The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-10-15
THE REPORTED FIGHT. AT SANTA ROSA
ISLAND.
EpITQR

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK HERALD.
OCTOBER 10, 1851
In the account given in the HERALD OF yesterday
Of an attack upon Colonel William Wilson's Zouaves on
Santa Ro Island under the guns OF Fort Pickens there
many assertions and wouldbe items OF intelligence
which appear your present correspondent to be ero
ncous In the first place told that the rebels
spiked the guns belonging to the Zouavcs. can
ndeut assert that the zouaves had guns that could
be spiked by nybody, unless PERHAPS they mise
rblo old thiriytwo Founders that had been pitched out
side of Fort Pckens for imperfectons and occa
slonaiy used for drill purposes. Then we are told
chat the roads approaches TO the fort from
Colonel Wilson's camp billy and abundan,
in chapiaral or bushes. Those bushes were cut down
weeks ago to make camp fires Of, and to shade the
wretched little tents in which the Zouaves were quar-
tered to he made mnce meat OF by the mosquitoes The
despatch also speaks OF other reads Properly speaking
there roads the sand if except few path
ways made OF planks carried down in the Vanderbilt
steamer june last aud barely sufficient to meet the
commonest requirements Of camp lhe In walking about
this island has very lively idea the beauties Of
Journey through series Of excessively soft snowdrfts.
How invading force could drive local pickets under
such circumstances is to mewlo knows every inch Of
the groundraher ncomrrehenshle. Those pickes were
comprised of men who would scarcely allow hostile land
ing without lighting their ground by the inch and giving
warning 10 nest Of military hornets that would-on
sand banks they thoroughly familiar with-conauer
three times their number Of assaiants. Tho island
where Wilson's encampcd, is very little more
than three quarters of mile wide. One side Of the
camp facing the Gulf) is strongly protected by the
blockadng fleet. The other side Cooking towards tho
warrenton Navy Yard and Fort Barrancas) is SO bount
fully sen,ricd that feet and for, could be thoroughly
placed defence before any aggressive demonstration
could possibly he successfully opened by the enemy
That skrmsh has taken place that sand bank called
Santa Rosa is not u be denied, and that when
il did take place Colonel Brown allowed the
poor fellows, cruelty deprived Of tie hospitality Of his
fort make the best Of their proves without "reguar
aid is also quite plain to me, but do not believe that
1.-THE boys logged, l-beng in constant
communication with several Of the prominent officers OF
the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS that tho rcbels took either many
lives many prisoners. For the Information of those
who friends with to Wilson, let me state that the
companies at Fort Jefferson Torugas are h and T.
Captains A. 7. Whiting and Henry bufrcsne This will
be found in letter from the Gulf in the HERALD of
August IL and the disposition has not been changed
Permit TO say that the guns Of Fort Pckeps cover
every approach TO Wilson's part Of Santa Rosa but could
10 of service 50 the camp the were IL b, the
unaceountablc and hope impossible negligence OF
naval and military guards, suddenly SURPRISED N such
a the guns Of the fort would XIII as many OF the an
fortunate Nparited New Workers o tho crafty enemy
BY the way, Peter Duty reported by Won as Captain OF
Company II, is the suffer Of the regiment and now in
this city. T. NJ.