Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.
the Acquia Creek engagement.
Hastily arming ourselves, we marched down and halted within a half a mile of our battery, which was being bombarded by a Federal steamer, which was said by our gunner, an old marine, and a native of Virginia, formerly employed on her, but more recently in the Navy-Yard at Washington, to be the Pawnee. After the discharge of 15 guns from the enemy and 12 from us of balls and shells, of which our gunner was certain that three were effective--two of them being ricochet shots striking her in the side, and the third, the last, a shell, exploded on her decks, causing a loss, he thinks, of at least a dozen of her men.--She drew off and took to her heels. Only one of our pieces was used. We have others more effective for her another time, but they were not then in proper range.
Our battery a short time before the attack having captured a small schooner, it is thought the object of the Pawnee was retaliation, and to test the range of our guns — none of her shots reached the shore — all of ours were line shots.
We will probably be here some time still.
