Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.
Affairs at Jamestown — the recent battle, &c.
Jamestown Batteries, June 13, 1861.
In compliance with your invitation to send you the news, I nibble my pen in order to get together a few ideas, if possible.
Unfortunately, in a wooden shanty like the one in which I write, tormented by flies by day and mosquitoes by night, my ideas are very much like raw recruits.
There is no use in telling them to keep step, preserve their distances, or keep silence in ranks.
They wont hold up their heads or pay attention until I am nearly driven mad by their abominable confusion.
Our companies in high spirits at the news of the attack and defer it of the enemy at Bethel Church.
As yet we cannot know the number of the killed and wounded, but we are sure that our men did their duty bravely.
The guns were heard here several times during the day, and when the boat arrived with dispatches and gave us first the news, no description could be written of the joy and still the sorrow of the men — sorrow because the engagement was not under our own ironmonthed sweethearts.
We are strongly fortified here.
Discretion forbids me to enter into details as regards our works and our strength.
Suffice it to say that we are now a good match for a goodly number of the sons of Belial, and that ere long we can extend the invitation to whom soever wisheth to come.
But among all the troops there is but one Richmond company here, the Henrico Artillery, who are assisting in manning the heavy guns.
The corps is officered by Capt. Johnson H. Sands, 1st Lieutenant W. Winston Fontaine, 2nd Lieutenants Walter H. Robertson and Wm.
E Ritter, Orderly Sergeant H. Lansing Burrows.
They number 91 men, rank and file, and are as determined and brave a set of fellows as can be found.
Our men are spoiling for a fight.
Like the Kilkenny cats, they may turn in and fight themselves if they don't see the enemy.
They saw a Yankee's canteen the other day, he dabbed with mire and blood, and the sight made them almost frantic.
There are reports that we will be attacked soon.
So mote it be. We will do our duty, and trust to Providence for the rest.
Lentram. 