The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-05-09
The reinforcement of Fort Pickeps.

OF + orr flckenS, mas retuTueu 10 NEW
York. The following is the purser's
statement of how the job. was accom-
plished:
The steamship Atlantic, A. G. Gray,
Esq, commanding, left New York on
Sunday, April 18th, under sealed orders
from the Government. At A. NJ,
discharged pilot, and at 10 A. M.
shaped her course in compliance with
orders. On Monday the 9Th, at 4 p.
M. the wind suddenly shifted and blew
fresh from the southeast, and so con-
tinued until midnight, W hen it increased
to heavy gale. In order to save the
horses, the ship was hove to with her
head southeast. After the gale bad
abated we proceeded on our course for
Key West, having laid to for 36 hours.
We arrived and dropped anchor in
the outer roads at Key West, three
miles from Fort Taylor, at p. M. on
Saturday the 18th, when one of our
boats was sent to Fort Taylor convey
ing Col. Brown and staff, who had pro-
longed interviews with the United
States officers, both military and civil.
At P. NJ. commenced receiving addi-
tional troops, ordinance stores, shells
&c., &C., which were placed on light
err and lowed out to the Atlantic by
the United States steamer Crusader,
Capt Craven. This labor was contin-
ued without cessation until A. M. of
Sunday, the l4th, and at A. M. we
weighed anchor and steered for Tor
tugas, where we anchored close to Fort
Jefferson at 2 p. M. same day. At this
place we took on board more officers,
troops, laborers, howitzers, gun car
riages, materials, &C., and at p. NJ.
was under way for final destination,
which was now known only to Col.
Brown and Capt. Meigs of the army,
and to Capt. Gray of the Atlantic.
Dnring the night and the next day
great curiosity was manifested, and al
though the ships course seemed to in
dictate Fort Pickens, yet it was not un-
til the evening Of Monday, the 18th,
that the secret was disclosed and the
reinforcement of Fort Pickens openly
announced. Up to this time all was
conjecture but now the countenances
of all on board beamed with the knowl-
edge of an approaching event. Activ-
ity and preparation took the place of
supineness and uncertainty, and the
fact that Fort Pickens could be and
should be reinforced was settled that
night.
On Tuesday, the 10th, at 81 P. NJ,
we anchored off Santa Rosa Island,
Fort Pickens being on its western ex-
tremity,) four miles from shore, close
by the frigate Sabine, the flagship of
the squadron, Com. Adams. After
communicating with the Commander
and the Naval Captains present, We
took in tow the boats of the feet, some
twenty in number, and after dark
weighed anchor and stood in shore, all
lights being extinguished, and came to
anchor within mile of Fort Pickens,
and in direct range of the guns of Fort
McRae and the water batteries, and
three-quarters OF q mile from the beach,
in four fathoms of water. At 81 the
first boat pushed off for the beach, with
Col. Brown and Capt. Meigs, who were
first to meet and surprise the intrepid
Slemmer and his command. During
the embarkation of the troops in the
boats, the signal from For: Pickens for
an apprehended attack was made by
sending up rockets. The signal was
repeated, and fastened the operations.
Capt. Wedges and other officers in the
Fort were astonished at the rapidity OF
the reinforcement Before midnight
the majority of officers and soldiers
were safely in the Fort, and although a
heavy surf was running during the
night, no accident of any kind &C.
Cured.
This successful landing took place
three days after the bombardment and
surrender of Fort Sumter, fact well
known on the main land, but not known
at Fort Pickens, nor by the forces
afoat.
Early in the morning of the 18th, the
remaining troops were landed, exeep-
ting the artillerymen of Capt. Barry's
Company, who remained to land with
their horses. At s A. NJ. we again
weighed anchor and stood to the east.
ward, and anchored about 81 miles
from Fort Pickens and half mile from
the beach. This point was selected as
the best place for landing the horses
This difficult work was commenced in
the afternoon, continued during the
night, and finished on the morning Of
the 18th.
The United States steam frigate
Powhatan, commanded by Capt. David
d. Porter, arrived on the afternoon o.
the 18th, and after communicating with
the flagship, took position just aheat
of us in order to cover the future land
ing. In this movement she was fol
lowed by the Brooklyn, Capt. Poor
which anchored under our stern. The
Wyandotte was cruising about; thu
Sabine, St. Louis and Supply being
outside, about three miles distant. The
boats of all the ships of the squadron
were actively engaged in landing
troops and stores, &C., from the nigh
of the 10th until the morning of tht
23d. The Illinois, with reinforcement.
arrived at midnight on Friday the 10th
and her troops were landed the nex'
morning.
Seven of the horses were lost-foul