Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-01-16
w ID. WALLACH.
THE MISSION OF TIE RUKNslDE Ex,
PEDITION. .-E

The Old Point correspondent of the New
York Tribune writes to that journal:
presume shall violate no confidence if I
state on common rumor and belief that the
expedition will rendezvous at Hatteras inlet,
and that Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds will
be the immediate field of operations. OF these
operations in detail il is not proper to speak,
any further than that il is understood that the
fsrce, when fairly afoat on the waters of Pam
leo Sound, wilt address itself to Roanoke
Island, which is strongly fortified. This is the
key to Albemsrle Sound, through Currituck,
and ii is supposed that the position is sdefended
by from 1000 t. 3 200 men. This taken, one
of the faults following the taking of Hatteras
four or i've months ago, when one thousand
men might have done the same thing, viii
have been retrieved. 1 presume the clearing
out Of the rebels from all the Sounds will fol-
low, which might have been done with q
thousand men and two or three gunboats at
the time referred to. II must not be supposed
that this is the whole work laid out for the
expedition. 1t will be but clearing away the
underbruSh, and it will be time enough to
record the rest when it takes place.
It is understood that the 9th New York regi-
ment, Col. Hawkins, now at Hstteras, will ac-
company the expedition, and possibly the 48th
Pennsylvania, also there.
Some delay Of the expedition at Hatteras is
more than probable, in consequence Of several
depth Of water on the bulkhesd is less than
eight feet; whereas some Of the steamers draw
nine and ten. understand that, inconceiy-
able as il may appear, the getters-up of the
expedition have been under the impression
that the depth Of water on the bulkhead was
nine feet. Everybody but those who ought to
have known, knew better. This blunder was
discovered at once, as the steamers began to
arrive, by all who had any knowledge Of the
destination Still though the expedition NAV
be somewhat shorn, its efficiency will not be
materially lessened, as the boats that will he
unable to enter the Sound. if that should turn
out TO be the case with any of them, will be
transports principally.
Probably a more heterogeneous congrega-
ton Of water craft was never collected on any
waters at any one time. / trust that in our
future naval lists not many Of them will be
suffered TO figure, though without doubt, as a
whole, they are well suited for the work for
which they are to be employed. All the odd
specimens from the Kennebec to the Chesa-
peake appear to have been procured, the one
from the frst-named locality being a stern
wheel craft drawing I09 feet Since she made
the whsle distance from the Kennebec to the
Capes, regular sea voyaging, in remarkably
quick time, and arrived all right, she is not to
be spoken Of lightly, even if she does look so
much like a wheeIbarrOw
The ferry boats Whitehall and Hoboken, Row
heavily armed gunboats, went out on Friday
and returned the next day, thoroughly dis
abled. The expedition will not have their
services. The other boats Of the same descrip-
tion that sailed last night have not been heard
from. They probably will 60 through.
II will be the middle Of the week before the
Expedition will begin its work. This will be
, the very best, and there is possibility of ex-
aordinary delays that will protract the term
H-exPectstion.