Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-08-24
The BAsTLE, Fort LAFAYETTE, l
y. Y. HarbOr. Aug. Z, 1861.


Ay Dear J:-If you have received no word
from me before this, you must have OWNED
the reason. l wrote you twice since my ar
rival here, but l have reasons to know the
letters did not reach you; but this will, des-
pite the vigilance of our keepers.
On arriving here we were required to sur
render all the money, and blank paper on
our persons. at the same tina being informed,
that by applying to the commanding officer,
we would be furnished with writing mate
rails, but that all our letters would be exam
ined by him, and if found to contain nothing
Objectionable would be forwarded to their
destination, and that our money would
be subjec TO our checks, bnt we must account
satisfactC. " for its disposition, before we
should recesse any. So strict is the rule re-
specting pap :, that we are required to ae-
count fer eseIy inch. and to deliver it up at
night. be it blank or half written, and il is
returned US in the morning to finish our let
tiers which we write, in the vain hope of their
| being dispatched. i wrote you long enough
since to have your answer, therefore L pre-
sumo this will be the first if not the only one
you will receive. This fOrtifcation rises with
| in twenty feet of the water on all sides and is
about GO feet in height, forming hollow
square, in which is q grass plat thirty feet
across. THIS we are allowed TO trample for
two hours each day; at first we found it
agreeable, but we tired of its monotony, and
the weakness of our limbs, induced by con-
finement and inferior diet. make US turn from
the exercise and seek repose. Our room is
eighteen by twenty-fOur, with a vaulted root,
the highest point of which is only eight from
the floor. Our beadsteads are four high
posts, on which are two beds, one over the
other, which, with two small or single bed
steads accommodate the party of six; We
have straw ticks, and are, comparatively
speaking, comfortable enough in this particu
lar. The room has three small windows in
walls four feet thick. the ventilation through
these being from the sea is quite fresh, max
ing amends for the lowness of the ceiling,
but Ii is unpleasant to be reminded of our
capacity by every passing vessel or pleasure
boat, glimpses of which we catch, through
the peep holes. Messrs. Howard, Gstchell,
Davis, Alvy, Lyon and Smith, occupy room
similar to ours, and enjoy precisely the same
privileges and miseries that we do. They
take their meals from sergeant in the gerri-
son, who supplies them with two each day for
81 a week, which is exorbitant for what
they receive. Ham and eggs for breakfast
and eggs and ham for dinner. They invited
me to join them but declined because of
the inability of my messmates to do 80.
Their rations, however, are dainty when COM
pared to ours, which are-Breakfast; fat
pork, no lean. four ounces of bread, and
four ounces OF bread, one cup of pork soup,
three ounces overlooked, lean, indigestible
BEEF, and as much tepid water as we choose.
The above bill of fare is invariaole, and l
have no doubt you will call it luxurious.
Any little things which might contribute to
our comfort, are denied Us. Newspapers OF
all kinds not allowed, and the rules absolute
ly prescribe all kinds of liquors. A case of
wines brought by the Commissioners, was
hxun ind
friends near. Some of them, it appears, sent
US a sealed bag of vegetables the other day,
and they were not delivered US. contrary to
the statement when we arrived, that we
could procure food from abroad. This dis
pels the hope OF getting things from New
York. though, indeed, to do SO at any rate,
would be attended with such difficulties. that
il may as we'll be denied. l know that if
our friends in New York and Brooklyn had
been allowed the privilege of sending, we
should have had an abundant supply of ey-
eryfhing, before this. Only imagine how
much more intolerable our life must be here,
than in Fort McHenry. On small island,
ten miles distant from the city, within our
gloomy prison walls, in the centre of a har-
bor-friends, relatives, acquaintances, and
even our counsel not allowed 10 visit us-not
allowed even the privilege of getting or see
ing the daily papers in this metropolis of this,
our boosted land of free men, free speech and
a free press, and under the folds of the flag of
the brave and the free. Yes, that banner
which we are told in song ''makes tyranny
trembie," floats over US, while we feel the
fond embrace of tyranny and the heel of OPP
preston; while we are denied the comforts
and almost the necessaries of lfe--for which
we are willing to pay-and are subjected to
barbarous privations, while our oppressors
are unable to confront us with any charge.
more than suspicion of being disioyal. Thus
We are denied every process Of law and shut
out from the world, IN this Bastile. Verify.
"in the midst of life we are in DEATH"
By the scraps on which write this, you
will see what stratagems | have been put
to, but trust by the aid of the numbers afix-
ed, you will be able to decipher them.