Year: 1863

The last mail brought several letters from
friends in our regiments near Charleston. One
says under date the 18th, mo news here Of inter.
est. The Yankee iron -clads have all left. Nothing
but few blockaders to be seen off the bar. 1t is
very hot here at this time" Another friend, writ
ing from James Island, under date the 18th, says:


lam greatly obliged to you for the attention you have
shown forwarding your paper here, without receiving
from me any of the change of station of brigade
We often change suddenly, and sometimes with such
uncertainty the point of destination, that do not
have thought to give notice of il and after having
becone tented in camp again. we feel that we may soon
have our address changed You can, therefore, under
these circumstances we'll imagine how grateful the soldier
feels when he finds his track followed so surely and
promptly by the newspaper from home, and especially
when that track lies in land whose people, in their prn-
cipes and sympalhes are SO little in unison with his
own, and well calculated TO make him feel like al
stranger in q strunge land"


Since the attack bT the Yankee ironclads nothing has
transpred here of interest Whether that attack has
tablshed the impregnsby Of Charleston to any similar
attack be considered solved but whether would
be mPregnable twenty Monitors, instead Of teD
possb still rest for solution distant future The
attack however, has developed this truth to advan-
tage and to the great dscuuragemenL Of the Yankees
that Monitors are not nvunerdbe and with the arma
men they have carried, not destructive US they
have been represented do not like to dsparage what
regarded u great achievement in this repuse Of the
Yankee Monitors, but am apprehensve that the emily
effect it will produce upon the Yankee government will
be the conviction that the only Of failure in reducing





armada not sufficiently formidable. From what
have of the land defences, aud from information OBJ
tanned from intelligent sources, with troops sufficient to
man them, it would be almost impOssibity for the
Yankees TO take Charleston by land attack. This Island
is literally covered by single batteries which dot the
face like the compost heaps in plantation field besides
the long lines of earthwOrks connecting other batteries
that extend from end of the Island the other 9th
points land approach equally well defended The
preparations that have been made and that still
going extent to defend the City, ought TO in
spre its citizedS with Of utter security and it is
said that it has had that eect-at least that impression
they strive to make when questioned the subject yet
it does exist in my opinion, any stronger degree
than the feeling entertained by the citizens Of Will
mngtOn whIn their City threatened 1t is true,
large number of the people of Wilmington refugees
but it is owing mainly TO Gen. Writings repeated and
persevernS efforts to induce them to take refuge else.
where.


We have recently had several days Of beautiful weather
The and with bamy halo that gladdens the
and makes beat hopefully the and shrub
berry putting firth their verdure rs dy and blossoms
iufse the with fragrant OdorS YET the landscape here
is dull and unpeasng aud all those pleasant inspirations
cannot make insens0le the deSolaton which ap
pears throughout this prosperous Island In every
part deStructNn-wastefu destruc marks the spot:
where troops have been; and with the abandoned
homes, make desoation ptabe and sorrowful in the
extreme


When get the Standard Il hope it will convey the
joyful tdngs Of the capture Of Wa hngon called by our
Charleston friends "a tOWn or " in Norih'Caroilna'