The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-02-18
YANKEE ACCOUNTS FROM MO-
HfT r.


for an attack on Mobile. A. j. Smith.
corps is en- route down the Mississippi {,
take part in it. The New York paper.
publish good deal Of reliable intelli
gcnce about the city derived from New
Orleans. One account says:
The rebels have made active prepara-
tons in order to repel any attack which
might be made by the Union army. A
large circle Of Notifications surround Mo.
bile, having an extent of some nine miles
These Notifications commence abou,
three miles from the city, on the Ba,
road, and conclude by striking the depot
Of the Mobile and Ohio railroad. They
are all earthworks, and each fort mounts
six or seven guns, nearly all thirty>twc
Founders. They are erected about three
hundred yards apart, and number about
forty. T1ereare several mortars attached
to them, some throwing one hundred and
twenty pound shell. Six thousand troops
manned the Notifications, all under com
mand of Major General D. II. Maury.-
A ditch eight feet wide and five feet deep
protects these forts from sudden attack.
Previous to the war Mobile was sur.
rounded by thicklywoodcd country.
Now all those trees have been removed,
so that an entirely level space exists
where before membranes and impedi-
ments were encountered at every step.
TO the northward of the city the whole
country is an entire marsh, which ex~
tends to point called Tnrcc-milc creek.
This state of soil renders it utterly I'M
possible for any body of men to march
on the city in that direction. In the
main ship channel, going up the bay,
about two miles and half from the
city, spiles have been sunk, which pre-
vent the ingrcss and cgress of vessels.
are also placed there, and
accidents have occurred in the
sinking of these dangerous weapons.
Two water batteries have also been
erected in the bay, one within two miles of
Jhoctaw Point, and another within about
light miles. The largest fertilization is
to be situated at the edge of
he city on the railroad. This is also
IN carthwork, and carries eight guns of
leavy calibrc.
Including the militia, there were some
line thousand troops in and around Mo-
'ile. AT Halls mills there were three
thousand cavalry, under command of
Colonel Scott. At Dog ridge there were
Bakers brigade of infantry and Furgu.
on's dismountcd cavalry, numbering
hrec thousand men. They carried two |
arteries of artillery, consisting of eight |
icces. The militia numbered two thou |
and.
There were three gunboats at Mobile.
'hich constitute the naval defence of the
ity. These are commanded by Cons
lodore Fauvre.
Much Suffering and want exist among
he citizens at Mobile. This is owing
to the great scarcity of pro-
lsions and the enormous price charged
" everything. The stores are all open,
ut have few ARTICLES in them. They
ose every day at three o'clock, in order
give the employees an opportunity for
rilling. Strict military discipline is en-
reed, and citizens are compelled to pro-
de themselves. with passes from the
rovost-marshal, or they are liable to be
rested. Guards patrol the street, and
)ntinually watch the movements of
'ery person, so that the strictest sur
sillance is pracGced over the inhabi-
nts.
The country in the vicinity of Mobile
said to be quite fertile, and provisions
C sent in daily over the Mobile and
hlo and Montgomery railroads. The
my is we'll supplied with the necessa-
es of life, but their spirits are not as
nguine as might be required. Those
X thousand troops are all Veterans
heir discipline is described as perfect.
The general feeling in the city up to
C 9Th of January was that a stern de- ..
nee would be made. General Maury
ID remarked that, even IF the place !
ere surrounded by network of the
MON army, he could still hold fast for {
least two months. The rebel COM
andcr, however, is confident that it '
II be utterly impossible for our forces '
gain such position as will enable
cm to surround the city; and even if Ii
ey did, he boasts of being able to Dust N
en- at pleasure, and with heavy loss. y
It time will explain all, and, no doubt, v
:omplish somewhat of change in the y
lnions of the prophet Maury. d
There arc but few bales of cotton in "
bile, and this is owned principally by ii
; rebel Government. No citizen has "
en- allowed to purchase cotton and
ng it into the city. In cases where
s course has been pursued by private A
ties. their property has been seize d 4
| confiscated. lie
This looks as if the rebels did not = =