The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-11 00:00:00

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island with its guns it is not possible for the Con•
federates to effect a lodgment. If Fort M'Rae
were strong and heavily armed, it could inflict
great damage on Pickens; but it is neither one nor
the other, and the United States' officers are con-
fident that they will speedily render it quite un-
tenable. The beaches a feu of the fort may be put
down at 40, including the available pieces in the
casemates, which sweep the ditch and the faces of ,
the curtains. The walls are of the hardest brick, of
nine feet thickness in many places, and the crest of
the parapets on which the merlons and traverses
rest are of turf. From the walls there is a splendid
view of the whole position, and I found my com-
panions were perfectly well acquainted with the
strength and locus of the greater part of the enemy's
werlss. Of course I held my peace, but I was amused
at their accuracy. " Thera are the quarters of our
friend, Gen. Bragg." "There. is one of their best
batteries just beside the HO) thouse:: The tall
chimney of the Warrington Navyeyard was smoking
away lustily, The Colonel called myatttention to
it. "Do you see that, sir ? They are casting shot
there. The sole reason for their ' forbearance' is
that navy-yard. They know:well that if they open
a gun upon us we will lay that yard and all the
work in ruins." Capt. Vogdes subsequently ex-
pressed some uneasiness on a point as to which I
could have relieved his mind very effectually. He
had seen something which led him to apprehend
that the Confederates had a strong entrenched camp
in the rear of the:ir works. Thereupon I was en-
abled to perceive that in Capt. Vodges' mind there
was a strong intention to land, and carry the
enemy's position. Why, otherwise, did You care
about atLentrenched camp, Most etcellent engi-
neer ? But now I may tell you that there is no
intrenched camp at all, and that your vigilant eye,
sir, merely detected certain very absurd little fur-
rows which the Confederates have in some places
thrown up in the soft sand in front of their camps,
which would cover a man.up to the knee or stomach,
and are quite useless as a breastwork. If they
thought a landing probable, it is unpardonable in
them to neglect such a protection. These furrows
are quite straight, and even if they are deepened the
assailants have merely to march round them, as they
extend for some only 40 to 50 yards, and have no
flanks. The officers of the garrison are aware the
enemy have mortar batteries, but they think the
inside of the fort will not be easily hit, and they
said nothing to show that they were acquainted
with the position of the mortars.
From the parapet we descended by a staircase
into the casemates. The Confederates are greatly
deceived in their expectation that the United
States' soldiers will be much exposed to sun or heat
in Pickens. More airy, well ventilated quarters
cannot be imagined, and there is quite light enough
to enable the men to read in most of •them. The
plague of flies will infest both armies, and is the
curse of every camp in summer. As to mosquitoes,
the Confederates will probably suffer, if not more,
at least as much as the States' troops. The effect of
other tormentors, such as yellow fever and dysen-
tery, will be in all probability impartially felt on
both sides ; but, unless the position of the fort is
peculiarly unhealthy, the men, who are under no
control in respeot to their libations, will probably
suffer more than those who are restrained by disci-
pline and restricted to a regular allowance. Water
can always be had by digging, and is fit for use if
drunk immediately. Vegetables and fresh provi-
sions are not of course so easily had as on shore,
but there is a scarcity of them in both camps, and
the supplies from the storeships are very good and
certain. The bread baked by the garrison is ex-
cellent, as I had an opportunity of ascertaining, for
I carried off two loaves from the bakehouse on
board our schooner. Our walk through the case-
mates was very interesting. They were crowded
with men, most of whom were reading. They were
quiet, orderly looking-soldiers--a mixture of old
and young—scarcely equal in stature to their oppo-
nents, but more to be depended upon I should
think in a long struggle. Everything seemed well
arranged. Those men who were in their beds had
mosquito curtains drawn, and were reading or
sleeping at their ease. In the casemates used as an
hospital there were only 12 men sick out of the
whole garrison, and I was much struck by the ab-
sense of any foul smell and by the cleanliness and
neatness of all the arrangements. The Colonel
spoke to each of the men kindly, and they appeared
glad to see him. The dispensary was as Neat as care
and elbow grease could make it, and next door to it,
in strange juxtaposition, was the laboratory for the
manufactory of fuses and deadly implements, in
equally good order. Everything is ready for im-
mediate service. lam inclined to think it will be
' eauredlaz—ifstho

enemy attack Fort Pickens they will meet with a
resistance which will probably end in the entire
destruction of the Navy-yard and of the greater
part of their works. A week's delay will enable
Col. Brown to make good some grave defects ; but
delay is of more advantage to his enemy than it is
to him, and if Fort Pickens were made at once the
point d'appui for a vigorous offensive movement by
the fleet and by a land force' I have very little
doubt in my mind that Pensacola must fall, and that
General Bragg would be obliged to retire. In a few
weeks the attitude of affairs may be very different.
