The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-09-03

channel and towards his ship, the neI IRON.
sides. He watched IL closely az N neared
hun, asd so0n saw enough to excite his sns.
picion that All was not right When she M
come within speaking distance he hailed her
and asked whse vessel L was. The reply
came, "Ay, ay, SIR; all right" As this was
not the proper answer to be given by any ol
our vcssels he hailed again. The nerf an.
swcr was, "a live Yankee from Port ROyaI. >
He was then satisfied that she was 4 rehe]
vessel, and he called all hands to quarters
The strange vessel Continued to move to.
wards the lronsfdes, and attempted to cross
her bows or explode torpedo against her
sides. but she fatted In the latter attempt,
ana oniy succeeded In getting foul Of the
frigates ram, which stopped her for a mo.
ment. She finally got off and started rapidly
towards Fort Moatrie., Several guns were
nfed from the trjgate at her, bat II was
thOught none struck tile audacious vessel.
as she went Off flying.
THE SWAMP ANGEL SPEAKS TO CHARLESTON.
In, a finely. constructed battery, in the
marsh to our left, y gun which bears upon
the rebel City of Charleston. OF its calibre
and precise location shall write in due time;
but at present Idesire only to mention it as
hiring the first shot against Charleston. 1t
was fired on Friday night q number Of findes
at the city; hut whether the prOiectiles
reached their mark is a question Of some
doubt.
1t is reported that the firesbells of Charles
ton vigorously rang for some time during
the night, either to cal. the citizens and mil
itary to arms or to rouse the Fire Depart
Iartmcnt l give the report as received
it In regard to the alarm; but Il do not
v0uch for its correctness We shall doubt
less hear Of this gun again as playing an
important part in the tragedy now enactine
The Charleston correspondent of the
Savannah Republican furnishes an in
teresting letter. from there on the 25th
ult. Hepredicts that the city of Charles
ton will shortly be shelled in preference
to it's defensive works. The following
is an extract from the letter:
The noble and gallant garrison of Fort
1ss regiment South Carolina
regulars, Col. Alfred khttt-after their long,
arduous, and successful services, were, with
the exception OF one company, relieved to-
night. Their places are supplied by a force
of picked men detached from the 9th and
18th Georgia regiments, respectively com
manded by Captain Edwards, of the eth,
and Worthe. Of the 2Sth, the latter being
senior officer. | was among these gallant
veterans as they rend, zvoused on the wharf
to night, preparatory to. their departure Oh
the steamer, and l may say, without exae-
geratiOn, that finer and more GesOlute body
Of troops is not to be found in the world
Most Of them volunteered f0r this pa:ticut-
lar service, and they seem delighted at the |
[dea of defending the old ruin to which they
are ordered, especially as there is some in
tention of an assault by tie enemy in basges !
It is understood, believe, that Col. Rhett |
is to remain In command Of the fort.
There has been no shelling of the city since
Sunday night, and many are Of the opinion 1
hat one of the guns burst In the last at
empt, and that the circumstance has de- |
erred them from renewal of the lombard |
nent. Certain it is, that fhe last gun fired
gave forth very peculiar report, and moth |
ng was heard of the shell in the city. Not |
the cessation Of the fire, what |
las already been done has pretty effectually |
moved OtPthe down town population. The |
streets have been crowded with baggage
wagons since Friday night, and all who
lad anywhere to go to, and some who had |
lot, have changed their base," either to the |
upper portion of the city or to the eountry.
there are many vacant houses
lp town, and there has been no serious diff
.ulty-in procuring accommodations in that
quarter. The race course, l learn, has be-
,ome quite populous little village, many of |
he poorer people having fed there for |
afety from the shells. i
The weather is still unsettled, and the fre-
luent showers anything but comfortable to
he troops who are bivouacing on the |
sland.
The. Atlanta Contederacy learns from
. credible source that since the damage
by Fort Sumter, General Beau |
'egard sent commission composed of
Engineers to examine it's condition and
'eport whether it was capable of defence
They proceeded TO the fort, and after
borough examination, (the fort being
lnder fire at the time,) reported that it
vas susceptible of defence for an indefi |
lite period General Beauregard then
.alled for volunteers to defend that forti |
ication. 70 this call there was an imme |
late response from more men than was
necessary. The following is an official
rider relative to the garrison of Sumter ::
HEApo,Rs DEPT 8. c., GA, AND.FLA.,
Charleston, s. g., Aug. q, 1863 1
General: The Commanding General has
with genuine pride and satistac
ioa the defence made of Fort Sumter by |
,ol Rhett, his officers, and the men Of the |
FIRST Regiment of South Carolina regular |
rtillery, noble fruits Of the discipline, ap
,licatiOn to their duties, and the sOldierly
,earing Of officers and men, and OF the or
auization Of the regiment. In the annals OF
var no stouter defence was ever made aud
10 work ever before encountered as-forrnida-
lie a bombardment Us that under which Fort
sumter has been successfully held
Respectfully, your ob't serv't,
(Signed,) THOMAS JORDAN,
Chief of staff.
70 Brig Gen. Ripley, commanding first Mill
.tary District, =. g., Charleston, s. Z.
WuAT GEN. TooMBs SAYS ABOUT Re-
find the following