The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-06-06

supplies, and sabsisted chiefly by plunder-
Ing the citizsna, all Of whose private stores
were taken. leaving them in state Of ex-
tremc destituiion. Even the relief fund
supplies, consisting Of Aour, corn meal, and
other provisions, were taken, notwithstand.
ing an urgent appeal that they might be
spared for the destitute. A lew Of the in.
haSitants. seeing starvation staring them In
the face, went over TO the encmy's country
for relief; but whether they succeeded In
getting assistance there or not is unknown.
The shelving and counters of unoccupicd
stores were taken to make coffins for the
dead aud fixtures for the wounded. Mr..
John How'son's house was sacked, the fur
niture destroyed. and the barn burnt. The
interior Of Fieklin's mill was rendered a
perfect wreck, aud Howison's mill much
damaged. Indeed, the work OF wantop de.
struction was very general, and much of it
was performed under the Satanic councils Of
the "Chrisslan Sanitary Commission"
1t was stated by Yankee officers in con-
vefsaiion, which was overheard by citizens,
that Grants losses in Spotsylvania, since
the opening of the campaign, would proba-
bly, reach -, 600 or $1,000.
Stafford, Cnlpeper aud Fauquier counties,
il is reported, are full Of Yankee desertere
and siragglefs. The crops in Staff ,rd have
not been much injured, the enemy having
confined their operations to the immediate
vicinity Of The railroad.
SUCCESSFUL NAVAL EXPLOIT NEAR sAvAN-
NAH.
The following dispatch WAS received at
the Navy Department Oh Saturday morn.
ing
SAVANNAH. Ga, June 3, 1864 r
Hon s Il M.t.ory, Secretary of the Navy.
have the honor to report that an eXpedi
ton from my comm,nd, under Lieut. I Z
Pclot, e Navy, last night carried by board
lug the U ) steamer Water Witch, near Os
sabau Sound, sitter q hard fight. Our loss is
the gallant Lieut. Pclot, Moses Dallas, COL
ored pilot, and three men killed, and ircm
ten to twelve wounded.
viii telegraph you more in detail at the
earliest moment.
am, very respectfully,
w. W. HUNTER, Flag Officer
The Water Witch figured somewhat Con-
spicuonaly in tue Paraguay expedition some
years before the war. The following Official
dispatch shows the strength OF her arma-
ment and the number OF prisoners taken
with the vessel:
SAVANNAH, June 4, 1864
10 Hon. s. r. Mallory, Sec. Navy:
The priza steamer Water Witch is now
anchored safely under Beulien battery, on
Vernon river. The Water Witch mounts
four guns, viz: two II FOUNDER Dahlgren
howi'z;rs in nbroadside, one 80 pou nder rifled
gun forward, and one l2-pounder ril ed brass
gun aft. THE prize was commanded by Lieut.
commanding Aus:in Pendergrast, United
States Navy, who, with all his officers and
crew, u men, are in prison at Savannah and
ia the naval hospital. Our loss in killed is
Lieut.. Pelot and f)ur men. In wounded,
three officers and twelve men. The enemy
lost two killea;andstw;elSe wounded. l will
report further by letter.
] AM, very respectfully,
W w HUNTER, Flag Officer.
Lieut.. Pendergrast, who commanded the
Water Witch, is son of old Capt. Pcndel-
grast, (now deadD Of the United states Navy.
aud a Kentuckian by birth. Vernon river,
we believe, flows from the Savannah, near
its mouth, into Warsaw Sound.