Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-09-13
General ButIor's CanaI-How it Pro-


crosses.
From q letter of the 18th instant, from
Gen Buffers headquarters We clip the fol-
lowing information concerning the pro-
gress of the great internal improvement
known as Buffers Canal, about which so
much has been written, and from which so
much good is expected to result:
The great internal Improvement, known
as the "Butler Canal Pat. Dutch Gap, on
the James River, progresses apace and bids
fair to be soon an accomplished fact. The
main military object in cutting this canal
has been stated often, viz: to open pas
sage for our iron clads to the upper part of
the river, and thus avoid the shoal water
at the bend known as Trents Reach, near
the end of Il long penensula, misnamed
Farrars' Island while the incidental ad-
vautages of a successful result of the mar
velous work will be the turning of the rebel
batteries at the Hawlett House, command
ing position on the river, as we'll as render
ing of no eject a line of sunken vessels
with which, in the early days of our occu-
patton, Admiral Lee thought it the part
of prudence to obstruct navigation at this
point. But aside from the hoped for mil
itary achievement, the canal will confer an
inestimable benefit upon Richmond after
the war, in commercial way, by shorten
ing the distance at least fourteen miles
Instead of making the long circuit around
this neck of land. steamboats, and sailing
vessels will pass through the canal, avoid
ing the rapid current aud conquering the
battling winds which have made this par
ticular reach of the river the dread and
Vexation of steamboatmen and impatient
skippers. Although believe that to Cen
Butler is due the credit of projecting this
enterprise, it appears to have been thought
of before it suggested itself to his mind.
A late Richmond paper said that about
twenty FIVE years since a company was
formed expressly to prosecute this scheme,
but, after surveying the ground thoroughly
it was decided to be Utopian, and was
therefore abandoned. But the Southern
people, all experience proves, are apt TO
yield to physical difficulties without a fair
trial. They lack the enterprise and per
severance which characterize their North
ern couutrymen, who, in this instance, as
in many others, will achieve what their
taint-heartedness deemed impossible. The
work is in progress, too, under scarcely
imaginable drawbacks. With great in
gratitude these Southerners throw all
manner of obstacles in the way of the
Iaborers-peIting them with shells and
Tmore honored in the breach than II
the observance" Happily the casualties
to the working parties have thus ia
been few, and as l before remarked
the digging goes bravely on.
few days since visited the place, and WA
courteously received by Maj. Ludlow, o
Gen. Buffers staff, the officer in command
of operations. Leaving my horse in ra
vine where it would be partially sheltered
from the occasional shells of the rebel bat
terry at the Hewlett House, crossed The
James River in a skif, without being able
to say that was blown into the water, ant
indeed the enemy politely refrained from
firing while l was on the ground. Th'
scene about the works was extremely ami
mated. About 1000 negro soldiers Wert
working zealousIy with picks and spades
and blowing and hauling away the dirt will
mule teams. The ground is very high-a
its highest elevation should judge, abou
forty feet, and the space to be dug through
was at least fifty yards in length by tn,
same distance in width-offering tasl
Eivaling that of Hercules in divertiug th'
river of classic fable into the AugeaI
stables. The soil is clayey, and som
of the strata are very compact, adding
vastly to the difficulty of eXcavating.
am not at liberty to give the precise con
oltlon OF the work at this stage OF IL
progress, but am assured that day by da!
the likelihood of it's successful completion
grows more certain. Maj. Ludlow ha
several pieces of ordnance in position
which open upon the enemy's batteries
their Ere becomes any way annoying, ant
generally manage to silence them. Tn
steep bluffs on each side of the canal lool
very old, resembling a colossal honey
comb-burrowed into, as they are, by tn
workmen, who sleep securely in thes
holes undisturbed by missiles sent frou
the rebel batteries directly across the river
Maj. Ludlow's quarters are far more ex
posed than those of his men. he sleep
upon the deck of a canal boat, which ais
does temporary duty as a wharf or land
ing place, but he hopes that few bales c
hay, arranged on that side of his bed Whic
is toward the rebel FIRE, will protect hir
from any ordinary fragment OF q SHE'LL
The pickets on Maj. Ludlow's front ar
very good-natured. They never FIRE 8
each other, and every day they exchaug
papers, so that the Major counts with Gel
talnty upon reading the Richmond new
when he takes his luncheon.
A PENNsYL1ASIA delegate offered re-