The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-02-15

B0dS bxet9tnH-V@ fTsP~'~s'o"'.
o. &c.
HAvAHxAR, GA, Feb. 10, 1864.
Ml;fortunes never come singiy, oos' IKE
friends in tn Q hour Of prosperity. In roeps
The reverses which have been reported II
Kentucky have caused general gloom AND
regret and to-day the telegraph repor" tn'
loss of Roanoke Island. with twenty-five
hundred troops surrendered, to add to the
fore bodipx admonitions OF the wise and the
never ending requiem song sung BY thu
croakers. The rumors that find circulation
in this city, from whatever source they ortgi
nate, would appal an honest, guileless heart,
who csuld conceive and disseminate on'!
truth. We have not received Richmono
mail for four days past. and have began &c
believe that the Yankees had obtained posses
sion Of the route; but tho active efforts
our foes have put forth lately no doubt have
caused tho occupation Of all available trans.
porta ton on the lines between here and the
capital city of the South. trust the PostA'
Depsr ent of the Government can avail
.self of that excuse. and may have always
40 proper a rejo,nder to any future com.
plants.
TIC Yankees are still actively engaged in
our vicinity. Their gunboats are to be seen
to the number OF ten in Wallis cut, with .
steam dredging machine at work. striving 70
deepen the channel. Nothing has been done
in some t me to modest them At their work /;
but Fort jackson is being rapidly strength
ened. and the other batteries finished, and 20
much has been effected that l have great
hopes that In the event of their reae hing the
Savannah river they will speedily wish
them selves out of 1t.
will here give you tho various items Of
information CLEANED from our advanced
losts in regard to this movements and doinge
of the Federalists in this neigh borhood.-
They have, with the energy of their Puritan
progenitors. set up steam saw mill, and
arc working out large quantities of timber
on Warsaw Island. They can obtain but
little pine OF any value on that island, and
the oak Will not need a steam saw to cut 1t
UP, Us it is only the crooked arms which are
available for the knees Of ships and such
WORK. It has been surmised that boats wore
being but1t; but it's probable they are about
to erect huts for the shelter Of the large force
they have had on shipboard for some time,
awaiting tho most favorable moment to at.
tack.
We are anxious to know how much longer
Gen. Sherman will wait for reinforcsments,
and when they will come. In tho mean time,
we are prepared for the worst. All are on
the qui pipe, aud our officers have been expect
ing daily an attack; but so far 1t has not
been made.
The enemy is as busy ~ possible, and We
shall not look long In vain for beir expected
advance. They may resolve to push on now
when SO many movements Of their other
columns have been made, with the effect to
distract our energies and cause q mistrust Of
our own future success. This feeling, am
aware, finds little encouragement from tho
brave and resolu to hearts which now are en-.
listed in our cause, and to whom are en-
trusted tho hopes Of all their countrymen
but, nevertheless. it weighs upon the hearts
OF the weak and Respondent.
1t Is rather astonishing that though Sa.
vannah, a large and poPulous city, wealthy
community, In ordinary times thriving
port, and one which now gives much solicit
tuds to our enemy. Is In danger from q foo
near enough to exchange signals with. and
the sound OF whose drums can frequently be
from, our lower batteries, yet
we are apparently more anxious about the
positions in Kentucky and Tennessee than
our own. There Is something wrong in all
this +; the people have gone to sleep and want
to be roughly awakened by some calamity.
to teach them the urgent, the absolute ne
cessity of rousing all their energies to meet
taught not to dsspise their power or to decry
49, = 10 tn
have, that overwsening self-confldence in our
own proves and ability to match with
strong arms and valiant hearts all the In
CAPABILITIES Of the present struggle. 1t has
lulled our people into q false security, and
time, which has been we'll employed BY our
enemy in elfecting more thorough organi-
alton, has not found Us improved In many
respects. Should all the news be true that
has this day reached Us, the fall Of Roanoke
Island and surrender Of so many Of our best
troops, 1t will prove rough shake and
awakening to our slum bering energies. II
all our people gave their utmost attention to
the foe at their own doors, believe we would
have fewer miehaps to chronicle. moro en-
erey would be Infused into the conduct Of
our defence, and We should soon have tho
proud satisfaction, I am convinced. of wit
Messing the desertion Of their fruitless at
tempt at subj ugation.
A presentation of . battle lax took place
few days since at Damp Harkie. few miles
from the city. on which occasion I awaited
myself OF the opportunity to 60 incos. to take
my notes, though have no fear that the sub
jects of them will at all object TO sec them.
selves in print. The banner, very tastefully
wrought by fair hands, was presen ted BY the
artist In person, who accompanied 1t with
spaech quite ornate, and Of the usual length
of feminine epistles. The speech in response
was also worthy OF the theme. But wish
to jot down tho most singular feature that
observed on the occasion, and that Is the
large number Of the wives Of both Officers and
men who had como from the up.country to
follow their batter halves In the fortunes Of
war. To them seem TO have been delegated
all the household duties Of their new maadge,
and apparently the Inconvenience Of camp
life and the camp kitchen did not incommode
or disturb the placidity OF their dispositions
It was a novel sight. and peculiar to the
country folks of Upper Georgia to inaugnrate
so easy transition from home to the com.
forts of camp. But believe It was progress
in refinement, Notwithstanding, and will
tend to render all moro anxious to advance
in the new road to refinement.
The men are all, without exception, the
dsnizens Of the piney woods. and plain and
unvarnished, even unhewD; but they are the
night grit, and will not let the Yankees see
their coat tails In any event.
good move has been made here towards
freeing the city from the numbers Of disor.
derby or rather drunken soldiers who have
frequented the streets. The city has been
placed under the military government OF