From Norfolk.
the weather — the health of Gen. Scott--Major Wm. Lamb--parade — death.[special Correspondence of the Dispatch.]
Norfolk, Oct. 3d, 1861.
There is nothing of very special importance to-day to communicate from the seaport cities of Virginia.
Suppose I give you something more about the state of the atmosphere, with respect to heat, cold, dryness, moisture, rain, and wind.
Well, about the weather — how heavily it rained last night.
The clouds were very dark, and the water poured into the cisterns, made rivulets in the streets, and went dashing and splashing over the wharves.
And now, at 9.30, the chasing beams of the King of Day are driving off the vapory masses, which are hurrying away to the south ward, leaving. ‘ "The spacious firmament on high, With all the bine, 8th real sky,"
’ to be again an object of admiration and beauty, for those who can venture to look upwards for a while, lifting their eyes from the sordid dust of the earth. But there are some here, as well as in all other places, who, like the man that in boy hood found a piece of gold, always keep their eyes intently fixed upon the ground on which they are permitted to walk, for the purpose of gathering up and hoarding for some future spendthrift, the shining dust; while the transporting glories of the upper world that thrill with delight the hearts of the pure and good, are neglected and unseen. It has been stated here by a passenger who arrived in one of the steamers bearing a flag of truce, that Gen. Scott's health is exceedingly feeble, and it is believed that he cannot live much longer. Had that vain and presumptuous old enemy to the South, and especially to his native State, given his influence in behalf of truth, honor, and justice, or even quietly retired from the strife, he might have gone to his grave with all the honor due to his merits as a soldier — greatly overrated as they have been. In April, 1850, our city was visited by "the hero of Lundy's Lane," as Scott was called. He did not attract a large crowd. There seemed, indeed, but little curiosity to see the tall, fat, old General. A salute, however, was fired on his arrival, and he was escorted to his rooms by some of the volunteer companies. Major Wm. Lamb, of our city, having been appointed Brigadier-Quartermaster, by President Davis, has commenced arrangements for the discharge of his additional army duties. It is a coincidence worthy of note, that Richard Lamb, of Va., the great-grandfather of Major Lamb, was a Quarter-master in the Continental army, in the American Revolution. During the discharge of his duties in that capacity he generously expended the most of his private fortune in furnishing transportation for the supplies that were so necessary for the safety and efficiency of the patriotic army in the South, that fought so gallantly for liberty and freedom, to be abused and destroyed by a set of paritanic fanatics of the North. It is also a somewhat remarkable coincidence that the late Wm. B. Lamb, the father of the present excellent Mayor of our city, was Mayor of the borough of Norfolk during the last war with Great Britain, when our port was blockaded by a British fleet.--He was one of the few remaining patriarchs whose foundation of subsequent usefulness was laid in the last century. The Independent Grays, and company F. of this city, are on parade to-day. These two well- drilled companies have just passed through the city, and present a soldierly and warlike appearance. They escorted Major Crutchfield to the depot of the N. & P. Railroad. The grand review of the forces at Pig's Point, which was to take place to-day, is postponed until to-morrow, when a most attractive military display is expected to come off. A steamer will go down with a flag of truce to Old Point to-day, and several persons bound North will be allowed to take passage. Private Keeling, of the Old Dominion Guards, of Portsmouth, aged about eighteen, died yesterday. The remains of the youthful soldier will be carried to-day on the Norfolk and Petersburg Road to Suffolk, where his relatives reside. He was a son of the late John W. Keeling, of that town.
