Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.
from Pig's Point.
Pig's Point, Camp Jackson Sunday Evening, July 7, 1861.
I must tell you something this time about our recent manŒuvres to meet the enemy, Every stormy night you may look out for an alarm, says a little private, who loves the dewey poppy which Morpheus distills upon his brow better than the false alarm of a sentinel.
Such a rush to arms the other night you never saw. Lame, blind, sick and well, all aroused from their slumbers to drive back the foe. And, by the way, if we can have a few more such occasions to test the courage of our boys, the sick list will mourn for patients.
A great discomfiture was felt, however, when it was ascertained that the result of the firing by the picket guards only terminated in sending two cows and one hog to the ‘"tombs of their fathers."’ It was a very dark night, and it seemed really amusing to see what a hunting for cartridge.
boxes, grabbing at guns, falling down in getting into lines, &c., took place.
One of our cooks — a yellow boy by the name of Joe — a very resolute fellow, snatched up two muskets and one pistol, and declared he would die with our men. Somebody asked him what he was going to do with his haversack he had on. ‘"Put Yankee scalps in it,"’ he replied.
Last night two guns were fired by Louisiana pickets, aimed at a person standing on the beach, displaying, it was thought, signal lights of red and blue.
The shots missed, the man was pursued and caught, but was released on account of insufficient evidence to convict him.
This morning, at 10 o'clock, private Raymond, a member of Grimes' Flying Artillery, from Portsmouth, now stationed within a few hundred yards of our regiment, deserted to Fortress Monroe.
I investigated the matter, and found that Raymond had left in the absence of his Captain, but had obtained a permit from Lieut. Forth to go out fishing.--Before his departure he endeavored to borrow a match, but failed; also, refused to let any one accompany him in his boat.
This attracted suspicion immediately, but no attention was paid to him by the Lieutenant as he had been fishing before and always returned.
When he got two miles out at sea, Grimes'men asked Lieut. F. to let them open fire on him with a rifle cannon, as he was heading straight toward Hampton; but the request was refused, the Lieutenant thinking he was just getting in good fishing grounds. This all looked reasonable, but very uncertain.--Six men started in pursuit of him; but failed to overtake him, as we observed him nearing Fortress Monroe two hours after he left.
He has a mother and a father in Hampton, and is quite an intelligent young man. He is about 17 years old, I understand 