The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-02-13
LATEST HoATA0AR NnWS
1nk ROANOKE AHfA1h.
Ne VS. FRO MIS- SOCH,
Sc, &c,


TIE RoAsoKB AFFAIR.
Intelligence has reached rs Of tn.n
mencement OF an attack on Roanoke I.SsIu
BY Commodore 9oldsborough, of the nss M
on the morning OF Friday, the 7th ,n.t. *,
account comes through Norfolk and For,,s'
Monroe, and Is from the re bel General q ur.,
commanding Mt Norfolk he reuorts ~.
the Union forces lad been twice repnl,ad -,
that fighting was eotng on when The ceap,s'
left. Now, rs the attack upon ko.nass
island was TO have been made by tn a In
eunooats, ana a portion Of our troops were or.
~ 10 be landed after the batterfe. had hssn :,
iehced, we do not SEE how there couIn ~.
been repnlse OF our foIces Thu rpnh'.,
we're Gil anoat, aId GO uld not be repu,,ed hv
the forts IL the fight was going on at ths in ~
tci ounts. as the dispatch states.
The probability is that we shall. tn IA, -
TO- morrow, hear OF the capture of tbs isIs,t
althOugh tbs rebels have mi AIDE immeuse 80
sr,ions 70 save It. They have thrown M A..
forts, Win an entrsnched camp ip the cen
sra, and have garrisoned their works wi,
5000 troops They have ,hs IVES, Allie "a
the island and the eastern side OF tho mai
land defended by heavy ordnance. In nras,
20 prevent the passage OF oar gun. ho.,s
through Croatan Sound-the only oommupi.
cation for vessels with Aibemarle Sound "
But there 10 no doubt that We shall 49,,
have no US OF their being shsiled o,, as ~.
xuu.bcats Of the Union expedition, nnm.
boring seven teen, are most povsrfpIIr
ynto
mention dozan B-inch guns, two / :. pou nd.,
rifisd guns, three or four SO FOUNDERS. and
aumber Of S.inch shell! and 50. pounasrs
sggTcH OF ROANOKE AND iTs DsRssoga
The last private advicea we have from N.
expedition were mp TO the cth inst. On tba,
day the gnnhoat feet and troop transport.
eft ustteras for Roanoke Island. Our cor.
respondent writesi
Commodore 0oidsborough feared tbs, n.
delay already experienced would give ina
enemy u great advantage, provided they hsd
osen hai r enough TO improve tina opportu-
nitiss thus afforded them. He considered tina,
,hs expedition hal been favored with 2 n,
luck f., tar n escaping the chances Of 9 ora,.
upon that point at this season and getting
so many vessels inside the Sound safely, II
seemed to ba the opinion Of the commander
that In future such expeditions shouid BE-
more under the control OF the navy officer,
He feared more diff ,ulty for the large vessel,
after they should 'eave AlbeInarls Sound
aud was anxious that the guAbuats OF Iisbt
draft should b. hurried up.
General Burnsice's force, which Is very
numerous, WAS 70 have been landed OF ,as
lower end and east side OF the island. under
the guns OF the war vessels Comm odors
aoidsoorougn'S feet were to engage the bat
teries on Cfoatan Sound, at short ranss
while Z portion of the land force WAS 70 hsvs
pushed 70 any point where the enemy shouh
snow himself III force.
When the expedition sailed from Hatteras
all were confident Of success. All Were In
good health and good spirits, aud good order
and discipline prevailed. all they wanted
was n chance to meet the enemy. Inc ve~.
sells were supplied with provisions Tor g rty
days, and large supply OF coal.
We ia Their optne, IL blow has been struck
at all on ROANOKE Island, the result will BE-
IN favor OF the Union arms, az their nQmsri-
cal Strength and equipmen were OF a sups.
rior character to those Of the rebels.
The object of taking Roanoke Island by
the Union forces is to take the initiative TO-,
wards seizing other points on the railros<
running directly South from Richmond. ,.pt
thus ehectually to cut or the supplies from
The Southern States. lf the Union ,rnons
are fortunate enough TO secure iv cantr,.
it Will put stop to the inland CO. st uaylrs.
ton OF North Carolina, whlro means of
transports ton has been so us.fuI ,ro, IL.
safety against hostile cruisYs
The most important oby,ct of this saizur.
will, however, be the threatening OF Nor
folk, and II IT Is thought advisable TO FOL.
