From the coast.
[Special Correspondence of the Dispatch.] Savannah, Ga., March 4, 1862.
The abandonment of the posts on St. Simons and Jekyl's Islands, which I announced two weeks ago, has led to their occupation by the Yankees a few days back.
It was a timely removal, as it would have been idle to jeopardize the safety of a valuable command in defence of a totally indefensible and useless battery.
The order came sometime before, leaving it discretionary with Gen. Mercer, commanding in that neighborhood, to carry it out whenever it seemed proper to his judgment.
The Yankees gain little by their new acquisitions, since the batteries have been dismantled and the plantations on the islands had been for months deserted; it is not improbable, however, that our bragging foes will represent the capture as very important, and the cotton scoured as immense.
While occupying these post, which are opposite to one another and completely commands the entrance, the worthy commandants engaged in a dispute on regard to the relative strength of their batteries, and I am credibly informed an artillery duel ensued between them, one officer retiring from the dispute and opening fire upon his learn that the battery commanded by a Colonel whose name is familiar throughout the Confederate States, returned the fire and soon compelled his antagonist to hoist the whits flag.
Most fortunately no man was injured, though the epaulment of one battery was considerably damaged.
Nothing new has transpired in our neighborhood.
The Yankees are quiet, but not idle, I am assured, and on the other hand our works are being placed in good order and completed, as many of them are with bombproof shelters for the man, leaving only a few gunners exposed at a time to the fire of the enemy.
The guns now ready to bear upon any fleet that may come up against Fort Jackson are sufficient to cope with the force that the Yankees can command.
Towards the relief of Fort Pulaski nothing has been done.
I learn by a letter, that in Richmond it is believed that Savannah will fall.
You are aware of my opinion, such as it is worth.
I do not think it can be taken at present by the Lincolnites, unless some very fortuitous chance should intervene.
As long as we have an enemy intently watching our movements and ready to avail himself of any moment of weakness or relaxed vigilance, we are not altogether safe; but with our means well disposed as they are, we have no great cause of alarm.
Should the enemy make the trial, be assured it will be a hard-fought fight and a desperate struggle.
In my last letter I mentioned what was here regarded as the probable means by which the Yankees hoped to be able to reduce Fort Jackson and open the way to the city of Savannah and the possession of the two millions of bales of cotton which the Herald has promised to the starving work, people of France, in reward for two months of patient endurance.
Wonderful magnanimity of the squint-eyed oracle of New York vagabonds, to promise the property of foes not yet in the ranch of Federal arms!
In that letter I described the island on which the Federals would dexter act a battery as Alvarado Island.
I was misinformed of the name, through the misapprehension of my informant.--It should have been Elba Island.
The facts remain as I there described them, although I must add that the opinion is general that they have already commenced work on that position.
Next month is a warm month in this latitude, and, if the winter does not ‘"linger too long in the lap of spring,"’ an exceedingly uncomfortable one for the occupants of our islands and marshes.
The impression prevails that they will not be able to hold their present positions during our summer, but I think it is an error.
Had we a foe to deal with who regarded the life of his merfas of any consequence, it might be otherwise but the reckless disregard which has characterized the Yankees, compel me to think they will permit the decimation of their force by all the diseases incident to our low coast and warm climate before abandoning the islands.
They have spent much money and incalculable labor in improving the harbor of Port Royal, and the port of Hilton Head; for it merits the name of a port, if we take into consideration the number of ships constantly under its protection, and the many improvements which energetic Yankees have improvised: such as railways, quays, and causeways, across the extensive marshes between the island and the main land, or, rather, other islands, closer to the main.
The railroad must have proven of great to them, as it enabled a rapid movement to be made from one end of the island to the other, from which Pulaski can plainly be discerned, and the embarkation for a very short voyage to the coast of Georgia below, at any point they might design to attack.
It is not to be supposed that all this would have been projected for the purpose of being abandoned when the climate and position and other contingent disadvantages could have been most readily calculated before.
No, they may suffer, they may die of disease, but new sacrifices will be kept constantly on the altar of the fell destroyer which seeks its victims among the strangers who may come within his domain; it may cripple his resources so much as to prevent any active measure against us; it may allow us the coveted chance to strike a blow at them, but no more.
I trust that much good may result from our approaching summer to us.
On Saturday last twenty-one sail of Yankee ships were laying off Warsaw.
On Sunday morning only five were there when the sun rose and disclosed to view the expanse of water in the sound.
During the night the remaining sixteen quietly slipped their cables and were off to no one knows where nor can conjecture be of any avail.
It is not very probable that they have gone for, and they may yet turn up in the neighborhood of Brunswick and the Jalands of St. Simons and Jekyl, which were abandoned.
The necessity of guarding their movements against rebel curiosity leads me to think that it is some such expedition against our coast, not very to ridable, nor designed as any other than a foray to harass us.
This day the assembling of the militia of the city of Savannah and Chatham county took place, in accordance with the proclamation of Governor Brown, and about two thousand men appeared on the parade around, and were called upon to volunteer.
The turn-out was very general-indeed, I saw among the number many Englishmen, who could not be subjected to the draft, and conspicuous among them the British Vice-Consul.
The trepidation which precedes a dreaded day probably never was more general than on this occasion, and all who were liable presented themselves, fearing the threat which the Governor held out of a draft of all absentees.
On the parade ground, out of the large number, when those exempted were ordered to step in advance, I cannot exaggerate when I say three-fourths came forward; all had excuses to plead — some by reason of disease, others of physical inability, furloughs, commissions, and other causes, were exempted.
From the remainder, when the volunteers were called for, one-half dozen stepped forward, and with a company already volunteered and received made sixty-six men out of the quota of two hundred and fifteen.
The remainder will be drafted, if the number is not made up by volunteers in the meantime
During the day all the employees of Government ceased their work, however necessary it might have been, and when all the resources of the mechanics are taxed to the utmost.
Gov. Brown has issued his proclamation, (these are stirring times, when proclamations are the principal contents of the moving news,) closing up all distilleries and imposing a penalty, or rather tax, upon all liquor distilled after the 15th of April. This is a good move at a time when it is needed, and the Gov, will not be quarrelled with; but I fear nine thousand soldiers, his up-country supporters, will fall to vote for him for a third term; it will kill his popularity.
Salt is better, and the soldier felt comparatively little interest in it; but whiskey — that is a different thing, and not easily got over.
I think your correspondent will have to lay in his supplied or be excluded forever from its use, as the order will be rigidly enforced, as it ought.
I should be much gratified once more to visit Richmond; but the time will arrive when I shall see you all freed from the fear of Yankee arms, and once more enjoying every man his rest under his fig-true.
