Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-01-05
LETTER FROM RICmmoND.

rSpecial Correspondence of the AppeaLl
c5,i.,uas If t. Capital-A Dull Season nth Beautiful
Ueafher-Capt Lynch Captures a Schooner in HaHPtoa
Roads-Fa,aI Duel near YorktooH-A Schooner SINK
off Matlias ~Point-Raaors Of ds Day-CoHsre's-sa
icide Of Gen. P. St George Cooke.
RICHMOND, December 30, 1862
Christmas has come and gone, the holidays are nearly
over, and mid-winter rapidly approaches The festive
season has been remarkably qui t in all respects at the
seat Of government In the camps, all has been serene,
As much so as If no hostile lines confronted our forces in
the city, the hilarities of our yearly saturnaia have been
attended with but little lawlessness and violence, and the
social entertainments customary at this period awe been
of an unusually temperate character. One or two stab
bings in the streets a d numerous little evening parties
have marsed the Christmas week, which will be set down
as altogether the dullest within the memory Of that worthy
personage-the Oldest inhahitant Here and there, at
old mansions in the country, the holidays were cele-
brated after the ancient fashion with innocent fun
and love making by parties Of fair young maidens
and officers on furlough, inst as though wild
wars deadly blast " had never been blown across the
border, and the blockade was a mere delusion- In the
gov Of the bright wood fires, the young heroes told the
story Of Bethel, and Manassas, and Leeshurg, and, per
haps, another story OF a tenderer, but not less interesting
sort, into the eager ears OF enraptured listeners and as
the JOYOUS time wore away, few thought Of the months
to come, the ~priyations and exposure Of the encampment
and the bivouac, the long, and it may be the final, separa-
ton between the guests of the hospit BILE homestead
The weather Of the current December, which has been
ali alsng more like that Of Italy than Virginia became
softer and more delicious as Christmas approached, and is
even now as bright and beautiful as a dream Fine
weather for military operations, aud yet nothing what
ever has been done in the Peninsula or on the Potomac
We are stIn under the spell of the mastery inactivity
Capt. Lynch, well known to the world as the com
mander Of the Dead Sea expedition, is the only enter
prising officer Of the. forces now in Virginia, who has
pr ftedb by the favorable weather. 70 engage the enemy
On Saturday, the 2sth, be calamity dashed out into
Hampton Roads from Elizabeth river, with the little Con
federate steamer Sea Bird, and opened fire upon the
Yankee seamer Express, having the schooner Sherwood
q United States tran sport, in tow. The Express quickly
dropped the Sherwood and made of with the expedition
her name suggests, while Captain Lynch secured the
schooner and brought her into Norfolk under the FIRE OF
nine Federal ~gunboats. One gunboat was badly disabled
| and the Express was set on fre-beyOnd VIII h we are
ignorant of the damage done by the 'Eell-seryed pieces OF
the Sea Bird
very foolish and fatal duel, originating in a quarrel
about the price of a box Of candles, was fought on the
24th inst, near Young's Mil in the Peninsula, between
Dr. Forward and Lieut. Jones, both of Col Hunts regi-
ment of Louisiana volunteers which terminated MORALLY
to both parties. Only one report was heard and the
eombatants fen in their places and died in a few minutes
Within the last two days, an affair of honor has been n
pened to a hostile meeting between two officers Of high
rank now in Richmond, but was nipped in the bud yester-
day by the timely arrest Of one OF the principals 81 bis
| hotel Far better would it be for these gentlemen, who
are 50 sensitive to ahront, to consider that in time Of war
every life is wanted by the country, and to initiate the
example recently set in New Orleans of settling the dis
pute by a resort to fstieufs
Our a~rtilerists at Matthias Point, on the Potomac, had
a little artillery practice on Thursday last, the 26th inst
in firing at a schooner in tow of a steam tug, which at
tempted to pass the batteries there, and was sunk at the
trihing expenditure Of FIVE shots. Three of these took
immediate effect and the tug made its escape leaving the
schooner to go to Davy Jones. The blockade of the river
is now complete and efectual, and since the destruction
of the dam by Gen. Jackson on the Chesapeake and
Ohio canal, Washington City is in greater straits than
ever.
We have had a host OF JUNIORS on foot to-day. Ae
eOrding to one, Mason and S'ideIl have been surrender
ed-au ~ooHtrairs it is confidently affirmed that Lord Ly
ons has received his passports and gone home. specula
ton has ceased concerning England-everybody Is wait
ing for Developments. A msraiDg PsPer says yietor'
Is going to abdieate, now that Prince Albert is dead, but
what authority there is for the statement nobody
knows
Congress took a recess Of a few days for the holiday
and was to reassemble today. A few members were il
their seats, but no business was transacted.
The melancholy suicide Of Gen. Cooke remains a mys
terry. A man Of the highest character and position,
makes life desirable, nothing but alteration Of mind can
account tor it. DIXIE.