New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-09-23
Letters from Virginia.


| Special to the New Orleans Crescent
| RICHMOND Sept H. 1861.
Ahr. Editor-It becomes my painful duty to
| chronicle the death of Capt. Nathan Lough
| borough, only son Of the Hon. J. II. Lough
| borough, of the parish of st. John the Baptist
| Capt. l.. left Louisiana private in Company B
Louisiana Guards, Capt. Girardey, and on his ar.
| rival at Richmond was transferred to a cavalry
corps, and appointed a Captain His proficiency
| in cavalry drill was soon manifested, when he was
selected as Adiutant of his regiment; and, by his
| high and honorable bearing. won the respect and
esteem of his superior officers, and the love and
| goodwill of his regiment. On Tuesday, the Sd
day Of September, whist engaged at the head OF
his regiment driving in the enemys pckets he re-
ceived ball and three buckshot through his head
and neck, killing MIN instantly. The shot was
| fired from an ambnscade and proved fatal to one
| Of the most promising young officers in the Con
federate service. In letter from Gen. Beckley to
| his heartbrOkeu father, he says, Your gal
laut and promising boy was bravely though rashly
| in advance Of his regiment when the fatal shot
was fred and died in the line of his duty and lei
me assure you that, in your sad bereavement, you
have the coincidence of every officer and soldier in
| my brigade" His disconsolate father received
the news to-day, and his grief though silent, must
be most poignant; for he really appears, within
the last eight hours, to have passed twenty add
| tional years of his life.
The telegraph will inform you of the resignation
| Of the Hon. l.. p Walker, Secretary of War. Mr.
Walker sent in his resignation on Saturday last, bu'
| it is SAID that President Davis had not accepted il
| up to this morning, and was urging Mr.. Walker tc
| reconsider it. The President, correctly in my
opinion, argues that the resignation of the Secre
tary of War at this particular crisis might act iDju
riously upon the army, which is the eve OF grea
| and important movements; but whether he will
succeed in efeCting change in the determination
| of Secretary Walker is unknown If, as some sup
| pose, Mr.. Walker leaves the Cabinet for the pur.
pose of being returned as Senator from Alabama
| he may be induced to Withdraw it; but, the
contrary if as have heard italleged the declining
health OF Mr.. Walker was the inducement fol
| leaving the Cabinet, suppose the President will
! find him firm and decided in his purpose. Specu.
| lation is busy about his successor. Gen. Polk Of
| the Provisional Army, is spoken of, also the Hon
| Col. McRae, of Alabama and it is supposed if an
appointment is made, it will be either one or the
| other of those gentlemen. 1t may, however, be
| considered mere proper to make pro tenn. ap-
| pointment until the lGassembng of Congress in
November next. The appointment Of MIR. Benja-
min to the war Office would be hailed with plea
sure BY the army and by civilians but it Is now
aseertained that it is Mr. Benjamn'S Intention to
resign his post of Attorney General before great
while, and offer himself TO the people of Louisiana
| as candidate fer the Senate. Louisiana will have
the opportunity of avaing herself Of the services
| of the most brilliant genius in the Confederacy,
and regarded at Richmond by all as the very first
| Alan of the age. The great sugar State should be
| represented by great men. 4 great commercial
| city like New Orleans should have d great COM
mercial lawyer to advocate her rights.
In confirmation Of the rumor which / endorsed
in my last letter relative to dissensions in the Cab
met on the policy OF attacking the Federalists be.
yond the Potomac and marching into Maryland,
I now state positively that the movement is also
opposed by Vce-President Stephens, whilst a ma
jonty Of the Cabinet advocate it strenuousty. The
proximity of the opposing armies, with the daily
skrmishing, must, by necessity, ere long overcome
all precautionary counsels, either by decisive
hattie or advance. Neither the Cabinet nor any
human foresight prevent it, Before this reaches
you the Potomac will be closed against the travel
of the Federal fleet The placing of twenty guns
in battery at Evanspott is nearly completed, and
has been done so secretly and cautiously that the
gneers On Saturday last three Federal gun
boats and one large steamer passed within three
hundred yards of the battery, in bljssful igno.
rance" of the proximity of danger. They were
permitted to pass unmolested. It was considered