The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-02-08

lsPEcIAL ooRRnsroSDsScl or TEE pIspAToz. ]
MosILE. Feb. /, 1852.
The case Of Picsyune Buffers great ''Expe-
dition of the Southwest." whieh left Yankee.
dom with such 1ourish Of trumpets and
such magniloquent boastings Of doughty
deeds intended, furntsnt NO exception 70 the
manLer Of larg beginnings and ANAL end
ipgs which has characterized all the heavy
undertakings Of the enemy since the war be-
gan. The ankess would have tairer pros.
psct OF accomplishing the litile task of subju.
CATION prescribed Ior themselves, il they
could only reverse their pr ogramme, aud talE
small aud do large, instead VI talk largo and
do small.
lily last letter 20 yo1 was On the nth ult..
and few then doubted that ere this date
Butler, who had then been soms time 81
Ship Island with his expeditlonary forces
would have made some demoIsGatioL
IN some direction Oh cur coasts. Eut the
curse Of coward!ce OF tie demon OF pro
crastination aiicts the fellow and his tel
lows, and ne has done nothing yeC. VI eek
after weeG has passed, until hops OF IL lgat
deferred almost sicEens the in1 pa tien spirit,
of our soldiers. Two weeks ago Butler syac.
unted the island in great part, and was gene,
no one knows whittier, with the great body OF
his forces for about ten days. He left two OF
three thou usand sick on the island. Now he
il back again, the spies tell US, with ten or
twelve thousand Of his Yankee Paladins,
and his anchorage is crowded with many
sail OF shipping. Tho poor devils arc dis
covering thatit is no holiday sport to rough
f,r hon n,.IF In x,;rta Ap~y
camping ground, NO good water, and no
chances Of plunder. The bad water, the bad
weather. and the lack of fresh grub, have
made the hospital depar rtment the most i'm.
portant branch OF the Expedition of the
Southwest"
The elements, led to the attack by the great
Commander OF the Universe, are our firm
allies, and do the work Of shot and shell
quiet efrsctually. Set down the "great sx-
petition OF the Sou west' as another Yam.
kee sasco. Mcclellan might further carry
out his grand strategy OF "diversion," and
still dnd that quadruple the force he has yet
been able to place in the Gulf would not d.
vert one man from the Army Of the Poto.
mac. We have enough and to spare at
every point Of Importance, to hold it against
any force.
Since my last, q lively business has been
done by the "blockade breakers" with
mixed success. / may not say how many
vessels have successfully got out Of port, nor
may l say what have successfully got in ,
except such as the enemy Anow Of as we'll as
We. One has been captured about Is miles
from the mouth Of tho harbor She left
ii obile and escaped to Havana as the
crate owners. She was there sold to Brit
ish subJect, was re-christened The ANDREW
eta "and took out a clearance for Matamoras.
Not happening to sail In that direction, how
ever, she was one morning discovered lying
aground close into the shore Of Alabama by
the blockaders. They sent boats to take pos
session but, when they approached, were
nred on by members Of Mobile cavalry
company. tho "Oity Troop" living In am.
bush on the shore, and were driven of with
the loss of one OF their boats, and m my kun.
ed and wounded. Later In the day, they
made another effort with oil the boats and
ing between two and three thousand men
The Confederate troopers fought them
| until their ammunition was exhausted
| whom hawser was carried out "a
/ off-a costly prize. for twelve bodies of slain
Hessians have since drif:ed ash ore, and
doubtless many drifted to sea, or were car
risd of by their comrades. The bodies were
OF those who jumped or fell overheard when
shot. or were dead In the boat which was
capsized in the confusion Of tho fight by the
panic-stricken wretches. The schooner has
been claimed by an agent OF the British Con
sui here, under nag OF truce, but has been
sent North by Flag Officer McKeon tor I'd.
Indication. You will hnd the points Of the
claim for rendition, or for subsequent indem-
nifty, set forth at length in late issue Of the
pose that 60 desirable journal is on your
exchange list.
Another schooner, the "Jessie Rich ards, ;"
loaded with cotton, grounded in running out
~h hap phnr q nj @ ~ hat in -
he blockaders next morning, was burned by
her crew to prevent her falling in TO the hands
OF the enemy. The crew escaped to shore in
their boats. The schooner "Clara' arrived
safely from havana in this port q few days
befc re. Another schooner, the "Leone,' - ac-
com plished NO less q feat than running the
blockade with valuable cargo.
A passenger by this schooner relates an in l.
which smacks considerably Of the romance oi
the seas. On the night before they approach.
ed tho coast, When dark and ugly weather
prevailed, q little stir was heard on deck
schooner was rolling In the trough Of the sea,
with her sails shivering, and looming ont OF
tho darkness like phantom ship. scarcely
more than TWO cables lengths away. waa
steamsr-darting rapidly past. her guns grin.
ming from her open ports. and mon discerni-
BILE on her deck by tho light Of the ship
lanterns. The crew Of the little schooner
held their breath in suspe nso, and moved not
whisper. or the creakipx OF her tao kIe. OF th1
Hanpinx Of sail. would betray her presence
The precaution Of having Nc light aboard
save that In the binnAcle, alone, saved thl
schooner from being disccvsrsd by the watch
Of the steamer. q
A splendid gun. boat. caristersd the "Ddor.
GAM a. she touched the water. was laupc ched
day before yesterday. She was planned and
constructed by mr.. II. D. Bassstt, q llonfed.
crate States naval constructor, and all those
who know anything about the merits of q
~s.1 80 %h.t ~ .H> dnae v,ot -. hii.h hi,