New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-10-21
The Fight at Santa Rosa.

The Fight at Santa Rosa.
INTERESTING
We find the following interesting news Of the
fight on Santa Rosa Island in the Memphis Appeal
of Saturday:
We had visit on Yesterday from Dr. F. G.
Roche, late Surgeon OF the Ninth Mississippi Regi
ment of volunteers at Pensacola, from whom we
learn several items Of intelligence regarding the
Santa Rosa affair, that have not yet found their
way into print. This gentleman was taken prisoner
in the fight Of the 9th inst and with two other sur
geons captured on the sane OCCASION was released
by Col. Brown, commanding at Fort Pickens, upon
his parole of honor not to enter the ranks OF
the Confederate army in Florida again during the
war, nor to divuge anything touching the strength
of the Federal armament which may have come to
his knowledge while prisoner.
DR.. Roche states that the loss of the enemy had
not been ascertained with any degree Of exaetness,
but from what he could learn, the estimate varied
from one hundred and fifty to two hundred men,
including the twenty odd prisoners taken by us.
The amount of property destroyed was also very
great including tents, provisions and equipments
of all kinds In the single article OF pork. he is
confident that as many as nine hundred barrels were
burned. The assault was complete surprise,
despite all statements to the contrary, and was so
regarded by the enemy, as our informant heard
many of the Federal officers at Fort Pickens rdl
cuing it as such, and speaking subsequently in no
very complimentary terms of Billy Wilson's Mill
tary prowess and capacity.
DR.. Roche and his comrades, on the morning
after being captured, were. taken before Colonel
Brown and made the victims of long moral lee
ture on the wickedness of the rebellion in which
they were engaged. The old gentleman-now
aged some three years and ten, and doubtless
his dotagespoke to the prisoners OF the alleged
division of sentiment in the South on the subject
OF the war; and expressed his confidence in the be-
lief that large party in the Confederate States
would rally with guns in hand to the Federal stand
ard so as Lincolns army penetrated the South
The prisoners talked quite freely with him, and at
tempted to reason him ont of his heretica notions
| on this point, but all in vain
| The latest adyices Col. Brown and his brood OF
wharfrats had in reference to the progress of the
| war, dated as far back as the 18th OF september
nearly thirty days old, and he was almost palslet
with astonishment at the news of Gen. Prices trl
umph at Lexington. He insisted that it was tht
| Southern account and was without foundation il
fact but upon being informed that his own SIDE &C
| knowedged defeat was mute with an apparen
look of despondency It will evidently take a tul
| are for such an ignorant Gorilla to become awar
Of the true state of affairs in the country, and
he remains cooped up in Pckens much longer. h
will in all probability not be aroused from III
slumbering stupidity until he hears the thunde
tones of Bragg's artillery.
The New York TriDune's Programme.
Greeley continues to imagine his paper the he
aldc organ of Lincoln, at least we so infer atte
reading one of his war programmes. Here is h
latest pronounced with reference to the ant
cipated operations of the Federalists on the coas
It is taken from late number of the Tribune:
| 1t is understood that Flag Officer Goldsboroug
| expects to have not less than forty ships of til
Atlantic blockading fleet collected in the roat
within the next two weeks. At present we haV
. | six frigates. including the Cumberland, (Which
| ! at Newport News viz: the Minnesota Gtag-shp
the Roanoke, the Sabine. the Congress, the S
Lawrence, the Cumberland, besides the Dale, an
number Of gunboats and supply ships, in all nc
| less than 1926 guns and $500 men. The Wabash
on the coast, and is expected to arrive Of COURSE
the largest number of the expected fleet will
? gunboats, lately purchased and now fitting out
! New York and Philadelphia. lhe destination
this unexamped squadron is of course one OF tn
t secrets almost past finding out, and not to be to-
d when found out. That formidable operations al
! to be undertaken on the southern coast there ca
be no doubt. Inasmach as the late Atlantic bloc
aiding district has been divided by erecting tt
n Southern Atlantic squadron, of which Capt. Dupo
will be the agoflicer, the conclusion is that tt
. ships which, according to report, will congrega
here, will contine their operations this side OF t
t dividing line, which will be the boundary of Nor
n and South Carolina.
= 1t should not be supposed that ALL or even a n
| iority Of the squadron will be employed in spec
', SERVICE for it is doubtless the purpose OF the &c
u ernment to enforce more perfect blockade OF t
- whole coast, which experience has shown 10
> one of the most effective methods of crushing G
=, the rebellion. Still, there are certain cities a
| ports, the moral euectS ol capturing WlliSH Wot
~ be so great that it is fair to be presumed that
III will be undertaken. II there is any one pla
d | which the loyal sense of the land demands shot
az be humbled and made to feel the hand Of the Fl
III eral Government it is Charleston. Its fall woI
a, be the fall of the chief pillar Of the rebellion. L
u. result would be commensurate with the cost, grt
SO as it might be, though it need by no means be
7o great as the rebels think or the government I
been in the habit of concedlng. Supp0slng Il
1S the government intends to concentrate its energ
in an expedition by land and sea against Charl
ton, according to the clearly defined expeetat
and wish of every loyal citizen, we may readily 81
he pose that such policy will be postponed no on
he than considerations Of the season shall dicta
to But the probability of such an undertaking re
IS, not alone on this presumption. There are indl
tions in the movements, doings, and SO 0
nd great and small here and there, now and tn
1r that point directly to such purpose. Grou
together, these indications to the eye of the CT
full observer establish more than probabilit,
rv | they are not even proof positive, Of undertake
in at an early day worthy of our government.
x T. -
Ia TALK ON CHANGE IN MEMPuIS.-We extract
tn following from the Memphis Appeal of the 10th
n O,a'Olf11ge-B Business Nesrs.-But little busiI
lot could be done on Change yesterday for war
lp- material. There was good attendance an
nd great anxiety to do business, but not a sample
or wheat was on the table. The blockade that
he been established north of the city is already Sc
ate ing produce up. On Friday of last week the po
sho " that sales of Eagle Mills flour were nldt
OF SO rs; lot Of 100 barrels of the same brand
The sold yesterday at So An order for second