last OF the month, that paper states nearly
all OF the furnaces viii be III full blast The
late cool nights and line days have had fine
effect upon the cane, and the sugar crop %
thar parish aioRe Will be quite heavy, probably
forty thousand hogsheods. Consumers IN Geore;c
ought TO purchase lightly III better times
come. The sPrcula,ors in this article OF prime
necessity will yet be caught
GEN. E. KIRpy SMITH
The st. Augustine {Fla) Popner. of the 9Th,
has the following paragraph in relation 10 the
arrival of Gen +. Kirby Smith, At that place,
who goes there to take command of the Flori-
DIT fcrces:
We are gratifled to announce that Gen. T.
Kirby hmith and lady arrived in this city
the Generals home, on Thursday evening"
The General and his lady were Immediately
waited upon, at the residence of Hon. j. A
Putnam, by large NUN Der OF citizens, friends
and admirers of the General, who were hap
Ply TO greet him on his return to his native
city
line reception was most cordial and en-
thusiastic his old nei9 hbors are justly proud
OF their distinguished toWnsman. A patriotic
salute was promptly fired by our citizen SOL
diers, who turned out in force on the occa-
sion. The cheers of the ladies, who had
seinbied in crowds, were an interesting and
stirring part of the proceedings, and the re-
spouse OF the General TO their saiutations, as
well as his replies To his military friends and