The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-11-24


letter from Iebel navy officer 10 a friend
IN Texas, which was intercepted during hos
tiities W.
WASHINGTON, nov. II, 1865.
c. S. STEAMER "FEEDHICEsBUEG,"
JANEs RIFER SQUADRON,
February u, 1865.
Judge RI. Tovnes, Austin City, Texas.
Ny DEAE sIRs-I have intended writing
for some time, but have not done so from
the fact that the mail communication have
been so INTERRUPTED for some time; but 1
unW believe / have q safe conveyance for
some letters, and VIII avail myself OF il and
write several.
Our affairs do Rot look very bright at pres
ent the bad turn things has taken oates.
% ny belief, from the removal Of General
Johnston from the command Of the Army Of
Tennessee. sherman, since that time. has
moved wherever he pleased, and, afler
sweeping through the state Of Georgia, un-
ObrtguCivd almost, is now endeavoring 20
close ia the rear Of Richmond, compelling
us 10 eYacuaie Charleston, and, 10 fact, the
entire State Of South Carolina. The loss of
the country would be Of little moment did
% not interfere 90 seriously with toe supplies
ior this army, which have 70 be drawn IRON
Southwestern Georgia. The northern half
uf Virginia, Including the rich Shenandoah
.
TaEug,s ol war, and North Carolina and
Virginia together could not support an
army Of 10000 men. We expect 20 hear OF
battle daily between our forces aud Eher-
man, and hope for the best results since
Gen. Johnston has been placed in command
81 our forces.
On the lines around Richmond everything
is very quiet. Grant evidently waiting for
Sherman 60 accomplish his purpose before
d 4
sherman everything Will then be WE'LL
Our sqnsdron, consisting OF the iron-ciads
Virginia, Richmond and this vessel, on the
28d ulum0 proceeded down the river some
ten miles, and, but for the timidity Of the
pilots on the Virginia and Richmond, would
have changed the entire phase Of the war
In this section, our object being nothing
less than the division Of Grants Army into
three parts amt the destruction 81 his wa
ter bssc DC City Point We were 20 20
through their obsirucii, IA. snd, after ruu-
nlne throsrh their poniooh bridge, some i
miles below, would have left one iron-c ad
20 cruise up and down the river 10 prevent
them from communicating with each other;
the other two would haze gone down "a
City Point, tome forty miles farther, and
there obs,rucicd lhe chaunel with sunken
vessels, s. that u would have been imp0ssi-
Die ior them 90 have removed them under
the Gre of the iron-clad that would have
been loft 90 prevent them, while the other
in,n-clad would have been free 10 run up
the AppomuuoX. Grants Army would thea
have been cut 10 three parts with no pros
pect OF being able 90 communists with
each ether. Our army would then have
been able % mass aud crush each part n
detail
This vessel passed through the Yankee
distractions n l-3u a. m, aud We al ilatter-
"a ourselves ihai every difficulty had been
overcome. The snemy's FIRE from their
usorisrs had been quite troublesome for
come Time, but their heavy gems had not
struck us once. Amer waiting for the other
vessels for about en- nv. and seeing meth
iuE oi them. cur Captain sent me In ) small
beat ta rcport to the ommodorc that we
were safely through, and ask if we should
visit auy longer. ] went up TO the oh true
lions aud seeing nothing OF them. continued
Dor come dstance before ] came 10 them.
amer reporting, the commodore urdered me
% return without say aud report TO our
Captain that hoh TIE other vessels we're
aground and would not be- able to get Oh be-
ioic n d. pa. the next dsy. THIS mpeilsd |
nn abandonment oi an ideas OF success for |
The hut rcqgisi e was D complete surprise, |
ana oeiore The next night they would have /
o. cuncoutrate large fleet above City Point /
We came zap The uvcr some = miles aud /
az GuyhEht the enemy had an easy ransc,
tom his shore batteries 90 I0o and 200 pound 1
farrotis, on the vessels that were aground |
The proicctiles bad no effect az IL 90 yards. |
Out e double turrottcd monitor, seeing |
their helpless condition, came within /
ieoo yards end opened with IL
lnch end ls-iuch guns. The ls-inch |
Nofo The ouly oues that did any damage,
apa they did Dot penetrate but crushed In !
ga % inches % iron aud twenty eight f2sl |
inches Of word. The spiiuiers killed ak f6i |
and wounded fourteen lifl men. Pruiecti.cs |
81 ttta weight Will penetrate AMY iron-clad /
thal has ever been built. Z believe.
AlH tqnadnun BE- now commanded bv Ad- |
hiral seinnaes, late o. tho Alabama. lie is |
snaA man, nothing Particularly striking |
pa pc appearance except his eve, which is |
very me and piercing. think his rsputa- |
Don VIII anucr with the country IN having |
hecei''ea THIS command, ior he has not room
hcfe o. light o. large vessels as these are.
lass lcuer irom the trans aississippi |
Nes datcd The slh 90 December. and. al "A /
~as IRON Irving, nt Camasn, Arkrnsns. I 4
aio not hear IRON home lakr than The /
mia1ie oi November. IL is a hard tax on
one . faliloh On to De tested ia this way. I ]
Thought Shen accepted my present com
mission, that tha war Toufi have b..r ,,,l /
I'd beiorc nov, or never would bay, 49,,
a. however, The war must end this wear
81 any rate everything like heavy and ~
trncied haiiles. such BE- ~ have had co. tbs
last three wears Ihcte have been u ,-,,l /
many naval .'lctrs sent io The trsns -Nfissi.-
sippl ihia month"; case there il s,,,. -
rar aiefr srEf. ] think ] viii rrt IA w.,
D. a slim hope Ell mF being able 40 "a -
remain very tuly yours,
+. r. EeaLrsrox.