New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-01-21
Orleans s.aiIp Crescent.
mis- DgTIoN no roRr PIKE,


alsles al npe, ysfitteil hy file gihsmefing Of small
1afai, ali lie brsns Ell cannon and not intended
sor ss.l,iic gaze hava thought Ton ght#like to-
have hrei ssnopaiso Of cur dcings at this fortress
since Tie capture Of il.
Natsi outstanding ilany Of your readers. indeed
allsSf teBl, are familiar with the name of Fort
Pike and its locality, yet tho mass Of the public
might IKE 10 know some Of its fninai@ which has
corae u MY knowledge. The erection Of ths fort
WAS commenced in 1878, under the superintena-#
cnce and direction Of Lieut.. Cilase Of the g, = En-
Fspeer erps, and completed " him II 1924 at a
cost III slie Government of $685. oG6. This Isl the
same efiinef who ID now Major Chase Of FLORIDA.
and QUO whom HE Black Republican perjurers can
4ioh cfilsiaaiid But must dread Just retihuton
ssffs is;s aaias should they sttein9t oeeTeion Of
faftilial nisizsns to tlssr fanati5si treaoheE
Iile fort sFas Originally ntssided to fount fifty
ggtIlss But III he sGtoa Of the barheste battery.
ahe space occupied in constructing the traverse
circles caTSaat the number two leaving fort ca
psagsie III mounting eifeieatly for active service
gNgis Its present armament consists Of
flse following BarBette battery, fifteen 4peand7
ers thirteen long 81 pounder5 in oasemate on
water front, anu nise 24pouud howitzers in case
mate Cd Hand front. The barbette battery is eapa-
alle of mounting thirteen more guns. The pieces
Hanned are all ii odorder, and I'll for inamediate
aefsiee with very little iabsr-haEing been unused
for 40 long time, they are somewhat st and stub
born, bur By a little eoaxing from willing hearts
ana determined hands, they are easily managed.
To-day naen, detailed for that duty, put in per
fest order a suihcieas number Of the pieces our
water 'front.' To weic0ne friend OF foe; and although
the lattcr would receive appropriately warm re-
ception. Determined to come, vet the former
Eoufa ba most welcome.
til te FORT is u two-sory citadel, the first story of
which was erected by Lieut.. Chase at the time Of
h BATTLING I'll I foFt and is bomb. proof. The second
story was erectad IN 1850, under the superntend-
Gree BIZ Tiet. II. I'll. Smith, of the III. S. Engineer
corps, and since deceased. This story ID q finely
finished building, comprising three large rooms as
comfortable Ii the most fashionable dwelling in
your city, though anfarnishsd. Hare are our sleep
ing quarters.
The outer works Of Fort Pike are as perfect as
tIaa fart itself aad require hard battering to de-
slruYs the avenues and passages leading to the
ORA bridge are safeguards from any attack save
thst sf she'll and If evacuated, the enemy would
only enter to encounter the more formidable one
of a triangular battery, from which they could
scarcely escape YeE can therefore readily mag
ine RoN foualy some Of the present occupants
FFeres on entering the main passage, to know how
I they would b met. Fortunately there was no re-
i sistance, the authority by which our commander
msas clothed being that Of the Governor of our
State was deemed sufficient By the gallant officer,
Major Boswo rtl, to surrender, knowing full well
resistance TO such authority would be only fu-
# tlla, and could result only ia an immediate rein
\ foFcsIasnt to capture hy force. which could only
terminate III blood which once shed, the flowing
thereof ng gilt mot ba easily stopped
Having thus peaceably gained possession Of this
Strong fertilization, it may interest you to know
st3zhethiag of doinga in quarters, and in reat-
tao aotaal manner Of their occurrence,
falsh ene Of the namber) hope it may not
y heldeenisa egctiAtical To state stubborn facts.
ter entering the fort the first and truly mpor-
tals duties belonged to the Quartermaster's de
This office was filled BY Sergeant Aaron
Iavs VINO was authorized to detail all of the com
parE mounting guard for police duty. The
aiacFt ana spirit sith which the stores landed at
Ae wharf, were rolled and carried TO the store
rooms distance of no yards. would have aston
ished, any one well acquainted with the werkmen.
