, 1862-01-29

but if that lad ever been the design, tlc rebels
were enabled go to strengthen the approaches
as to defeat it. 1t has been said, indeed, that
the destination WAS changed on the eve Of
departure; and though the North Carolina
coast was indicated as the probable point Of
attack, there were those who believed the idea
wasto go still farther south, even as f4ras New
0rlcans. The New York World Of Saturday
says, upon the authority of gentleman hold
ing high office at Washington, that the orders
under which the Burnside expedition left
Fortress Monroe embraced the following COM
mand6-the first peremptory, the second
depending on the judgment of the leader.
j., l. The entire fleet was to pass through one Of
the in1ets below Cape IIatteraz rendezvous III
Pamlico Sound, sail up the NeuEe river, and at
tack aud possess the city Of Sewbesn, On the
North Carolina coast
Il. + matters should progress fayorably. and
dash inland seem feasible, Gen. Burnside was to
sixty miles from Newbern. {Goldsboro IS at the
junction OF the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad,
with the road from Raleigh. and thus main point
Charleston, Savannah and the Gulf. Its occupa-
t{on would not, however, completely sever the
rebel railway connections, inasmach as they. have
and the North Carolina Ra;lfoad.:') But if thc
march to the interior should seem too periIous,
the leaders OF the expedition were authorized to
Ic~cmbarE their forces, make two days' sail for
Cape Fear river, and occupy the important and
strongly defended seaport town of Y Wilmington.
So much Of this as relates to the rendezvous
has now been verified, although not without
circumstances that are highly discouraging.
Whether the expedition will recover from the
shock and will be able to pass through the
1nlet Which now seems too shallow, future
adviecs alone must determine. In the hope,
however, that had beginning may lead to
good ending 'we give thus carly some ac-
count Of the points menaced. The accomp,-
nying map will render the explanation more
intelligent. Supplying the defects therein,
tile reader will sea rcely need to be informed
that the extreme eastern point is Cape Hatte-
ras, and the opening just below Hatteras Inlet,
rA31L1co AND ALBEMARLE SOUNDS.
Palnl;eo Sound is still in possession of the
rebels, Notwithstanding the occupation OF
Hattcras inlet by the Federal forces. For want
Of vessels Of sufficiently light draft, the Fed
eral commanders have been unable to push
their expeditions to sufficient distance into
and up The sound, to make lasting inpres-
sions. Roanoke island is said to be strongly
fortified by tile rebels. It is represented but
not named as the longest Of the two islands
at the mouth Of Albemarlc Sound. It is q po-
sition Which was valuable to us, commanding
az it does the Currituek Sound, which opens
into the Abcmarle. Currituck is about fifty
miles long, ten miles wide, and is nayigable
for Vessels drawing ten feet Of water Owing
to the natural break-Water which protects 4
large portion Of the cousts Of North Earoln,
and Virginia, the water is as placid Us 4 lake,
and easily narigatcd.
Albc1narie Sound extends in il westerly di-
rcction about sixty miles it is from four to
fifteen miles in width, and though III nlauy
parts quite shoal, is sufficiently deep to admit
Of the passage Of vessels ct ten feet Of water
The PEluot:lnk river, ut the mouth of which
is Elizabeth City, has its rise in the Dismal
Swamp and flows into this sound. L caual,
called the Dismal Swamp Canal, connects this
river with Drlnlnond Lake in Dismal Swamp.
This lake is about thirty miles in length, and
from tcn TO twelve miles in breadth. When
full tic surface Of the lake is twcnty-onr feet
above tide waier. Tic Jericho Canal connects
this lake with Suffolk, which is situated OIL tue
Nanscmond river, and On the Portsmouth and
Roanoke railroad. II is ciglty-tiyc miles
northeast OF Richmond and twenty miles from
Hampton Roads. Nansemon, river enters
Hampton Roads, and is nayigabc for vessels
OF ten feet Of water from Su:E,:1. This ii1a-
portant wafer connection hct S,.n these
sounds and Chesapeake b., i represented on
the above man