The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-03-06
FROM THE GULF COAST,
loUR OWN coRREspoNDxNE) }

FROM THE GULF COAST.
(0UR OWN C0RRISP0NDHNE)
Progress Of tie lnsadrs-TAeir Probable
DesiSns-Measxyes Of Defence, &C., &c.
SAvAIIAI, Ca, Feb. -. 1851.
Everything remains quiet In our neighbor.
hood. and NO movement has taken placs
among the blocksdsrs for the past week. DC.
casionally heavy firing II heard, - last eve.
ming, when the reports Of heavy ordnance
were distinctly heard; but the object has not
yet been made known. The YANKEES have
got their batteries In proper order, and will
remain unmolssted, a. there 10 NO possible
way in which they can be attacked with any
advantage BY the means at our disposal. The
unusual length Of time consumed By them
u what to many would appear a. idle and
unnecessary delay. has not been badly spent.
you may rely upon It. They do not design 70 at.
tack Savannah Until they have strong grounds
OF hope for successful issue to The venture
1t has also led many to imat 10 that their
fAilurs to advance upon us We wing solely
to the impossibility Of getting tusir ganboats
through WaL's cut into the river. which is a
mistake, a. they have already passed the most
nmcuit part OF the narrow and shallow pas.
sage. The people have taken hope from this
anaccountabls delay and have sarmised .
thousand causes for it; besides that already
given, they have added thai the smallness Of
the force which General sherman has at his
command has prevented any attempt. The
attack will come and 1t will be one, you may
rest assured, that will demand our utmost
sxertions to repsl. I believe we have every
assurance Of success, but the evertfui NO.
menI will make all our united and m ,st
stren uous efforts necessary. The manner OF
proceeding Of the attacking force IL prst;y
PLAIN, allowing the ssme discretion to our
foes a. we ourselves possess. 1t 10 evident
that NO land force could be brought II ains.
the city from the neig ghbol ing coast until the
sunboats had reasonable hope Of oslnE aole
to reduce the batteries along the river and
compelling our troops 20 retire.
The attack OF a dOtilla OF gunboats with
out Drecencerted movement OF the land
iorce, would also b. utterly useless since the
sheiiing out The batteries and the command
OF the river would advantage them but lit.
tie, not being able TO hold the place What,
then, IL their intention in moving &C ins, I'll
ously along the riveIf l sm of The opinion
that the Yankees intend to triansulx,s tho
river with their batteries un.il they have
completely invested Fort Jackson from both
sides OF the river. Of course, our supporting
batteries, and numerous ones also, are there
about, but they will have attained concsn.
ira ted fire from batteries on both aides and
from their gunboats in the river Such AN
Tar Aan1
fore, believe We will drive them back even
then, but hey M ust not be allowed to pro.
sress thus far. They have now three points
on the liver, commanding etec tualiy the
channel, and the next they will es tabli.h on
Alvarado Island, and 50 progress up tho
rivsr.
On Alvarado Island the hight will have to
como of they cannot be allowed to quietly
remain On that place; we must, indeed. pre-.
cede them and make the attempt at lodg.
ment bloody trial. The island is marshy
in fact, one extensive rice field, with but low
embanhments to kick back the tida. f3w, but
upon 1t q force of infantry can be able to
keep in check any force Of the enemy not SO
numerous as to ovsrpowsr them. A fair field
is what we want and what the Yankee .
strive to avoid as much as possible. trust
the chance may happen.
In my last letter spoke Of the floating
battery, and in my preceding one also Of the
same subjsct; the matter has not gone quite
dead yet. The authorities Of the State are
moving about the building, and the Confsd.
crate officers hereabouts also are in council
on the Same. believe tho battery will be
built, the best plan submitted being taken.
It Is matter Of regret that this work had
not been started sooner it would have re.
lieved the present vigorous blockade Of Fort
Pulaski, and have kept the Yankees IN who'll
some terror Of the iron monster IL can bs
built now in time with diligence and ASST.
duty ON the part ofthose who will undertake
the work. Iheard an ofacer say that thirty
days was the limit 1t which he fixed the at.
tack, and that would suffice for tho compile,
ton OF it. Ifthe scheme Of the Yankee Gen.
eral is what have above outlined, Il will be
fully thirty days, nay more, before he 10 ready
to attack Fort Jackson.
To-day, the appointed day Of fasting, hu.
initiation, and prayer. was generally OBJ
served in our churches and our city; nova.
days very quiet, was unusually 20 Next
Friday Is the day OF fasting, humi ihation, ana
prayer, appointed by the Governor. We shali
have enough humiliation to do US Ion &
while, fear, if any N ore appointments ars
visited upon MS. would not be profane, or
ON any account wish our total dependence on
Almighty God not to be recognized; nay,
publicly Acknowledged. but / will merely
say that trust our people are not initiating
the Yankees with their grand revivals, In
which they periodically acknowledge their
dependence on God. which they In the ta,s-
rim virtually deny. I hope something will
be done besides prayer for the good Of tbs
Confsderacy. God only assists those who
help them selves, and If the calls are extended
more frequently for humiiiatiops. the men. l
fear, will stay At home to pray instead Of
fighting for the good Of the Confederaoy.
The bar. rooms Of Charleston have been
closed by order Of the Council. THIS 10 .
very stern order. ard the Cs.vtsr tells N II
concurrsd In generally. 1t 10 . comment
upon the city Of Charleston and the good
order which has always been her bonst. that
this necessary and wise movement has met
NO general complaint.
The movement towards rsprsss!pg the con.
uf,ciure OF whiskey - one that n worthy OF
the efforts Of the best men Of our land and
the strong arms Of our men in power. The
friehsful extent to which distillation has pro.
ersssed aimee this war com mmanced n bsyond
parallels II Il sad for the pAiianth1opist 70
contemplate the misery and the dssFaaataon
that now from 1t. To what cs.ss 10 this In.
GREASE owinsf Alas! TO one. as least, which
It IL sad, also, 70 Acknowledgements, and IL
abundant train Of evils; bat also, I suppose,
70 the absence Of NorIhsrn importation, ~
we'll - The greater consumptfDn.
Governor Brown, I unders tand. seixed ten
chance - "A hush Ala fn~ Aava n nnA IN Neu tra]