low up the advantage, the mixing OF m,
rebel army at NorfoDs. Amoyemeui sscnrS
tpg Pamllco and AlbemaTle SouDds and
thus comman,l ing the great Aib-marla and
chesapeake Capal and the Dismal Sysmp
sianal, would command the adjunct canal
known as the Jericho Canal, connect.
ing, through Lake Drummcnd. with AN inn.
p0rtant railroad Junction ct q town caIIsi
Suffolk, on the Nanssmond river. whers the
main railroad route from Norfolk branches
"A
burg Railroad and the sseaboard and aos
nohe Railroad. thus Conpietely Gu ting "A
all connection by rail tr water between Nor
folk and its surrounding conEtrY aud the
Other parts of the reoel Regions Jas
strategic i'm pOrtance CT such y mOyementn
successfully mae Will form ole Of the most
important features OF the war Ths island
Is a position which is valuable 10 Us COM
mandins, as it does, the Currltucx Sound,
which opens i, to Albemarle Currltucg IL
an m ijasu r,1a nd ia
navigfbls for vesse drawing ten fee. OF Wa
ter. Owing 10 III 9 natura breakxaie which
protects large portion Of the c0ass Of
North carolina and Virginia, tbs water is
as placid as a lake and easily naviga,ed
1t has been for fled by the rebels who
have established an entrenched camp in the
centre. and erected Ave forts 70 deiead IL al
important points.
TIE RBBKL GARRISON OK ROANOKE IsIAsD.
G,sncrol OFcsr,
Major General aill, commanding.
Brigadier- General Henry A Wise.
Troops-Hi.c LeeioH.
Light artillery battery, Uapt homer.
Firs. regiment, Dol t. ) EVeil
Second regiment, Col. Frank AndersoL.
Third regiment, Col. ]. l.. Davis.
Infantry battalion, Li-utepsas- Colonel
0;obs
Infantry battalion, Llsursaant.O olous
Patton
Infantry battalion. Ma oy Dutfisld,
Infantry battalion, Major Hapsborough.
Georgia reg inent, Col. Mcmillan
NORTH Caroiins regiment, Dol. ----.
In all about 500 troops.
The fortifcatiope are supported by h small
naval 70 &c. under Dom. W. LyAch. The
n mes OF he rebel steam gun hcAts are the
Fanny, captured from the UIian = Curls1,
Sea Bird. and Pos, boy. Each OF thes, yes
celia has al armament o: two guns each.
TnB ADVANCES Oh EOEF pJSSL sor--CoSFkDssLrs
FHIsoSxEs AND .AoPsRrY
Special dispatches 10 the DC -s,,e and Cmsr-
cio!, dated Fort Henry, Feb :, give the fol.
lowing Intelligence:
Directly after the capture OF For. Henry
the ganb boats Lexington, Tyler udC ones'osa
started ~ the RIVER. with Instructions ~ PfV'
coed as far as they saw fit.
Yesterday the Cdropdeist IN charge OF
ColousIs Wooster, higgins aud MePReisoL.
OF deneraI Grants staK, made 4 reconnois-
ance as far as the bridge Of tbs MenP ana
Ularkessite Railroad. at DInsiIie Ih3
found quarters had been built a. me pTidse,
and occupied by some TROOPS, ana whef, wa.
also found large qusntlfy u array shf
piles, eommissary stores, wasoas, &c
The inha bitants were deserving Ihef avn
fngs for miies cund, and were pseirS u
every direction
Tho bridge q, Dsnvllls was partially disa-
bi.d BY the nrst kunboatx which weaI IT
tue river Another OF the piers was err
pied So as TO completely prevent 'ns psssaT
OF rains.
There we're but eight guns osp'ereu "
HkHey's cavalry and Uoiou-i Logan, ius.s
OF fourteen. Nearly al. the guns were spA~
With telegraph wire, which car easily %
moved They are orsss Sax poanders' ane
fine order. All the prisoners TAKEN taoo.'
Que hundred) we're sent 10 Cairo yes1.aa!
The amouut OF property captured Will ca
coed 81, Qoo. go. co,
Recon- aolsancss have been made py ~ ",
Logan and others ~ within miie u -
Donelson. Gen. Grant nd SION VIII Ia.
u reconnaissance this afternoon beyo1a N"
VILE.
xixxsx on rnE UPPER rofosA''
poo. ssyuLx. Md, Feb d.--Ths arst ska'
mish with the enemy that has occurred ~
this vicinity for . eonsiderseis time IN.
place yesterday usarsEdwardss fssfy.
rebels have been for some time opss .'as
erecting q stockade fort on the OPPOSITE
- a.. ..ysr paar the ferry. First they catao