The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-02-01

A PICTURE or CHARLESTON UEDER FIRE A cor
respondent OF the Augusta, (Ga.) Cosstitioaaitst,
writing from Charleston, gives the following pic
ture of that city under the bombardment Of the
enemy:
The limited destruction Of property BY the pro
tractad rain of shells, is as wonderful the small
loss of life. walked through the streets where
the effect Gf the she Is Il most apparent Here
corn;ce is knocked of, there is small round hole
through the side OF building, and al remote inter
walls the earth Is torn where shell exploded, and
looks like the work Of poTker in search of soire
hidden treasure. Vendors OF TIE staples of the
market sit setenely by their little stores, unmind-
ful of the pyroiechnic saihtations of their Yankee
deiivercs. bought delicious apples and cakes at
one fourth the price charged two hundred miles
away in the interior, where alb tndance and exor-
tlon seems to go hand in oand.
In reply question If she Were not afraid one
of these old women replied, ''Lor mafs. we no
ieered now Wes us~n 20 EN-. Dey make b,g
noise and fro trash all about-dat's Aide good
Lord pcrtects u.s." Thus is the reiah. trust Of
these people exemplified III the spir: Of this
simple. African. | confess that | could not feel
thus indifferent 10 these missiles of destruction,
and rs they came screaching across The bay, felt
an instructive inclination To change my base OF
observation. Extending my rambi. other por
Jons of the city, the Track 0t sh lis here and
there dsctsnabIe, but they have not effected tihe
or tue injury sist .iHed by ,fe great IRE OF two
years ago, whose biackened oniiiae stretches
across what was once the hsaft OF the eity. In
oniy two or three instances have fires been occa
stoned by them, aud ien the loss srifiing. In
localities hos exposed the shells the Old TIDE OF
business is suspended.
Here and there pedestrian moves i'uffieuiy
al np and the rattle OF can or dfay is heard foT
a yy;,ole square. The blinds ciosed vases OF
rare exotics draop afi wIiEcr on the lonely win
dow sill beca;ise there II no tender iand u t"ine
or noi;tisil them. The walk es'ais with ifas-
ments of glass, ratified ihither b. the cohcussun
OF eapioing shells, aud .tiie tufts OF bright green
grass are s. ringing up aiang'the pave once V"ca
IL. ind ..t
food fur cSuliatiaa 10 the macv lent Toe, he Il
welcome 10 the tender sa0rse'. do not ipeaii q
saw that ;fy part Of the city is abandoned. Hef'
ana there s:nres are opened machine shops are
active aud labor nciicst TO the public deieHce Il
pushed VIGOROUSLY forward, even in the most expos
ed districts. still many branches OF "'dirafy su'
siness and most of the residents are removed, De
cause /. would he foo!hardy ior those not impeiiea
! bY spesia duty 10 remain.
Tie Mills House and Charleston li"teI-th"st
princeIy uhates Of conifi,rt aud good chref are
closed the Pavilion still invites the s"jouf-r Il
lis i,osetahIe roof: most Of the haritues ct Hayn'
! and parts Of Meeting and King streets a0anacns
the efchant's GeSs for the camp, or tfansierfet
their wares 10 potnts secure from YANKEE guns
That part of the city to which the co"afa'y ven
geance OF the toe has aoi penedat. Il Is "a map y
busy life - Tie newsprrers, post ONCE, express
office, banks, and many business houses are III sue
| c.ssfui operation, aad streets present scene
animation not at all suggestive oi q state oil SIEGE