The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-03-13

kee Bntterics-Iheir PrOsPecSs 81 6nccess-
Effect Of The TAreascssd AAdc* sto" IN
Community, DC, &c.
SAvAx1AH, Ga, March ., 1859.
You have aptIy remarked 10 one Sf your re-
cent editorials that the "snt1re South 10 In .
blaze Of patriotic snthuslasm." There - nos
a city, town, village CT hamlet that II not
now responding to the call upcn.is for all
men capable OF bearing arms. New volun.
tser co mpanies are springtns into existence
every day the old are being strengthened By
fresh recruits, and the spirit Of resistance be-
gins 10 resemble the fervid, whole-sculei as
pi-ations Of cur revolutionary fcrefathers.
Every hand in the community ls doing some
thing to aid the cause, even though 1t be but
the widows mite. The women are PREY ne
and working. and the men are backing on
tn ir armor for tho night. Homespun has
taken the place Of silks and satins, and every
house is q mandatory where, T. ON the gray
haired grandmother to the child Of ten, oil
are united in the labor Of fahrfoatng gar.
men is for the soldier. Such 10 the aspect OF
social affairs In every Safe Of the South, and
particularly in Georgia.
VI
fairs, and especially 20 with reference to the
condition Of defeEces IN and around Savan.
nah. While travelling hither found every.
where an impression prevailing that tina city
cou,d lot possibly Withstand a serious attack
of the enemy, AID would fail almost OK Its
own accord. Ia tact, absurd as were m'ny
of he statements made, their continual Tepe'
,ition from various sources had 1mbued my
own miad with q similar belief. You can,
,he refors, jadgs Of my gratifying surprise on
arriving here and finding how totally diner'
ent was the reality from the rumor. There
is 10 city in the Confederacy, with tho same
| means st Its disposrl, better fortified than
Savannah. If possible, 1t is even strong
er shan Charleston, and any one &c.
aualnted with the defences there 10 aware
OF its comparative fmpregnabilisy. Tho
water defences on the Savannah river
are daily being improved in strength; the
best Of military SKILL aud ingsn nifty is en-
ployec upon the work; gurs are mounted
and ready fox scion the movements OF the
enemy are carefully watched; and, In a word
we are ready for the long Expected demon
stra:ion. The same may be said of the forti
foat:ons ON land. Entrelchmea completely
environ thu city and guard the avenues OF
approach; strong batteries protect the as
sai!able creeks aad III let's +; the troops are all
disposed III ready for action the woods for
L, lies around, con :Aining there enc ampments.
and even tn. marshes have been PR pared
to play their part In the coming Drama.
Ipegre delsy Of the Federals has led to
the suppositIon in many military minds that
their presence CT Charleston and Savannah
rot- TO-
from beiug sent from Georgia ana South
Carolins. TO vtnar points. But on tho other
hand, the high authority OF Gen. Lee has
pronounced the belief that the enemy will
make an advance, una endeavor to secure
these two localities, which they so bisterls
desBise. and that they are c2ly awaiting 70.
Inducements, and tas con pietion Of opera
tons in ths creeks, by which they expect to
be able to get into the Savannah river, and
thence to the city. If they knew the din
cuities they will have to encounter at every
stop Of the under taking for miles before they
reach even the 81 burbs, they would hesitate
long before engaging IN an attempt which
can only prove disastrous. Let NO one judge
OF the future by the pest. 1t the misappTs-
hension nas gone forth that the Yankees
eau remove other obstruotlcns ss easily as
they have done the piles planted IN the
smaller channels, let 1t be forgotten
These were intended to obstruct, delay, and
give US time, and they have fully answered
eur purpose. To ds'cnd these distractions
was matter Of imposslbili.y; first, because
they were miles beyond The reach of our
guns; and, secondly, because the nature OF
the surrounding marsh prevented the cree
ton ct batteries for the purpose. Complaint
has frequently" been made by those unfa-
10 liar with the facts, that we did not keep
open the communication with Fort Pulaski
Our Generals did all lii their power to effect
tina. otject, but the very topogra ply Of tie
country vTss against them, and formal con.
sulletion decided upon the military necessity
of concentrating the troops more nearly
around Savannah, and leaving Fort Pulaski,
with its six months OF provisions, to the
merc!es of Providence. Time will show the
wisdom Of this step.
The question may tie asked by many, what
have TIE Yankees accomplished since they ms
vested Savannah The Icply is a very brief
one. They have seized three or four islands
Of no earthly consequence to any body, and
less So to themselves, for they are the breed.
ing SPOT OF every foul disorder incident to
malarious soil. One of theee Is York Island
in the Savannah river, and divides the north
from south channel Leading to Fort Pulaski
On this is planted battery Of seven guns,
and thus the blockade CT that strouRhOldH
compile. led. without: the cid of ships Uppo-
sit to this, a6ons i've hundred yards distant,
is Jones's Island, ON which another battery OF
i've guns Is planted for a similar purpose
The next island 10 York, and nearest Sayan.
nah, IL Elba, stretch of marsh two and q
half or three miles in length and half a mile
or moro in breadth. Tho lower end OF :his
10 only q rifle shot from You K Island, and mas
been alternately visited by FEEDERS r and Con.
tederates, but only for purposes of reconno:s
sance.
understand that yesterday detachment
OF our men applied the torch among tbs tall
reeds at this end, and III an hour, with n
brisk wind blowing, the entire march was
swept clear OF oil ocstructiOns to the vision
The distance from the upper end OF Eiba to
Fort Jackson, which Is two nd a half miles
below the city, on the right bank, is about
two miles-may be. a little less, bat within
easy she:ing distance with mortars un-
deEstand that the Federals have secured
three or four flats between tho iva islands
above named, and my fear is that on some
dark night Il force of Eis will crt IS The
island, land three or four heavy mortars from
these hats, and put up /. battery which can
OPEN upon US in he m orninG
When you rem embar thpt each m ortar Is
protected by a huge mound Of earth in front
vi it, and occupies space not much larger
most, you can readily imagine how little
would be the execution W could do at tina,
distance with so small mark. and how great
might be their own when directed against
our more extended lioe of work.
Beyond ihese demonstrations, which are IS
yet purely imaginary, there 10 no danger TO
antieiprts and believe I speak the minds
of the Generals In command when I say that
they feel the utmost con fdenca In their abil.
ity 70 check any ufrt6er advance.
How it will &c done, 1t Is of course impro.
per to state. but the means are already in
process Of creation, and will be effective.
AVu i1AAeus WoAA euPP1se <tuut q city
ronno ed as is Savannah with soIdiers, mast
necessarily be lively place bnt have been
surprised during my stay here to see upon
the streets comparatively few among the
thous inds encamped go near. Stregsline from
camp Is not permitted, and even the officers
are brought under c rigid discipline which
restricts them TO their lines. There are no
drunken people to ia seen, and the whole
iowa wears q sober. serious, earnest face. as
If it was prepared for the emergency with
which 1T Is threatened There are no parties.
few evening gatherings, little visiting, ana
little Or none ofthe gaie'y for which in times
past, the beautiful capital has been cslebra.