Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1862-01-23
DEPARTURE OF THE EXPEDITION
FOR IT'S DESTINATION.

ments saluted the commanding general, and
hearty cheers arose on every side. There was
a positive enthusiaem--an unmstakable de-
light at the prospect of immediate departure.
signal gun at o'clock and the vessels
Of the first brigade moved down the harbor.
The second brigade started at half past 8
o'clock, and the third brigade an hour later.
At almost the last hour the steamer George
Peabody arrived to take the place of the Sa-
vance, disabled by the bursting Of her steam
chest, and the steamer Louisiana was waiting
at the dock to take on the Seventh Rhode
Island battery. The steamers towed some
one and some two sailing vessels, and long
before noon the entire transport fleet had
cleared the harbor and was sailing down the
bay.
! down THE CHESAPEAKE BAY.
SO the feet sailed away. 1t would have
been magnificent sight if the fleet, or in
deed any considerable portion of it, could
have been secn---but it couldn't. 1t started
in fog, sailed nearly all day in a fog, and
finally brought up in fog and anchored for
the night. At times during the day the
dense bank lifted little, showing for an
hour the nearest ships, and on either side the
long, low, fog-frnged shores of the Chesa-
peake And opposite the mouth Of the Po-
tomac We were favored with a gorgeous
sunset.
ha a, oF ,,t.
! We passed but three vessels (not belonging
to our Aeet,l two Of them Baltimore steamers
bound up, and one schooner, which showed
her c"lors--the skipper waving small Amc-
rican flag from the deck moment as we
passed. "Our" steamer, the Cossack, had
two vessels in iowa brig and schooner,
both filled with troops-and yet made good
running time, passing her own brigade, and
at shutdown overhaulng and passing by two
of the steamers of the first brigade which
had the start of us an hour.
In spite Of this facility of comparative fast
sailing, which promised us an anchorage off
Old Point Comfort early in the morning, we
were doomed to disappointment. A dcnser
fog than any but Newfoupdlander ever
dreamed of compelled the Aeet to anchor at
midnight. From that time till ten o'clock
next morning the Cossack and the vessels in
her vicinity kept up perfect pandcmonium
of unearthly sounds-steam whistles, bells,
horns and other anticolision warnings. At
ten we. started. moving cautiously through |
the still dense fog, running not more than |
five knots an hour, passing two more vessels
of the fleet, anchoring off Fortress Monroe at
3 P. n. on Friday.
AT ANCHOR.
The roads are fairly alive with ships. AS
vessel after vessel Of the transport fleet came
in, the crews of the Minnesota and other war
ships manned the rigging and greeted the in
coming feet with hearty cheers.
THE SCENE.
Hampton Roads has only witnessed one
such spectacle as the one presen ted at present,
and that was during the latter portion of
October, when Gen. Sherman's Port Royal
armada congregated here. The scene pre-
sented by the numerous vessels composing
this expedition is very animating. During
the evening of yesterday all the vessels were
and the music Of the numerous
bands With the regiments on the vessels was
soul-stirrng in the extreme.
THE EXCEPTIONALLY VESSELS.
The total number of vessels Of all kinds,
aside from the naval forces, is forty five, and
are divided up as follows: steamers, pro-
pellors or gun-boats, 4 ships, 8 barks, brig,
II schooners, and floating batteries
STRENGTH OF TIE DIVISION.
The total land forces OF this Division may
Do summed up as follows:-15 full regiments
md battalion of infantry battery of I
pieces Of field artillery As riled guns,
distributed through the fleet, or total of 81
guns at the disposal of the land forces The |
esiments are, with two or three exceptions, =
Up to the standar Of 1000 men and adding ,
he gunners in charge Of the feet, the total |
lighting force amounts to fully 10000 men, |
side from the naval vessels. =
THE DEPARTURE IRON HAMPTON ROADS.
About 0 o'clock on the night Of the ] It'll,
lie armed vessels of the fleet were taking in d
Vater, preparatory to leaving at midnight.
bout l2 O'Clock the Cossack had weighed
.nchor, and in few moments after sailed a
,ut, in company with about one-haif tho t
Ieet, including all the armed vessels. $
From tho time mentioned until late in the a
fternoon Of the 18th, vessels were being
died 10 the feet, and one BY one they left J
lac barber. III