The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-03-01

THR ATrAcK ON WusrMA AxsH fsLAss The
Savannah RtYataican Of The 23d, tn refetsims TO
the attack on Wh:temarsh Island, near that CITY
g ths 1slssays thstit was ON = fas srasasr seals
than the rsf accoants Indicated. Il furnisbes the
following account Of the affair.
The expedition was composed Of four sesl0ente
aad part nj filih Il sailed from Hiaoa Head
sson after dark, sunday evening, under the COM
maad oi Col. HOwe, OF rennsylvania, now acting
Brigadier About three hundred Of the party we're
dispatched n launches from Fort PaIaski, and
landed on Whitemafsh NOT far from Oakland
regiments, landed about mile further east on the
plantation of Col Gibson.
The object sesms TO have been to capture our
f,yces the leland and 10 this end the rst named
party sent forwerd a derachment OF twenty men
under LIT. John e. Michelor commanding cOmpsny
q, e5th Pennsylvania regiment, tn take possession OF
the bridge leading from Oakland 10 Whttemarsh.
They had not proceeded far before they came In
sight Of small earth work armed with two hrass
pieces. This the Lieutenant ordered to charge
with promise that he should be supported by the
ty Eve yards Of the battery but the fire was so het
aud seeing NO support coming Up, he ordered his
squad TO retire one by one, as fast AS they couid
He remained 10 bring up tue rear, Lat too late,
some 0f our men pressing forward, be, together
with one of his men, Private Ell ShalienbeFeeY,
ftli iato our hands The rest Of the party escaped
and made tracks for their boats. Micnei0r dlspiay-
ed great daring and gallantry, but his crowd were
tho eowardy 10 back him up 10 the undertaking.
The main body, Of foar regiments, soon after
landing deployed skirmishers and, Il 10 said, cap
tufcd fur Eve of our pick.is, who made vigo
ruus resistance. They lost one man 10 Tetufn,
Coipl Jas. G. Bailey, Of c2. x, 9th Pa. From
some cause this body did net advance far intn the
Island, probably on account Of the failure Of the
attempt carry the bridge, the understanding be-
Ing that while that was held BY the detachment of
three hundred the main body wou traverse tha
island, and, Ia Yankee phrase, "gobbis mp" svesy-
body ON II.
The whole affair was very discred;table one b
the enemy. and shows that We have nothing to fear
when pitted against such metal at almost any odds.
Lieut.. Richardson, who commanded the section
of artillery, lost one man killed. He was shot
through the mouth and died so0R thereafter, though
we have failed 10 ascertain his name. He also lost
one OF his horses. II Ia not known whether any Ct
the Yankees were killed and wounded, but con-
siderable force was sent under Col. PTftchard
about noon, and At last accounts the enemy were
being press ID very hard aud embarkinc with all
haste.
The three Yankee prisoners were brought to the
city In the afternoon, and will be sent forward.
We learn from the prisoners that the force at
Hilton Head numbers at this time about ten thou
sand, several regiments that Went North having
tusned largely recruited. The Yunkees made great
preparations ami talked largely over their Florida
expedition, which was to acc: mpllsh wonders
The prisoners manifested vety little concern when
informed that il had come 10 bloody and disgrace
fnl end.