The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-03-02
s,TILf Of olusIEr. floaIpi.

correspondent Of the Lake GlIy Colaxbiew.
gives the following interesting account At ths
| fight as olustee, II Fiosida:
The sseat battle Of East Florida has been fassht
and another glorious victory has hesn won BY our
gallant sOldierY.
Al - easiy hour this foseaoon oo,sssers arrived
q distant headquarters With the inaelgrnce that
the enemy, seven thousand strong. under com
mand Of hajnf Gen. GiliMose, had passed the vii
!age Of en- route fr the fasesior OF this
l state. No sooner was this intelligence communl
/ Gated, than cavalry fbsce comp0sed Of defAch-
menfs q the 4th Ca Col. Clneh; ID Fla, cavsSy,
o.; ns,cs = 4; - - nice ~ sscstEs Rstslios,
Canway Smith, "a Florida cavalry, proceeded for
ward with the view Of ascertaininf the strength
aad position af the enemy. The command Of Col
trail railroad, about eighteen miles e.ss Of Lake
Csty, where they encountered the advance guard
OF the enemy. With the view OF drawing him
nesIef 70 this point where more advantageous
smith skirmished slightly with the enemv, and re-
tir1ng towards this point in excellent order.
Findlng that was tho design Of the enemy to
destroy the railroad upon his iiss of march, and to
tofliiy Mmself At point about Eve miles east Of
tnis place, Gen Finegan ordered 10 the front the
S4th Ga regiment, Col Evans: 32dGa, Maj Howard;
ON "a. cos Lotion 9Th Ga, Col zachafy; !st Ga
feguinfs, Capt Gfeayes; Bonau's battalion, Major
Donau; LIST Fla epeciat baitaiIon, 1t Col r. Hon.
kins; 9th Fta battalion, Major r b Bard; 95ih Ga,
MAI Word; 18th Ga, Col O'Neat; s3d Ga, 1t Col
hs!ssns; Pa liess arllery Capt GAMBLE Chatham
Sss. sas: s 81:
harrison, dsd ia, and Caraway 6mifh-aI COM
aanded by Brig Gen Joseph Finegan- advanced
promptly, and with firm and steady step, to resist
the advance Of the enemy, who had determined to
70 avenee that place for the resistance offered few
days previously
The entire force of the enemy was commanded
6y Major Gen. Gilmore; that in the field W as an,
AOvun1 and Iai -
inour, whom, as your readers will remember, was
captain under Major Anderson at the time he
surrendered Fort Sumter to Gen. Beauregard.
S1 ouf ecos,espondeni participated In the battles
dfd 10 THIS, and Is prepared to aver that he
Witnessed more stubborn contested field, aud In
tbs opinion he Is confirmed by the testimony Of
veteran soldiers, whose exploits heretofore have
been the admiration of their coun,ryn,en, aud
have given name and fame to Southern prowess
and vaior.
When within proper distance Of the enemy our
ariifefy, under che c0nHland Of Col. r. B. Thomas
opened heavy and very determined fire upon
them The artillery Of the enemy RESPONDED
briskiy hut with little effect to that Of ours Very
heavy voIleys Of musketEy were poured Into the
eneinyss lines hy0ur troops. killing and wOundfns
large number Of then. v0iley after yolley re-
verberafed through the air, with hought bur the
lieye its lu0nOtOny. 80
The engagement lasted upwards of four hours,
curing about three of which the enemy contested
inch by inch very manfuliy the advance OF our
troops. At length, largely superior numbers, en-
gagged IN an unh0ly and unrighteous crusade, were
compelled to succunb and to dee before the su-
perior prowess and chivalry OF Southern hearts -
The enemy was driven In confusion and disorder
long distance beyond the 6eid Of carnage, leaving,
IN their hasiy Hight all their killed, and nearly al
The result Of this glorious achievement Of our
troops may be sumned up thus: The enemy's loss
in killed, wounded, and prisoners ia twenty eight
hundred, One stand Of cOi0rs, two excellent Ma
p0leons, and three fne 3 inch rife guns, fifteen
hundred stand Of arms and vast quantity Of ord
nance, quaFsermasaef's and c0mmIssaTy stores
hundred and iiity wounded.
Taken all In all, this day will long be remem
bcred AZ upon which one Of the most brilliant
victories Of the war wHs achieved. Whilst we re-
joice In the defeat and disasters which have be
fallen the invaders of our soil, we have TO pause
and MOuI0 the deaths OF many brave and noble
patriots.
Il "a matter altogether impossible In q hastily
written article ~ this necessarily IL, 10 communal
cate 10 detail the many ineiaen.s Of the tattle.
The memory OF the gallant 0fAcefs md men who
have fallen a. martyrs 70 thetf country, will hong
be reyered and cherished, lar they fell ss brave and
ehivalf0us men always fhii.
! The snlIaatyy Of our officers and man has never
been exceled either In ancient or modern times,
Gen. F1ne&an acted In mauner which entitled him
to the highest credit His conduct upon this
son the plaus Of the baltic, the discipline and dis
position Of hie forces, his cooness, judgment, dis
asd have ca9ssd to regard hfm ~
officer second 70 none of hIs max, and Who de-
SERVES The eveslasslsg gratitude Of uur country
men.