The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-11-28

In nearly an opposite direction, and eight
or5ten miles distant, is the mouth of the
MO Grande. The vessels that are at an
cnor there are in plain view; and I can.
rom where sit, count thirty sails-many
Oh tnem being large vessels. The lighter
ones. those drawidg five feet or less, would
not anchor there, but go up to Matamoras.
1. Will be some days before the troops
ana stores are disembarked. The Clinton,
Banks, Zephyr, Bagley, and Exact, are The
only vessels that can cross without being
!ighted-and two of these are not here
Many of the vessels could not come in
empty, and must be unloaded outside the
par. we have with us, besides the troops
mentioned before, the 10th Regiment and
the lst Engineers, Corps d 4f1igue
cannot close without saying that, in my
traVels, have never met more agreeable
gentlemen than the officers of the steamer
CLINTON. Capt. Baxter is an old sea-dog-
but has not the rough points sometimes
lound In such; the purser, Mr.. Fullmer,
ana the chief engineer, Mr.. BrandQw. have
all the characteristics of gentlemen. The
CLINTON, as l think / said before, is the
finest vessel in the feet. She brought the
largest number of troops; and, although
| they We're from the State of Maine, none
wentaway dissatisfied. SANDY. 7
November 5.-On our arrival here, spec
ulation was rife as to whether the enemy
would permit US to land; and when we
got foot hold on Brazos Island, the query
was, what force of rebels was there at
Point Isabel? Glasses inumerable were
levied on the place. Some saw gun, some
TWO, and some whole parks of artillery,
mounted and being mounted. Some saw
few rebels, some saw hundreds, and 9TH
ers thousands of them. This continued up
to yesterday morning. believe was the
hrst to assert, and maintain against fear
| fui odds, that there were no rebels and no
guns at Point Isabel; and while contend
ing for this theory, found on long and pa
tient looking through Captain Baxters
telescope, two private soldiers, out Of curl
osity, or from a roaming habit, got into a
small boat, rowed across, examined the
place and returned, finding no enemy and
no sign of any.
The debarkation goes on slowly; the
greatest difficulty being in landing horses
from heavy draft transports. This is be-
ing done to-day by dumping them over
board and towing them out by surf boats,
by means of lines fastened to the vessels
and the shore.
Every one was relieved and gratified yes
terday morning by the arrival of all the
missing vessels. So far, have not heard
OF single life being lost in the expedition
that is, human life. Horses and mules
| suffered terribly, and many-certainly over
| hundred-are feeding the fish in the Gulf
When we left the Southwest Pass there
| were eight schooners and two tugs in tow
During the "norther' that have mention
ed, four or five of the schooners and the tug
Union were lost. The men on board Of
| them We're saved.
The tug Leviathan has gone with dis
| patches to the Mississippi; the Hancock
and Dree are both disabled; so that there is
no tug now in the fleet. The Clinton has
been several times across the bar, carrying
troops; and, as write, is taking ammuni-
ton off the Empire City.
Several regiments went off in some haste
last sight to occupy the lower end of the
Island at the mouth of the Rio Grande.
have not heard of any special reason for
this; but it may be intended that we shall
cross to the mainland at that place.
As the Empire City is soon to leave for
New Orleans, / must close tlis rather hasty
| epistIe.-COr. Gin. Com. SANDY.