, 1861-02-18
From orr own Correspondence

WAsutSaToN, Feb. H. 1861.
The amount Of morey stolen from the Uni.
ted States by the NeT Orleans Insurgents was
:a follows:
';i1 and titvcr In the Mint. $416 all
'1"sd IN Inc enosreasury ury..............,.. 4e39s4
Total amount stolen. ........... S902 ,os35
1ae seizure OF this Il. oncT is not considered
|,y Northern JouglEaccs an act of 81 coercion "
;'g:aiEat the Government; nor even wrong or
;niignity committed on 1t, because the thieves
'lliu1sd to be netting by Stats authority. But
If the Federal Government shall send a feet to
blockade the city Until that money is sreturned,
:. >.nniversal shrek will ascend from the throat
Of every dirty turkey: "0h horrible! you
arc coerciDg q eovereign State" Are no:
these men allies of treitorr?
The value OF Federal property stolen by the
r.bels is Estimated to cSceed twenty-five MIL
!;,la. The New Orleans Custom House alone
has cost three millions Of dollars, and the one
4: Charleston two millions. The forts seized
c>st over SIX millions. The cannon, small
rms, ammunition and military stores plupdered
fom the Government cott more Than five mil
l','cs. To these sums must BE- added siz rcyc-
N1c cutters, other custom honscs, post offices,
lazy yards, and dutiea OF foreign goods, max
'ag grand total Ct ties named. All these
assrant aEgreaslons would be regarded rs acts
y: war By any Other nation under heaven; but
c,:rlmitttd esaipst tho Federal Government,
they only constitute the basis of great "con-
t,ssions on the part Of The North to appcaso
,::o thieves.
Speculation Is. rife as TO the time when South
Fazolina will commence the attack on Fort
;:umtcr. The latest intelligence received It
tic War Department from Major Anderson
..atcs thst tho garrison is fully prepared for
a,y emergency. He expected to be attacked
s.nsncG'atcly after Col. Haynes return 10
Charleston. Hayne has been back four days,
Ut no word has been received that indicates
:" her the light will begin. The rattlesnake
I lead1rs arc in tight place,
If they back do'e's, they arc dlsgraccd, and
t,e rebel troops will dispcrso In Disgust. II
fa:y give the signal for attack, the chances ere
they will get licked Secretary Holt aud Cen
SCOT harc maize their arrangements to rim
;''rce Anderson. The frirg Of thu first hostile
Ill will te the signal for the calling Of squad
ron With troops. Lisht-droft steamers and
cs:res of swift boats, well manned with oarz-
..,cn, vii 1aaua51 to rue Past Ill the obstruo~
',o3s Which the rebels may tnterpose. Holt
.r!Aes no svc1ct of lis Intentions to MD An
'.'rS;H. nud expresses perfect confidence uf Ills
a: LILY u accomplish 1t.
Tic Pr si!tnt has received intelligence from
CHAR. ston stating that Gov. Pivkens hsi rt~
:.rr.d The Fort Sumter question % jeff Davis
srt.Hf
nj t1iat no @ltacS would tc .ua.!c Is Suuth
s5lro!:na until actton hal been tul1tn BY tho
'otton eonsedcr7cy. II :auahilc, the Charict-
toa authorities are pn>hlng ahead with their
j'rc:'asa'ons ior the assault They are rcady
70 prcs1nt formidable di-piay Of 1orce The
most delay il with tcir ll5atius battcrics,
Witch they iutccd ta puah up 10 the furt, :tad
thcn mocnt the walls gu scaling ladders plaut-
ri on tho roofs of tue contrlyancef. how
they will work wlen subjected to Apdersoa's
ieu-iuch colu,nhiad., remains 10 be secp.
The preparations for attack arc thus dr.
7crlaed b5 correspondent Of the Richmond
Eaqssirsr, rii.1s tIom Charleston OH the 10Th
LUST:
Tic mortar battery Is masked. and Is protected
" :; nd ha:s, raw hides ard Palmetto fo;e, and
you oald b. a.tonirh ID to the great security
QUE can form any iden Of its security without see~
lug IL. IN thi- battery they have iour large NOR
tars and shell* In abundance-al1 In place and
nuhsr ras:e seeurca II, ne he .ame rar tnes m3t
smaller cunt 10 pFItrct the charue!. Which rrns
~ithiu i quarter of mile Of This fort. On The
:r1and arc about two thousand Folditr., drilled
eon:tAMay and rcsn'aE'y In t.. most 1t:id nanEer
9ah,S. ~ LIE ,nc i.1 T. u oamteI, Hia H1tafii
tsrr o tha hsayieet sn. wh!r II uisv n'n, 1s'. r.
weakest point VI the fort. On Morris leland are
two other h.ttcrics, COVERED with mi rosa iron
placed In ! shining Polt.Iun, the balls striking
which ar: compelled to glide oserht ad, without
doing the xn.k Of dea1h. 1t all, they have eleven
points Of attack, All Eaauncd nad the guns in pacr
In Fort Mon}tris they have everything In state
powder, ard 50 completely secured 1hat no shel Or
cuudIgratiou can possibly reach 1t. II IL under
ground. covered over NTH an arch Of hrtek-w ork
cencntcd. and full five fee, Of earth on that They
amongst them several co'nmbisds Of the larE Il
ftzc. most OF them bearing upon Fort Sumter. The
walls arc mo-t efec1ually protected by palmetto
logt, an G. wn!ea 1t would seem, would bid def
@NS ora ~ ny 3rn,1s ataa:n .,,otbrr s,n+o That
,,,,o - 49,. ILL. ..t ~ an