The Daily Dispatch: October 10, 1861., [Electronic resource]

From the Potomac.

Hampton's Legion--an Experiment on the enemy — a short engagement--‘"Nobody Hurt"’--camp incidents, &c.

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[Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.]

Camp Conner, Hampton's Legion,
Army of the Potomac, Oct. 7, 1861.

Since I last wrote you we have advanced considerably towards the enemy — to what precise point I will not inform you, though I think the Lincolnites could, as they give it a much wider berth in passing. Suffice it to say, that we built, working day and night, a battery in double- quick time, and that one bright and beautiful morning last week the ‘"Stars and Bars"’ waved free and fearlessly from a jutting point of the Potomac, where little dreamed the foe the night before a Southerner was nigh. Several war steamers and innumerable small sails were heaving around, and immediately opened upon our (then) little battery of three guns--two 12-pounders, rifled, of the Legion, and one thirty-two. The compliment was not returned by Capt. Lee until the eighth shell fell around us, when we replied slowly and deliberately,--our guns, especially the 12-pounders made in Richmond, surpassing the expectation of the officers, compelling the Yankee vessel to withdraw entirely out of range in about half an hour's firing. However, with heavier mortars, they kept up an irregular cannonade for two days, but without doing the slightest injury to anybody or anything. Col. Hampton, while riding up to the battery, had himself and horse covered with dust by the explosion of a bomb in a few feet of him. This little affair was only what our boys, who spent the winter around Fort Sumter, call a ‘"sky-rocket on the beach;"’ but bearings and design may be made manifest ere long — nor was it without immediate effect. The Colonel, on dress parade, commended in high terms the conduct of his command — the artillery for their steady aim and successful fire, which had closed the Potomac to the enemy here; the infantry for their cheerful and vigorous aid in the trenches, and their readiness and anxiety to meet the probable landing of the enemy, and to the cavalry for their faithful vigils in guarding the camp in the silent hourse of night, resulting in the capture of several prisoners.

Having bivouacked nearly a week on the banks of the lovely river, in hope that the enemy might be tempted to land and offer battle, and finding that they had no such idea, we have returned to camp. The weather is cool and bracing, and, I am gratified to add, the health of our Legion has greatly improved; our ranks are full again; all are anxious to be moving on. The most dispiriting news which has ever reached our camp, is that we may probably go into winter quarters on this side the Potomac — than which nothing could be more disappointing and dissatisfactory to the Southern soldiers, if all may be judged by the spirit pervading this portion of the army. With unmurmuring patience they have endured the diseases that have decimated their numbers, and all the privations and wants of a first campaign, and now that a benign Providence has rebuked the disease, and health and vigor again returned to our ranks, they cannot appreciate the policy which would keep 250,000 Southern men — a number sufficient to do almost anything — enclosed in ice and snow five or six months to defend Virginia alone.--We have always had the utmost confidence in our Generals; but if our inactivity here shall encourage the North to invade the Cotton States, (as it will,) when frost shall have made it safe to land along our coast, and if the spring campaign should find us doing over all that has been — when a brilliant, simultaneous movement into Maryland, and thence into. Washington, and Baltimore, would secure our recognition abroad, and enable us to eat New Year's dinner in peace at home — we will begin to think that somebody somewhere is not the ‘"right man in the right place." ’

Capt. Span's company, (German,) from Charleston, has joined us, and is really one of the best drilled companies I have seen.--That city will have no cause to be ashamed of her adopted sons. The South Carolina Zouaves will be on shortly, when the infantry portion of the Legion will consist of nine corps, the cavalry four, while the artillery has increased to upwards of 175 members.

Two nights since, when we were all just wrapped in the ‘"airy folds of tired Nature's sweet restorer,"’ the captains of companies passed round, and putting their heads into every tent, told us to look to our guns, and be ready to form and march at a moment's notice — a deserter, or spy, having come in to Gen. Whiting, stating that the enemy would that night land and attack us; but having good faith in our pickets, and very little in the courage of the Lincolnites, we simply groaned, and, turning over, were soon asleep again.

Last evening a lady, accompanied by a gentlemen, finely dressed and handsomely mounted, rode into our lines, and directly to headquarters, attracting, of course, a great deal of attention from our gallant youths, who were amazed at the appearance of a lady away down among these swamps and forests. What was the object of the visit, which was very short, no one, save the staff, may know.

Jasper.