Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1861-03-19
Fort Pickens.

The principal means OF defence 10 inc
mouth of Pensacola Bay is Fort Pick
ems. 1t is . first-class pentagonal bas-
toned work, built Of stone, brick and
btumen, with covert ways, dry ditch,
placis and outworks complete. Its walls
are forty feet in height by twelve feet 10
thickness; it is embrasured for two tiers
of guns in bombproof easements, and
one tier OF gnns open or en- bdr6ette.
The guns from this work radiate to every
point ofthe horizon, with flank and en-
filadiog fire in the bitches and at every
angle Of approach. The work was com
menced in 1928, and finished in 1853.
1t cost the Federal Government nearly
one million of dollars. When on war
footing its garrison consists Of 1850
soldiers. Its present armament consists
of-in bastion, 26 twenty-four pound
howitzers; casemate, 2 forty-two
Founders, Ga thirty-two Founders, 50
twenty-four FOUNDERS in barbete, "a
eight inch howitxers, 8 eighteen pound
ers, IL twelve Founders, ten inch Co.
lumbaid, mounted, and 4 ten-inch NOR
tars, in bad order.
The possession of this work, there
fore, by tho secessionists. Is, of course,
of the first Importance for unless it is
occupied BY them it will secure to the
United States troops base Of opera
tions along tho whole Gulf coast, aud
keep open a road right into the heart of
the South, which cannot be obstructed
by any fixed Notifications. Once with
iu the gates of the harbor, and an army
could be d.sembarked at any point on
the wide bay which it might select. 1t
could run up beyond the Escambia river
and many hours ahead of any opposing
force which might be at Pensacola, be-
side placing wide river between it and
the latter-or even two rivers, the Es-
Gambia and BIackwater-by going far
enough up. Hence, with start of at
least forty eight hours, it could marcn
into interior Alabama. An enemy hold
ing Fort Pickens could rendezvous ma
val force there and keep up blockade
of all the ports Of the Gulf, unless it
could be met on the sea. The fort is
only approachable BY land on one side.
Owing to the openness of the country,
which is but barren bed of say, par
ty attacking from that quarter would
be very much exposed. The federal
force now in garrison at Fort Pickens
consists of about two hundred and fifty
men, under the command of Lieutenant
Slemmer. They have provisions for six
months, and ammunition to resist
siege Of equal length. If the work be
attacked it must be by q sudden assault
from heavy force concentrated on the
island to the eastward, which will take
it with a Zouavelike rush in double
quick time-pouring into it such num-
bers as at once to overpowcr everv
chance of resistance on the part of the
garrison. Though done in the night,
and with the quickest movement, and
though escaping loss from the batteries
in the approach, the work at the walls
will be bloody business if the garrison
have mind to make it so. If Fort
Pickens be taken by the secessionists,
Pensacola will be the great naval depot
Of the Southern Confederacy, from
which, no doubt, privateers will be fitted
out for the purpose of preying upon the
commerce in the Gulf of Mexico and the
Caribbean sea.