From The Fleet Off Mobile

U. O. StKAMER KlCKAPOO, 1 OïV MolilI.K, Jauuary 16ili, 1SG5. } Mu Editor j Sinoo my last we have left the Mississippi, eroHsed the far faWoua Üulf, and aro now quiotly tiding at nuclior in the emoolli and placid waters of Mobile BayOír boat was originally buüt lor this point, bat fi'oiu seflil unUnowu cause, ! was dètained np the river uutil a lato day. Not long sinco onr Ca[)"ui;i received orders to procoed hmmediately to New Drltíims to have our boat repaired for action, and a'so made sea-worthy. A gii.il de;il oí lupíiiring was to bedonei especislly to hor engiues, so that we vvero obltged to lay at ihe jrfspeui city a couöideruble lenglh of time, and, as a matter ot enursi,. ihut portion of the city whicb frOi;ts on the i vu beeume quite familinr at least I ttiinfc I ghould know tlie place il ever I fchuuld h;;])pc-n that v,y igaiu. Business seems tü be pïelty brihk, jndgiiig from the number of sliips lying aloi.'g the wharf dispostng of their res pectivo cargos, and others continu'illy arriviug f rum New York and up the river. Tho dooks are completely lined witl; soa-goiug vessels ns far as the eye can roach, with still others lashed-to tliese, beïides tbe river 'm covered with large sloops-of-war lying at anchor. One morning, every thingbeiug ready aud all aboard, the orders caiue to proceed on our journey, aud in high glee we Btartcd ouce more down the Miesissippi, all in expectation of soon hearing the lcuti roar of battio before the foitifieution at Mobile. The river below New Orleans is cousider.ibly broader than that over wbioh I bad previously passed. The nconery aloDg tho banks was beautiful ; being iaterspersed witb mimerous orango groves and tbe njorniug air w.is fragrant with (be lüxurious fhivor of ripe oranges. - ïhe only objeut worthy of Dote are thu largíj sugar milis, which look like gome black and desoíalo castles witb their bare stone walls rising so high above tho Burrouuding buildings. Towarda eveuing wo approaohed quite uoar tbe uiouíh of tho father of waters, as i?e could now very distinctiy gnufl tbe sen breczcs ; and tho high bankg whieh we had become so accustomed to see, Beemed to settlo witb the very water, and DOthiug but rushes and reods could be seen on eithcr side of us. - Right aheíid was the wild blue waters of the Gulf, and near by a lofty ligbthouse throwing out its brigbt rays as, a beacon light to raany a noble ship which kas been toesed to and fro on the raging water. Any oue who bas not seen the Missie&ippi has no idea oí its inraense magnitude. Enlarged and swollen by the uumerous streams flowing into it, it goes treading its way through. the oountry like a hugh snake, uotil it reachss the ocean. Truly, it is the fat her of waters. Not knowiug whero oui1 tender was lying which was to tow us aerosa tha Gulf, (haviug ooiue down some time bo fore us,) wo anchored, By (hing a rook et wo easily ascertained her hearings - Anchor was mmediately irained and we fteamod furthcr out prepariug our vessol as fast as possiblo for sea, sueh as puttiug on batches and battering them down, getting our luige hnw.'er ready for a tow line, &c, &c. In a short time we were aloug side the noble looking pteamer. A Bfliail boat was lowered, the old Kickapoo taken in tow and started on her perilous voyage. Afloat on the Gulf of Mexico in nothing but an iron tub. No narrow stïeHl with its high bauks now like the Mississippi. Land was fast recediug from view. The sea was rollingquite high the whole voyage, but our charming looking boat inounted each suoceeding wave like a thing of life. - Now aud then beiog a little to heavy to ride a fast approachiug wave whrch was some larger th-an the rest, aud 'carne rol. liug aud boiliog towards us, would break Oïor her like a huge anow bank washiug every thing moveable before it, while the beautiful side-wheel teamer, Mobile. glided on ahead ridiug every swell like a sea-binl. Aboard of our own craft tbose on deck were vainly striving to keep u an erect position, almot preferiug to be washed overboard than to go below, while those who were below wero oh 1 as sea Bick, I don't suppose pen could -deB-cnbo their