NEXT came Tie preparation for sleep. In the first
story of the citadel some cots and iron bedsteads
sFers found. some of which were quickly carried
70 the second story, and mattresses being put
Thereon. blankets we're brought into requisition.
Some of The men, however, preferred the neat,
elaan door and fatoo vas not needed to beat to
quarters that night for Morpheus had nsurped all
tse garrison the Vgilant guard nonntedfor
the might,
Ifseeiae sounded at day breaking next morning,
and challenging ba The septinels having ceased,
Y0n Inight Eea coming forth men 10 prepare their
toiet TTior h breakfast call. Morning robes were
alllifsly aiapensed With servants were not an |
mayed by the ringing of bells: but each man
comes fortA sinipIy ats0ld Jordan's call, armed
With 4 new lin basin, yard and b half Of brown
crash toagellg fresh cut from the piece, and three
inesgAa square ef Robson, Wathfell & co.. 4. ex
,8 d Orleans manufacture; and enter |
jng most spacious 5asIroora, comprising the |
RiasguiaE parade ground inside the fort, clothed
Mi the richest Of natures drapery, just finished
hJs her mpasable artistic, Aurora a reseryoir
81 vat confainiug 81 900 gallons, in one angle,
IL auckiy brought into 5reauisition. Addition
performed the hair requires dressing but in
tsse hurry 81 departure combs and brushes have
bsen forgotten by many who had charge OF pack
ias hagg 60, and the inherent antipathy Of all
southeraers to an unnatural amalgamation of
Races, prevents In these instances the usual camp
pFoHers Of aiyility, hence many disciple of Mo
rem appears with smiling face, hut hair rather
more Jsssizse than usual Toilet being concluded
and Tie appetite somewhat sharpened BY the
hraeing Lake breezes, the men divided into three
Tlesses, md anSiousiy awaited breakfast call.
Feasstsg treRchei' soon reEerherated through
the eehoing gnn-houses and Immediately was
seen THE smiling countenance Of Qaartermaster
Davis, Acting Goninissary, who, ably assisted by
private prendergaat dispensed rations to the fol
lowing rnesses:
SgRGE ANTS Mess No. L. Orderly Sergeant, d.
AzcE arland, Second Sergeant s. G. Risk, Third |
Sergeant Aaron Davis; Surgeon Alfred Donnaud
PgiEatea, 5ohn MeDobnei G. w. 9Lytle, Emanuel
Blessy a. BDzant, sRabt. Glennon Guests p. W. |
p Macken and Robert Oliver,
PElIcAS MESS No. as-Gorpora1 Peter Forshee
PgisateB d. Prendergast Richard Wade, o. Bates,
Kenafd pearie, 4. A, Jones, George Esterbrook,
i y 3. Bsals, Henry Warner, W. 81 Hodgkins. Jr.
Guests, John o. Smith, Major T. bf noIaIl.
foRT pIEE kfEss No. 33.--priFates NJ. Waters. b.
+ ls Figghs, John siemnier, w. p, Flanders, 4. o.
lssuglllln, John 4. Kearney, George W. Phillips,
Jacob Kittredge.
The above comprised the file of our CORPS. In L
addition, We had the
ogrIeEas' MESS Capt; George Clark, lat Lieut.
4 "A. IN Merriam, "a. Lieut.. ". r.. Hodgkins, Major
Hooper; Guest Denfnan
8usfofass' Mess ordanzB. Noble, drummer
fred o. Langan, lat ffer; John Fletcher, I'd lfer
10 describe the rations served oatfor the Grst
day, knoa of no better way than to give our bin
Y of fare