From Norfolk.
more negroes Stolen — Yankee Hypocrisy — activity at Fort Monroe--flags of truce — death of Dr. Mat. Waller and Dr. Dashtell--ival companies — receipts from a charitable concert.[special correspondence of the Dispatch.]
Norfolk, Va., Oct. 15th, 1861.
The Yankees are still depredating within our borders.
Since they cannot win battles, they endeavor to make up for it in stealing.--Their contraband dodge on the negro question is too mean a sophism for a London prig, in whose category stealing is stealing.
On Sunday night party of negroes, some eight or more in number, two of them the property of P. S. Hancock, Esq., of Norfolk county, and the others belonging to R. H. Wilkins, Esq., of the same county, made their disappearance.
As an old seine-boat belonging to Major W. E. Taylor, at his fishery at Willoughby spit, was missing at the same time, there is no doubt that some prowling emissaries have coaxed the slaves by water conveyance into the enemy's hole, where I suppose the Lincolnites will get all the work out of them they can.
Five more are believed to have gone off last night.
One is owned by Col. Samuel Watts, of Portsmouth, two by Maj. Wm. E. E. Taylor, of Norfolk, and two belong to Messrs. Ironmonger and Williams, of Norfolk county.
There is nothing more irritating to the people of this neighborhood than the taking of their negroes under the miserable pretexts used by the Federals to cover up the true character of their thefts.
If our enemy openly acknowledged these acts as acts of plunder, and held or took the negroes above-board as spoils of war, we could-stand it much better than we can their devilish whine about philanthropy, and their blasphemous misuse of the ever-to-be-held-sacred law of nations.
"The wicked's' caitiff on the ground
May seem as shy, as grave, as just,
As absolute as Angelo."
These Puritans are an ‘"outward sainted"’ crew.
Inwardly, they come up to the Gospel mark of the Scribes and Pharisees--‘"ravening wolves."’
An unusual activity appears to prevail among the Federals at Fort Monroe.
Their transports seem to be preparing for the movements of large bodies of troops so ewhither; but no one can divine where they will make their earliest manifestation.
Some think Hatteras, some Brunswick, some Norfolk.--The apprehension that Norfolk may be the point has stirred up a little excitement on the pavements, as some give the idea ready credence.
We must do our best if they should come.
A large Federal steamer anchored in the Roads yesterday afternoon.
It is thought to be the Powhatan.
The fleet is growing bigger in these waters.
We have now almost daily a flag of truce between our forces and the enemy's. The occurrence has got to be so customary that it excites but little public attention.
It is only when some important movement is going on under the white flag that there is anything like a sensation in the community.
I am sorry to record the death of Dr. Mat. P. Waller, an accomplished gentleman of our city.
Dr. W. was of the old Waller stock of Williamsburg and that region, and married a daughter of the late Ex-Governor Tazewell, to whom he was distantly related.
He had resided among us for a year or two previous to his death, and had won favorable opinions from all his acquaintances.
I also regret to learn of the sudden death in Suffolk, of Dr. Dashiell, who was lately connected with the 16th Regiment of Virginia Volunteers, as Surgeon.
It has occasioned much sadness.
An epistolary contest appears on the columns of the Norfolk Day Book, Captain E. Burroughs, the active commander of the Chesapeake Light Cavalry, maintains the claim of members of his company and others, whom he names to be the rightful captors of the crew of the United States transport schr. Orion, lately wrecked on our coast, and is not disposed to allow it to Capt. Fentress, and the Princess Anne cavalry.
Both these vigilant companies of cavalry are from the same vicinity, and I have no doubt they will act with a spirit of emulation in their hostile acts against the common foe. A number of deeds of high daring by the members of both companies have already been mentioned in the Norfolk papers.
The Ladies' Aid Society have receipted for the sum of $340.75, as the net proceeds of the concert of the Beauregard's and Huger's Artillery last month, given for the benefit of the families of the volunteers.
Their's is a noble mission. 