feeüngs I seem to have a faint rcollection mysalf. I don't wish to insinúate that this was the case with all, only a few, beeuuse we of course boast of being old salts. It was a beautiful night, the naoon and stars seemed to shiue as brigbtly as ever, but every thing looked gtrunge. By some mehituiual proeess I mumiged to gct iiHleop and slept vei'y soundly unti-1 nenrly duy light Whcn ï awnke the red giow of raorning was just beginiug to streak the eastern horizon, and on either side of us the sky and water seemed to meet each o'her. Way in our re;ir was still visible a faint gloam ol tlie light-'hoose. Now and then a hito gail or tiiie -black smol.e of a steamcr would come to view, lookuig like a mcfe-speauk as far away. I witoessed ene sad scène áur-ing the voyage which happened aboapá the Mobile, a buried at sea. It was a sad sight indeed to sea the üfeless corpso of Ie j.our suilor so lar IVum lio:ie and Frientf, as it vvus lowered info t!e b r i ■ : y Jeep, with bis huminock served about him, and wrapped round with the stars andstripes the cold waters tlosed over him, aud wo went steadily on ouf vvay, eaeh one roturnittg td his duty s though notbing had happened. The out line of Fort Morgen were now plainlj viseible, but it was a Jong distance yof. About troon wo passod Dalton Island on our 'eft, and in a short time bade farewoü to the rough turbulent waters of the Gulf. ïhe tow line was now loosened, and Tre steamod up to tho fleet as proudly ss though we had rmida tho astonishing voyago witluut aid or ass'S'fiücc. As wo oaruo iuto the I3ay we passed quite near Fort Morgan on our right nnd Fi.rt f ar on our leff, the s'.-enes of tliat terrible strifo whicb. took place u f uw raontl-a sinóe. Tho Fort and also the Tuwer is murked with mniy a deep scar, wbiuh will remain as lasting memorials (f that eventful day. To iinpede the estiancc of our fleet the rebels had drivcn spiles betweert the two Forts, so ihat ia utternptina" to run in thej would have to pass within range of one of the Forts at luajt. It is a mystery how the Uuion fleet ever fougbt their way through so many obstruotions, taking into account the torpedoes and other infernal maohinea which were laid in their path. We proaeeded up the cove a short distance, and anehored oíl a largo Union eamp. Anchor was hardly dropped before the oyster-sloopa were along side wrth their largo cargos of fish aud oysters, and in a few moments our cleac deck's rere covered with the nicest kind of fish, and oyBter shells of every desciiption, with the boys busily eugaged in extricuting the lusurious extras. The encampmeut opposite, consisted of the 20th ïiifiintry, Wisconain, and the ÏBt, 6th, r.ni 7th Michigau Batteries, who aro all vury pleasautly eituated in their winter quarters. I was very muoh surpried one day when ashore at seoing Frank Black bukn and Clinton Burnett, old scboolmates of mine. They were both in fine spirits, and seemed to be enjoying them" se-lves first rate. I sat a long timo chatting with them in their uice little hut, built of reeds und bmall pieces of boards, whioh was made quite comfortable with the assistanee oí a briok fire place. We layed at this ploasant spot for nearly a weck, regaling ourselves with fresh oysters and fish jmt from their native hauute, and waitiug in expeotation of soon haviug a visitfrom the Admiral, but from eoraa unknown cause no Admiral carae. Per order we weighed anchor aud turned our bow in thedirection af Mobile city, which was about twentyfive miles disiant. Aa we approaebed the reoowned stronghold, every ouo crowded im the fore-oastle to get the first view, and ma;y imaginad thej eaw the white houses or obnPuh steeples long ba" firo wo sightod the flet. At last we arrivcd at our d.stiuation all safe and sound, the place for whioh we Btartud so long ago. The aro eis rnon-of-war lying off the blockudo at present, within four or five miles cf the city. Auy one not aequainted vviili the mysteries of Mobile Bay could see nothiug to prevent u from entering the place ut once, but beneath that water which looks so calin aud plaoid, are any number oí obstructions and torpedoes, besides the principie