The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-07-02

selves the cross fire of the three batteries cutting
| them up In a terrible manner. Th"iE steam pipes
| were soon cut and their boilers perforated with
shot, Notwithstanding which they fought the bat
tefies fsr five long hours, the vessels being cut
| af 10 pieces and many killed and wounded on
board. Acting Volunteer Lieut. Geo 2 Lord, com
mandiHg the Covington, having expended aIi-his
shot, spiked lis guns, set fire TO his vessel, and
escaped with what was left f hi crew 20 the
shore, and Ills vessel blew up. TIL Signal, Act
| lag Volunteer Llont Edward Mnfgan, still fought
his guns for haIf an houI after ne obstruction of
the Cuvngton. He found It imposs!, le 10 dest
| his vessel by burning, her decks teng covered
| witli wounded, aad humanity fu bade him slcrt
neing the lives Of the nObe fellows who had Il !,
/ ten led their vessel 81 goliautiy.
lie gave perm Ssun TO all those who wished q.
escape 10 do 50 ) some oi them attempted to gel
off by climbing up ,he bank-many wpTe Killed
while doing 40 by l'e muIdefons FIRE OF mIlsa.tfy
poured in from a. opposite side.
The Captain f,mained by the YES .ei and vas
captured iG he remained alive bur ave Ne in
formation regarding him The rebels took tile
guns off Of her, aud placing her across tie ehanh-i
as an obstruction sunk hsf.
Gen Banks on hearing the news, sent out cavai-
~ To buat for the unfortunate men, many pf whum
were picked 10 and brought into Alexandria. A
number escaped down the river and went aboard
come light dtnughi gunboais that were coming up
4, The time IL the scene ut action, but driven
hsfk BY the superior artillery Of ti,a eneG,y.
teei very much for The poor fellows who n
Into The hands of tie enemy, IS the latter have
been very marciless 10 some of the pIisOneI7 they
nave tfken, aud c0mmiticG 6ntrases al which ha-
maRity shudders
The vesses Will all return to their stations in a
lew days, as there is no prospect, under present
circumstances, OF renewing operations In tns part
oil Louisiana, the season having passed tor opera
ting with any chance Of success.
am sorry IN see that the I. bel gneriilas have be
come quite troublesome on the Mississippi since
lett, all of which will be reciihed wilhia the com
Ing week -,
obcdient servant,
DAVID d Porter, Rear Admiral.
Bon Gideon We'les, Secretary oE the Havy,
Washington.
CPsRaTI0Ns Cs JAEEs RlyeR-THE sAILURE or lsR
IRON CLaO NAVY.
The New York Herald is greatly dissatisfied
With the tardIness of Admiral lee, and pourS
inio ihh Yankee officer the following pi:per
bToadsidI.
tits announced Ia the news fiom The James
n7PT nat Gems Grant aud Butter visited Admiral
Lee, gu one oi the cnAboas, On Saturday last.
Wcat took place At this interview between the
lieuItnant General aud lhe CoinmaRjtr Of HE
James IIvtJ tlotiil1, we of course do not Know
but we know vcry well what ought 10 have taken
pact, aId We can only hope that the presence
and tie words oi The victorious nimintcr 81 our
2rn may have stirred up Admiral l.ee I'd Il sense
oi MS position, ahd inspired him tO make ssnie
attempt, even though lame one to 20 ON forward
70 tiie Performance ot his plain duty opening the
James fiver, aud taking his iron citds lo lIi..
There il no disgHiSing the fact that under their
present Commander, The James riV-I guuboat8 are
having a Shainhiuiiy easy Time OF IL. They aIc ig
unanimously compelled TO ioOh in ijieness
While the army loses eight or ten thousand men in
glorious struggle that they should have renderee
unnecessary 1T Is reported Oh al even COmmod0rd
Godsb rough has growled At the inactivity of the
gunboats On the james liver. BuA, as Al mere
ldleDesJ were not enough, Admiral Lee haa Just
perfarned an act that. We doubt not, has called
an honorable blush 10 the cheek OF .ve'y Officer in
his feet. lie has sunk boats In the iiy-r-ui-
structed the channel-lo prevent the rebel lann5
from getting ont at has ships. He has non clad
vessels enough TO blow every ram In Ih3 COntsd-
eEacy 10 at0ns, hut he is ttraid Oi the ti1 II he
tears 10 meet these vessels down The iivtf where
nisO boats lie, YhCn may we xpect that ht
Nii go up the river aud isht them where they
supported by batteries on shore!
II II be urged against his al vance up the Iln.ps
th3s the 0bslfuc tidns d1ngeg0uS, and that the
he OF the tOftS - too severe, 1t must then be ad
united thar Iron clad vessels are 4 fIliure. aud
t1a: the immense sums spent In thrir CoSsifns
u0n have been thrown away, Early ia The war
Admiral Dupont 81 lCncGd shore batteries under u
!"rrihIe ice with only wooden chips, Admiral
4f:aRut went 20 New Orleans desrite obsiruc
sioHs la the river, aud ranelnS 'h~ ht8 ~ pei
Ii;cuF constructed forts an WIN Wo"heh ships.-
He ran the fir., the Port Hudson batteries
with wooden ships, aud Porter ran past the
formidable and well served VickSt4irg bat
teries with the army transports. IL
90 much more can be done by some cOmniald
ers with wooden ships Than, can be by others with
iron ones, we ought either 10 waste 10 more money
III the cOnstructi0n OF iIon ships, or We ought To-
change commanders.
We DO not object tn Admiral Lee because he Il q
relation OF Mr. Blair nor yet because he iS Viz
gnian; but we do object 10 him because he bas
no energy la the discharge Of his mot ob bsiUus
duty, aud because he IL for that must simple rea
son palpabiy unfit fos The important position which
he now occupies