Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-10-12
Letter from Pensacola.
Correspondence Mobile Advertiser.J
PESs.ror1 Sunday NIGHT


PENSACOLA Sunday night, Oct. 6.
A deserter from the enemy came over to
the city yesterday. He left them Wednesday.
last, and furnishes US with some information
which, though not important.is. nevertheless
interesting. He is Virginian, native of
Aceomac county; entered the U. 5. Army In
1858. in Capt. Vogdes company OF Artillery,
AMI has been on duty at Fort Piekens since
! April last. He Is, by far. the most intelligent
of any that have yet came over. A carpenter
by trade, he has been on detailed duty nearly
all the time; 6as assisted on the batteries.
! and Of couIss is familiar with their position
and construction. He had long been tired of
| Old Abe's harness. and the first opportunity
Invested himself of the incumbrance The
manner OF his escape Is simply this. Being
employed some days on a battery in constIuc-
ton above the picket lines, it was 40 unusual
thing for bin to pass the sentinels on duty.
Taking advantage of this, on Wednesday he
picked up his hammer and nails and crossed
| the lines fer the works, as was supposed In
stead of stopping he kept up the Island, and
discovering Il little schooner in the Sound,
hailed her, but no attention was paid him by
the skipper, as he thought it ruse to entrap
him: he told me much when bis craft arri-
we'd al the wharf Wednesday. Despairing of
relief while on the Island, be ma de raft and
reached the main land, and after wandering
about for day and night, reached house
where be was supplied with food aud brought
TO Pensacola. He gives US account of the
burning of the schooner some days ago by
the Federalists. The expedition was fitted
cut from the feet. came round Fort Pickens
and passed above the Yard. The result was
highly gratifying to them. He does not re-
collect the name of the commanding Lieu
tenant. but the chief of marines was Lieut..
Reynolds. The enemy lost four killed, and
twelve or fifteen wounded. They represent
Ill Il -l,r,
not solitary soldier killed and but two
wounded The enemy burnt our Dry Dock
or at least thay claim the credit for it.
There are now sixteen hundred men on the
Island; until recently they have been very
careless in watch, but are now wide awake
fearing that we may retaliate for the loss of
the judah; that until within a few days two
companies could have gone over and cut off
Wilson's command which is three miles from
Pickens and ontside the land batteries. The
pickets are now composed of regulars being
unwilling 20 trust Wilson's Zouaves with the
safety of their camps. The enemy have ten
32-pound rife cannon, some of them bearing
directly on special points and objects in the
Navy Yard. They have received accounts of
general engagements, all representing victo-
~ on their side and against great odds. The
officers express the belief that if General Nc
CelIan is defeated before Washington that
not another gun will be fired from their side;
as general thing they want to fight, tired
to death of their isolated position. Their
hospital is filled with sick. The dog Ma
nassas,'' which carried Col. Wilson an ac-
count of the great battle, has become quite
pet with the Colonel and his boys. The
nine marines which deserted our side some
weeks ago were sent North. As an evidence
of the loose watch at that time kept on their
positions, these men found difficulty after
reaching Wilson's camp in making their pre-
sence known, which they did by calling for
the Sergeant of the Guard, who after awhile
came to their position, when they told him of
their desertion and infamy in betraying an
important trust
The weather has again turned warm, aud
the day passed would have been creditable