ohanneis are driven with spiles and filled in wilh stones and brick whieh occupied the rebels most of the time gince Fort Morgan was taken to finish. Behind all these obstructions and infii n il machines are their rams and gnnboats, b!a?k look ing taons'.firs, but theso will be uo barriera wlen we ara preparad to make an attack. Mobile is very pleasantly situated at the head of the Bay, I should judge nearly as largo as Aun Arbor. Business is earried on very extensively stilli frotn all apptaranees, as steamers are plying quite lively between tho eity and the many rivera flowing uto the Bay, and despito all the heart-rendiug stories that have been told seem to be enjoying themselves and living as happily as ever. Feanng they would surprise us aome evening unawaro, wo have picket boats out, which approach as near as practica ble and watch the movements of the enemy. A short time sinee a tug which was used as a picket boat had the mis fortune to run against a torpedo a;d was sunk immediately As the water waa very shallo-w eho was got afloat in a few days, nd taken down to the cove. No lives were lost, only two colored men were elightly scalded. I believe flags of truce are vory frequent. Whenever either party wishes an interview, a shot is fired fcy the one wishing it, the white flag hoisted, and they meet half way iu small boats, have a short conflab, perhaps drink each others healtli and thea return agaiu to renew hostilrties. Yesterday a large steamcr came out flying the white flag, and very hoavily laden with cotton whieh sho vvished to exchange fnr clotliing for their prisonors. ïhoy were allowed to come as fr as the iloet, but our own men took chaj-ge of her down the Bay. A great many prisoners havo been exchanged at this poi rit this winter. Desertyre and rcfugees aro very plenty and are increasing every day. A dense fog or w dark niglit enlargcs their uumbers I amaaingly. All are sent to New OrI oans, excepting thoau who preíer to Btay with us. Their lories, like all others, aro the worst that can be depicted. Starvation and tiio unsuccossfiilni-K.-i of their causo is perfectly discouraging thera, aud they would williiigly come back to tho oíd UiAon tf thuy wltb permitteJ, &o., &e. I have heard a great deal of "intelligent contraband newá," and abo havo read considerable, and all are nearly tho saine thing over and over again, con.-e]uontly aro getting rather old. We had tbe good luck to piek up sevsral siuca we uaiiiu bero, both white and black, and aa the reporta of all nearly agreo, Í will dare to intrued on your pa tience by inentioning one or two, dthough my letter is gotting prutty long. Tlie womon and ohüdren are leaving. every day ïu large nuiubeis fur New Orleans and those remuining sre or. their hnds and kncs praying that we will cojie aud takethe place. Tho daüy rationa of soldiers as well as sailors is but threefourtba of a pound of irteat aod onethird of oorn mea!, and whatever thy buy have to pay the highest prioe for imaginable. No doubt if a forcé of 5000 men marched ou the city, twothirds of thein would lay down their arms. The rebel editora pat on as glossy a covering as possible to Sherman's late victory, in order to keep up tbeir drooping spirits. Thoy thiak a reverse now and thea is the best tbing in the world lo unite the South more strongly, besidoa Sa7annah was not of' muoh importnce iu facilitatiug their cause. Lately the rumor hasbeOD onrreut and pretty generally believed, that they were evacuatiiig Mobile, but it turned out to be nothing bu t a rumor. Whatgave rise to tho story was, that all the amuni tion and field pieces thatco-uld be gpared wero shipped and sent up the river to Hood, who had lost nearly overy thing in his late fight with Gen. Thomas. From all accounts the rebels have finished their batteriea at the city to perfection, and also sorao ou the ehore oppoeite us, bceiü'_j3 they have two floatting ones very forniiduble. We havo do idea when an attaek will bo made but think from appearance in a short time. Will probably wait till the land forces come up in order to make an attaek Bimultaueously. You will probably in a month or two hoar of as ia