Attack on our pickets — affairs on the Peninsula.
[correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.] White House, (on the Pamunkey,) December 6th, 1862
About 11 o'clock last night a courier arrived here from our forces below this place, stating that an Abolition force of about three hundred, from Williamsburg, had attacked our pickets, twenty-eight in number, near Barhamsville, killing or capturing all but one, who got into camp safe and made the above statement, and that the enemy were still advancing.
As the reports of the pickets are not always to be relied on, it is more than probable that more of our pickets will return to camp.
Our forces advanced to meet the ‘"Hessians,"’ and of course we have no fears for the result.
The enemy, it seems, are trying to get to the York River Railroad and bar it up; but they will have a lively time before, they reach it. Some days since the notorious traitor, Lemuel J. Bowden, left Williamsburg, went to Washington, and complained that the military commander of the ‘"Old Burg"’ was too lenient to our citizens, and that he ought to be removed.
On his return, he was walking quietly down the street, consoles of having accomplished his ends, when some Yankees fell to and gave him such a handsome drubbing that it is thought he will, as of old, have to keep his house for several weeks.
A few weeks since a steamer arrived in Pungoteague creek, in Accomac, Va., from the Eastern shore of Maryland, with troops to be landed there, to keep the Virginians down and guard the two counties on that side the Chesapeake; but, lo and behold!
the Marylanders refused to go on shore, stating ‘"that they would not fight against Virginia, and that they had only been enrolled as a home guard."’ The commander of the steamer could neither persuade nor force them ashore, so he had to telegraph to Fortress Monroe to know what to do. After waiting two days, a steam tug was dispatched from Old Point with orders to scald them ashore, which order was executed by running the tug along-side the steamboat, and, through pipes, throwing boiling water on the poor soldiers.
So, I suppose, when they are ordered into action, one of Lincoln's machines will be brought on the field to force them to fight.
Yesterday some of a gang of Irish laborers, sent here by our Government to put a raft of lumber on the cars, broke into one of the cabins of Gen. Lee's old servants and stole several pairs of pants and coats which the poor creatures had picked up and saved to keep them from freezing this winter.--Lieut. Delrick, who is on duty here, arrested the scamps and made them disgorge, and restored the clothes to the slaves.
It would have done your heart good to have heard their thanks, and seen their countenances brighten up as each article was restored.
One old darkey remarked, Ah, what a great thing it is to be a Virginny gentleman.
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A few words and I must close.
It is a practice in this and the adjoining counties for agents, or pretended agents, of the Government to take from the slaves even the last suit of Yankee clothes, to be kept or returned to the Government.
Now, whilst the true and loyal citizens here do not object to the taking of goods where they have been secreted in large quantities, yet they justly complain of taking the last and only suit from their faithful slaves that refused to leave with the Yankees.
Indeed, if this course is not stopped by the Government, many slaves must perish.
An estimable lady near this place, who lost several slaves, told me a few evenings since that she could not get clothes for her slaves, and if those they had picked up where they were thrown away were taken, she feared the consequences.
Accomack. 