, 1861-03-02
Interesting Letter from Pensacola.
Correspondents Of the n. 7. TEibune.l
.-,,,u U. s. GTEAH-SLooP BRooKLn,
,~<Ssx. OF Peusacola Hzrboe l.


to-<aaY presented to forward. by pEfvate COZ
! / yeyas&a, letters to onr friends at the North,
III need IN tell you that embrace It with arid
f.3E, tosMpKise >you Of the stata Of ex1star
EEfhing4A9h 9his Place: ~
II \. einseI arrival here on The Sd inst, on
fSfte hSden one Of cofppr4uye Inactivity
oan4A has been drifting filss one 1aY, the
4tA& with tbs "screT ~ md We II
the monotony iof uar ME by specala1p
eWhat period our progressive gove1nmsu
WILL Bee 1T to commuuie8te BnclEuraeE9to u
that We may reananga afadils at this paate- "
have been expecting them, and that to the q
feet that viii Justify us In the Immediate retak
j ing Of the -naYY y2rd, and other property, noy
In t;:ehauas Of the 1nsu. gents.
This movement Of secession in this poftlol
Of the State Of EloI1da is q perfect iarcef and i
destined to become q complete failure Al
Il ready The ua4toEs portions OF d1B tnhahftahfs .
rensaco1a IRE fully satisfied with, nnd asser
that they hAvs had sufficient Of She noVe1 ex
eitemont they have been for sotne time purtici
patlag Ii, and nov that they are beginning Il
+ celves from their sister States, are thoroughly
disgusted with the snbllme feeling Of inde
pendence+ %: r-~
Personal observation and communication
have proved anew to NE, what assured you
was the case in my last letter, VIZ: Tbat there
are SIN remaining here many good and
I true union-lo&1ng men-men who hare not
been carried away With this suicidal excite.
ment, but a1e those who hare gaxed into tie
| future, and have discefned the terrible and in
eTitable results OF the Inauguration and carry
! ing out Of this movement.
I a portion Of these loyal men come otfto
our vessel whenever an opportunity occurs, so
that they may escape observation, and almost
invariably bring with them, for our gustenauce
! and comfort, some Of the necessities OF life.
| Such has been their noble and heroic conluct,
both our officers md crew will refer to Ibis
! m ~ h3afnY-v rf In
t secession era.
The town of peusscola is held Ia possession
| by mob Of about 400 persona, 800 Of these be-
Ing frs N Alabama those from Mississippi that
were recently here, have decanped to their
homes. Thcy came here with the aToWed at
tention OF assisting the undisciplined gang,
called soldiers, that were here before them,
but It would seem their only purpose in visit
ing this section, Was Of eating and drinking
everything there WAS to be obtained, either By
fair or foul means, and then evacuating; in
this why they were emlnentfy successful, and
when they had accomplished it, shook off the
dust Of their feet against the city.
Ihe citizens that have visited our vessel. in
form us that the condition, of these so-called
soldiers is miserable beyond description. They
possess no money, clothes or proyisions-in
fact it is nothing more than q drunken rabble,
being such terror to the whole neiehborinE
country, that the establishment Of guard has
been necessary to protect the wives and fa1ni-
lies Of certain citizens. These outlaws have,
in their drunken expeditions, entered houses
when the male members were absent, and with
pistols presented at the heads Of the female
members thereof, demanded all the provisions
the house contafned; in case of refusal, as has
occurred in cne instance, insult upon insult
was heaped upon the heads Of the unprotected
females. Their sole occupation Is nothing
less than robbery, and every chance that Is
given is ayailed Of by them.
As you are well aware, they have possession
OF Forts McRca and Barrancas, and theY have
erected / few sH-pounderB along the beach,
This seems, IS far as my observation extends,
to pc everything Of note or Importance accom-
pGshed by them. Discipline and order are un-
knokn within their ranks.
! have to inform you that the g. s. stea mer
Wyandotte enters and departs from the port
acskA q jT1g Of truce firing at her nast-Aeadf It
makes our very blood boil to witness this hu-
initiating apeetacle, and the bowling of the
highwaymen of the deepest east. We have
thought how truly iamentable it is that such
lneftleiency and weakness, as has recently
characterized the administration of our Exc
cutiye head should be tolerated.
Among the other atrocities committed by
this gang, fighting for liberty" is that at the
time Of the capture, or rather surrender of the
Navy Yard there was depos ted there 1000
tons Of coal for our naval yesselB, belonging
to the United States Government This coal
these fellows are at present selling at ruin ,us
prices in fact, simply what it cost to freight it;
ana the proceeds are being appropriated by
them. II this can be called aught else but
robbery, should like to know it.
:. would not hayc you understand that all
the uen under arms here are such deeply dVed
characters as those alluded to, who, for per
sonal emolumentr would stoop to any act,
however base and atrocious it may be; not By
any means. As I truly believe that some
among them, unconnected with these base
acts, are perfectly sincere in their convictions
and think that the taking up OF arms is jnsti.
liable, these misguided men are those whom
We should pity; they will soon discern the er-
ror OF their ways: On tie ooIt5ary, there are
others who do not at all 81 ympathize With them.
but for the sake Of their lives are realy CON,
PEELED to join the rebel band, and to assent to
every proposition advanced by them. In CON
nection with this, have to tell you that an
old, grey-headed man, whose winters had
numbered seventy or more, aud who had re-
sided in Pensacola for 20 years, Was driven
from the place short time since. He was
given but four hours notice by the leaders to
leave, aud was told that if after the expiration
OF that period he remained, they would not
a11swer aEs tor his personal safety The totte1lng
Ehom savage would not harm, was driven
from his home simply because he avowed be |
still loved the glorious Union. He Ia now |
living On board the Wysndotte, where no harm |
eau come to him Inarrate this to reveal how |
far their espionage extends.
The only one thing desired By us is to fe-
ceive orders from Washington to retake the |
Government property here. We could dis
pefse the parties that now have possession Of
1t In two hours, and hold 1t with our soldiers
and sailors against aay oida.
It 1s becoming perfectly outrageous that We
should be stationed here, subject to merciless |
gales, and the sight Of such contemplate ac- |
tlons as are daily occurring, and still be unable
to raise c dissenting Voice or depreeating
hand.
Again, we could, without any troble wlatey-
er, land OUT troops at Fort Pickens; but no. we
cannot unless orders arrive, We are power
less. It Is burning shan1e that the brave and
gallant Lieut.. SIemmer, who sadly needs reen-
foreemeuts should not hare the troops We have
On board, and which were originally intended
Tor him. This officer is q fitting co equal With
Major Anderson, aud deserves much praise for
Ills conduct upon many trying occasions. tits
The opinion OF many that were it not for our
presence Fort Pickens would have been attack
Cd several days since. Az it is, our large guns
hat In casB Of necessity We should use
them. and that In manner to do terrible eve.
.uuon.
The frigate Sabine and sloop -of.Tar St. Louis
sre lying alongside us. The Macedonian left
Is on Saturday for Vera Cruz, IA recent gale
lrifted US seventy miles to leeEatd.l +
We are totally in the dark as to how affaifs
Ire progressing at the North. The one thing |
re care and hope for is that an immediate sete
cement, one way or the otAer. may ba con
ummated.
The rrrcpreaaIble Conflict In the New
rt A&uffn !