The railroad is open to General Bragg, and he can
place himself in a much stronger attitude than he
now occupies.
At last the time came for me to leave. The Colonel
and Captain Berry came down to the beach with
me. Outside we found Captain Vogaes kindly
keeping my friends in conversation and in liquid
supplies in the shade of the bakehouse shed, and
after a little more pleasant conversation, we were
afloat once more. Probably no living man was ever
permitted to visit the camps of two enemies within
sight of each other before this under similar cir--
curastances, for I was neither spy nor herald, and I
owe my best thanks to those who trusted me• on
both sides so freely and so honourably. A gentle-
man who preceded me did not fare quite so well.
He landed on the .island and went up to the Fort,
where he represented himself as the correspondent
of an American journal. But his account of himself
was not deemed satisfactory. He was sent off to
the fleet. Presently there came over n flag of truce
from General Bragg, with a warrant sigrred by a
Justice of the Peace, for the correspondent on a
charge of felony; but the writ did not run in Fort
Pickens. The officers regarded the message as a
clever ruse to get back a spy, and the correspondent
is still in durance vile or in safety, as the case may
be, on board the squadron.
All sails filled, the Diana stool up towards the
Navy-yard once more in the glare of the setting
sun. The sentinels along the battery and beach
glared at us with surprise as the schooner, with her
flag of truce still flying, ran past them. The pier was
swept with the glass for the Mobile gentlemen; they
were not visible. " Halloa! Mr. Captain, what's that
you're at Po His mate was waving the Confederate
flag from the deck—" It's only a signal, Sir, to the
gentlemen en shore." " Wave some other flag,
then, while there's a flag of truce flying, and while
we are in these waters. After backing and filling
for some time the party were descried in the dis-
tance. Again, the watery skiff was sent off, and in
a few minutes they were permitted, thanks to their
passes, to come off. Some confidential person had
informed them the attack was certainly coming off
in a very short time. They were anxious to stay.
They had seen friends at Pensacola, and were full
of praises of " the quaint old Spanish settlement,"
but mine is, unfortunately, not an excursion of plea-
sure, and it was imperative that I should not waste
time. Everything had been seen that was necessary
for my purpose. It was beyond my power to state
the reasons which led me think no fight would take
place, for doing so would have been to betray con-
fidence. And so we parted company—they to feast
their eyes on a bombardment—and if they only are
near enough to see it they will heartly regret their
curiosity, or lam mistaken—and we to return to
Mobile.
It was dark before the Diana was well dowato
I;oeffa
Fort Pickens again, and, as she passed
iouto
have
between it and Fort M'ltae, it was certain y t
been expected that brie side or other wo
-un his clipper
to. Certainly our friend Mr. Br.oew Id bring her
Oriental would overhaul us outside,- for there lay a
for the gal-
friendly bottle in a nest of
gnhat andstr
strong
ni into of
from
tohme
lant sailor who was to ta.kediacreewell of us according
to promise. Out we glide
cool sea breeze, which blew ifnretoshnai
the north. In the distance
.the. black form of the
Powhattan could be just distinguished ; the rest
of ,the squadron could not be made out by either
eye or glass, nor was the schooner in sight. A
lantern was hoisted by my orders, and was kept
aft for some time after the schooner was clear of the
forts. Still no schooner. The wind was not very
favourable for running towards the Powhattan, and
it was too late to approach her
Besides
perfect confi-
dence from the enemy's side. es, it was late ;
time pressed. The Oriental was surely lying off
somewhere to the westward, and the word was
given to make all sail, and soon the Diana was
bowling along shore, where the seat ta man meltedcould,
away in
a fiery line of foam so close to us h
in nautical phrase, " shy a biseuita" onthecsand.
The wind was abeam, andthe Diana seemed to
breathe it through her sails, and flew along at an