New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-06-15

,Sf1uTgle - Silence of the PreSS-A Mary tor
North Caio5iud-'' Rebel" Auddcty-A Sted0t-
ship Firing ttposs Cdrd5'y, etc.
Special to the New Orleans Crescent
CANT SuvERS, June S, 1861.
MI Editor-It is now pretty certain that the
vessel that attacked the Pig Point battery the other
day, and was so promptly beaten Oft, was not the
Water Witch at FIRST supposed but one of heavier
| calibre-the Harriet Lane-and it is clear case
that size got decidedly the worst OF the affair." AS
| the enemy seem to have adopted the policy OF
| every now and then running in unexpectedly aud
| engaging our shore batteries, with apparently no
definite object in view, we look every day for re-
newal of their compliments, either at Pig Point or
some other point, and the continued strengthen
| ing Of their position at Viewpoints News squnts
| omiu0usly towards Sn earnest attempt to reduce
that battery, land troops and attack Portsmouth IN
| the rear for the purpose OF recapturlng the Navy
| Yard preparations have been made to meet such
| a movement. A portion of the First LOuisanlans,
as before stated, have already been marched to
the Point Zone Of the few places where landing
of troops can be efected) and we look every day
! for orders to the remainder to encamp at the same
place, or in striking distance !; in fact, Major
| Shvers, in command of the four companies here,
will, it is understood, march them down at once Ii
serious operations commence there, without await
| ing direct orders and while the men dislike the
| trouble of moving camp, and the prospect OF
useless march of ten or twelve miles, (Or that is
about the distance by the necessarily circuitous
route) they would welcome eagerly the oppor-
| tunity of meeting the enemy by forced march OF
| twice the distance.
| Every day furnishes fresh indications chat both
sides are steadily preparing for gigantic struggle
in this quarter, and that it must ultimately come,
unless important operations elsewhere should pre-
vent it, or this should reach speedy termna-
| ton. While Federal troops are constantly arriving
! at Fortress Monroe, and constantly being trans
| terred to various points on the James and York
rivers, Southern troops are as constantly arriving
| here, and cannOns and munitions OF war are every
day pouring the different lines Of railroad and
being distributed to the various points where it
| supposed they may be needed. The press of this
State is necessarily very retirent regarding these
matters, but many things that should not be pub
shed Immediately here may with propriety appear
| in New Orleans by due course of mail. Everything,
| however that an observer OF events here can pick
up in this crisis, should not be told, such as the
strength of batteries, the force with which we
expect to meet the enemy, the minor Topographic
cal features of the country through which they
expected to march to the attack etc, for the rea-
son that the decisive blow may not be struck until
information published should have fallen into the
hands of the epemy. SeCresy as to mode and
| of attack defence, and of plans and resources
generally, is the very back bone of warke strategy,
and without it army, however braV" md efficient
otherwise, is like gladiator rushing bndt0ld upon
| the sword Of his adversary.
| have one piece of information, to which the
| hideous old Mokhanna Of the White House, and his
minions, are quite welcome The inland waters OF
North Carolina are hereafter secure against the in
trusOn Of his gunbOats, and her shores safe from
| the depTedati0ns Of their lawless crews. That
State has now nearly fitted OFT formidable little
navy Of light draught sailing vessels and steamers
swift and Staunch and carrying guns heavy enough
to sink any vessel of the Black Republican Navy
that can sail in their soundings. Several have
been prepared for service here, some of them hay
ing already received sailing ORDERS and if the
reader is curious to know how they are to run the
blockade, let him examine good map of Virginia
and North Carolina, and he will find that canal
runs from the eastern branch of the Elizabeth river
through Dismal Swamp into the head-waters of
the Albermarle Sound, and through this passage
the little cruisers will safely reach the various
points where their presence is required.
The Norfolk Day Book relates substantially the
following Incident, and vouches forit authenticity:
A lew days ago, mounted party of seventeen
Southerners proWied about i'll the neighbOrhood Of
the enemys works at Viewpoints News, and by
nightfail had made themselves acquainted with
what was going on in the way of throwing up en-
renChmentS, etc. 1t appears that the labOrers re-
tired before sentineIs were posted, and the auda-
CiOus rebels promptly bounced upon their pick
axes, spades, shOves, and other tools, making a
clean sweep, loading two Federal wagons, and
then htChing their horses, drove off in triumph.
1t was, undoubtedly, yery&eolish risk for so
trivial an object, but the Circumstance shows the
daredevil spirit Of the people with whom Old
Abes miniOns are to do battle.
A day Or two ago had the pleasure Of meeting
Mr.. Durant DaPonte one of the editors of the Delta
and Mr. Marion A. Baker, the Mayors Secretary,
who have come on here to learn from personal OBJ
servation what bloody doings are being inaugur
face q Al ga See What Rey can see generally me
leans is something pleasant to look upon Just now.
have this moment heard that the Quaker City
yesterday threw shells for about the fortieth time
at the Princess Anne Cavalry, on the beach near
Cape Henry. For several weeks past she has been
standing off and on along the Southern shore of
Chesapeake Bay, accommodating Or sounding, and
whenever she does so the Princess Anne Cavalry
gallop down the beach to watch her movements.
Should she be within range, she invariably resents
this surveillance by opening upon them with shot