Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-10-15
THE CAmPIIGN IN FLORIDA.
The Expedition to Santa Rosa gsIand-A
Brilliant Victory.
From the Montgomery Advertiser, Oct. 10.

From the Montgomery Advertiser, Oct. TO-
Amid the confusion and uncertainty conflicting
reports brought by passengers and letters by this
mornings train rom Pensacola, we had almost de-
SPARED OF obtaining anything approaching reia-
biity. We fortunately, however, found Dr. Manly
who happened to be at the scene of action on &
peaceful mission, from whom we received a con-
| neeted account DR.. Ms well known accuracy Of
judgment will. we trust be sufficient apology for
the unwarranted use of his name. Everything was
still in confusion when NJ. left at o'clock last
night and The statement he gave Us was of course
| made up from the sitting of personal narratives
| of persons more or less reliable, whom he heard
late them yesterday. His accounts substantially
| as follows
On Tuesday night, about II O'CLOCK, some twelve
| or fifteen hundred Of our men, under command ST
BrigsdIer General A derson crossed the bsy in two
small steamers and scOws attached TO them. The
m N were pick d. generally from fourteen to
seventeen in number from the companies of the
regiments from Alabama, Florida. Georgia, LOnisi
| ana and Mississippi no full company being taken,
except perhaps, the Cinch Rifles from Georgia
The party dsembarked from point opposite Pen
sacola. near Santa Rosa Island, about FIVE miles
from Fort Pickens The men had to wade, and
some of them to swim to reach the beach. Some
of their cartridges, &c, got wet.
Landed on the Island, they were divided into two
SQUADS one proceeding directly across to the South
ern beach, beyona Billy WILSON'S camp, and tie
other marched down the Northsra beach opposite
each other They killed the sensries as they went,
some six in number. spiked the guns set fire to the
cabins in which the Zouave's were encamped, and
shot them as they ran out All agree that the
Zouaves ran incontinenty for Fort Pickens. They
rarely looked back or stopped to fire st ou7 bOFs
but shot they run. They had thrown up seme
sand banks but of their big guns were mounted
Our men took over good quantity Of rat tail files,
with which they securely spiked every gun except
two. They bu=It all the houses and stores except
the hospital
The only formidable resistance was from some Q.
S. regulars sent out from Fort Pickens TO redeem
the ground which the coWsrdly Z0uayes had abau-
dOned. The regulars, however finding our force
larger than they had expected, seemed to have be-
come panic stricken, and retFeated until our men
we're in the act of returning from the Island, in
obedience to the signal from the Aavy ard They
then advanced and fred deliberately at our men
huddled up in the boats ard did them mere damage
than they had received during the fight on the
Island 1t was at this time that Gen. Anderson was
wounded in the arm. Two or three guns also
fred at then VIXEN crossing, from Fort Pickens,
without effect.
Our men supplied themselves well with small
arms that they took from the enemy. Thev also
killed one negro and captured another Seventeen
prisoners were seen that they brought back; how
many, if any more, is not known One account said
the notorious Colonel, Billy Wilson, had made a
straight from his marquee to the Fort, Another
account from of the captured prisoners stated
that he had not slept at camp that night as usual
having remained ag Fort Pickens. All statements
killed between tive and three hundred Of the Yam
KEGS Our loss in killed and missing is forty, and
thirty EFe EO4nda1, FIVE of whom died yesterday. J
Most of our losses in she skTmi5 gre attributed
cross firing, when our men were Ghe6ting@ 81 the \
Zouaves from opposite sides. and to their not being
able to distinguish the badge Of their comrades in
the DARKNESS of she night and shooting another
Lieut.. Sayre when seen last was on the beach, in /
a wounded condition His friepds WHO had him in |
charge carried him two or three C.iles, and were
finally Compelled 70 leaye him to save theselYes.-
lie had requested them 10 DO so previously, but |
they chung to him to the last moment and then put
a coat under his head for pillow He was shot in
the thigh and was much exhausted from bleeding. |
He fought CALAMITY as long as he could. IL is sup
posed he taken prisoner in this helpless condi
tiGn BY the Yankees. Capt. NClms, of one of The !
Georgia companies. j. az killed. whose death was
greatly regretted. Notwithstanding the untOrtIlate
many of brave soldiers, the object Of the eXpe>
dition was complet ly accomplished and the result
highly s&tisfactaFY and inspiritng to the officers
and me2 of our army. The only OBJECT contempla
ted, was the breaking up Of Billy Wilson's camp and
not the taking Of Port Pickens.
This vas done completely. No artillery wss
taken ogeF-o5iiy ss5s4 arms pick axes, fire balls
and files. reserve force, composed of the re- |
mainder of the 9th Georgia regiment, had started !
over to reinforce our men when the signals were
7rtd BY Gen. Bragg for the body the leland to
return. 1t ga Ebost nine O'Clock in the morning,
hey bad been entirety 3uGse5sfji and being in
LANCER of being surrounded by the feet and force
# Fort Pickens, it was thought prudent for the
roaRs 20 re cross the Bay. Major Yosdes, one Of
he !" distinEglshea Yankee prisoners taken told
'ur officers that Col Brown. the ca2uander at Fort
'ickens, would open his batteries on them yesteF-
lay or last night, but up to nine O'Clock when the
rain left, no demonstration had been made. Our
rounded were being well cared for by the ladies
{ Fersae9le.
We give below the following additional details
rom the Pensacola UbserDeT:
On night before last party of Confederates sta
toned shere and at the Navy Yard, went over to l
anita Ross Island under the command of Briyadier /
en- Anaerann cnrnmander-In chief Col. IacksOns