The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-09-15
THURSDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER Is, 1861
THE WAR NEWS.

Heavy firing was heard yesterday afternoon in a
sogtheasterly direction from the city, and from the
unusual distinctness of the reports, many conjec-
lures were indulged in concerning it. Some ex-
pressed the belief that it at Drewry's Bluff and
others at Chafn's but it turned out that all were
wrong We have ascortained that the cannonade
proceeded from gunboats and land batteries
ahelling Dutch Gap, where the Yankees cutting
canal for the purpose of changing the course Of
the river. We have intelligence of the result,
though it may be safely asserted that tie work
suspended for period. The firing ceased about
O'clock
A deserter states that the work the canal pro-
ssresses very slowly, and gives reason that the
Confederate shells annoy the laborers to such an
extent that it is with difficulty they be kept at
work Ii this deserters story is true, this canal has
already proved the last ditch" to many of them;
for he says that recent occasion eighteen were
! killed by one she'll. Whenever shell explodes in
their midst they scatter i'll every direction, and
hours elapse before they be got together again
Beast Butler viii have to contrive plan to get
rid of the annoyance if he wishes to finish his canal
this season.
FROM PETERSBURG.
Yesterday morning the enemy commenced she'll
ing Petersburg. throwing heavy missiles into the
between nine and eleven o'clock, the oannonade is
represented to have been the severest since the
opening of the campaign Shells flew and exploded
III every direction, causing some damage to pro-
perty, but, strange to say, intictng personal in
Jury SO far informant could ascertain. Our
batteries replied with spirit and it is hoped, with
some effect upon the enemy Under this heavy Ere
the people OF Petersburg maintained their usual
toned TO this sort Of thing that they have to
regard it almost with indifference.
With the exception of the eannonade, nothing of
interest occurred yesterday, and at the time the
train left all was quiet Oh the lines.
Persons from Petersburg assert with much conf
dence that there Is not one word OF truth in the
la0r CT the proposed evacuation OF that place We
thought SO from tue first, and only mention it now
10 relieve the minds Of those croakers who SO
Gisnlally affected by the report.
FROM TIE VALLEY.
The latest adyices from the Valley Of Virginia
represent that General Early, Saturday last, the
10th instant advanced from his position 1T Bunker
Till towards Maronsburg. This place is in BeIke-
ley county, only seven miles south of the nearest
point Oh the Potomac river. The army under Sheri-
dan, confronting General Early, Is probably nearly
as large as that before Petersburg. \ New York
paper states that Grant detached thirty-eigh or
forty thousand men from the Amy of the Potomac
and sent them 10 the Valley, to which must be add
ei the troops under Hunter, Crook, Kelly and
Ayellii. This immense force so far from being able
to drive Early out Of the Valley, has had enough to
do in guarding the Potomac, III order to prevent our
army from crossing that stream. Meanwhile, our
troops have captured over two thousand prisoners
and inflicted succession of punishments upon the
Yankees which have kept them IN state Of whole
some dread. Mosby, ever on the alert, has burnt
trains of wagons, captured horses and mules, and
ambushed and killed many of the enemy. Elriy
has fear of Sheridan, and the object of his late
advance may have been to offer battle, which, judg-
ing from past Incidents of the campaign will hardly
be accepted On the contrary, expect to hear of
the enemy's retreat, usual, to Harper's Ferry,
and perhaps across the Potomac.
The Yankees continue their outrages upon the
people Of the Valley, and will doubtless keep them
up SO long as they are permitted TO remain. They
not only burn private dwellings, but mills and store
houses and steal destroy everything that can
sustain life They burnt three mills last Friday
night Early has long account to settle with
them, and we trust that retaliation may be duly in
ficted north of the Potomac.
THE SITUATION IN GEORGIA.
The ten days armistice proposed by Sherman for
the purpose OF depopulatng Atlanta is in ope
ration, and until that expires there Will be no
newal of hosities III Georgia. The opinion is very
general that this armistice only trick of Sher
mans for the purpose of covering his designs,
but it is hoped that Hood will, in the meantime, i'm
prove the opportunity by making due preparations
to circunvent them. By vigorous action, all that We
have lost i'll Georgia may be regained. In refusing
to exchange prisoners for whose terms Of
vice have expired Sherman is believed to be acting
under the instructions OF his Government, and his
course, therefore, surprises no one.
FROM THE SOUTHWEST.
Official information received yesterday that
scouts along the Mississippi river report Yankee
troops still going up the river.
Scouts from below Mobile report that part of the
troops recently operating against Fort Morgan
have been sent to New Orleans.