, 1861-05-09
From Fort Monroe.

fEIcm In8 I2Q0tOu oaLHt1E4J
We are permitted TO publish the following
interesting lett II from Fort Monroe, contain
irg an exc. .llert narrative of ths experience cf
our military friends from this place In reach
ing and occupying that position:
FoRr MornoE. April q, 1851.
DEAR FRIEND: am just informed TINT
schooner viii taks letters TO boston. l have
been 80 busy enc way and another, that I
have not had moment to write aimee enter.
Z 6ar g ps.ssRe ass from Fa!l River to New York
was very lorg from II: - o'clock P. N. to-
O'Clock r. nj and ~ tedious IS long to most.
For want Of cooks. VIC vera not we'll supplied
with eatahles. The vessel was not well bal
lasted, and we were overloaded and unfit for
the voyage. Arriving a. New Ycrk; tho ves-
eel was tallasted by filing her hold With coal,
md from thence on We bad pleasant pass age
At New York We spent TEursday night on
board the boat ut the wharf; the cthcers tax
ing tea at the Astor House, By tnvlsstIon OF
the keeper. About O'Clock Fr:dsE morning
we left New York and had pleasant passage.
Mr. S.etaon OF the Astor put on board tie
boat number Of servants, and We were able
to get q fair eupr1y Of food.
We arrived off thia Fort At o'clock Satur-
Gay morning, but stood off again, fearing to
go In Lest It might be in rhe hatds OF the &c
caders. While We approached the coast of
Virginia, We sslectEG ebout Cne hundred 1f
the anarT-shootars and required them to be
ready st moments notice, Ia crler to be pre-
parcel fer any vessel lying in walt 1cr us. A.
about O'clock II :, a steamer hove in sight,
snd imnsdia.ely threw up signal rockets. We
put out all thu rights in rhs b3at, called up the
thootere, I'll OF WBose Eu2s were loaded With
ball, end p}aced q gu .Td SO that t1e rest Of the
men should rot 1ush On deck aad npeet The
boat The 0the. steamer then pat out hrr
lights, aud ws were fnmentat anxi=us fer 9
tina Indeed many ct Ms did not take c1f oEr
| clothes or sleep WING that rizht. We wait.
| ed un:il aDnriee, whet the i, s. Dag waa run
| mp on Ire Fors, AMI ve Eave it hearty cheer,
| accounts. ~:r
On arrival O: tbs whz1f, ne were sizemba,k
| ed znd Il a.chfd INTO the FrT!. Glad enough
| stre the officers xna esid!ers in ths Fort
They bad been doing ve1y iab1TioGs duty,
and wera exceedingly anxious lac. they should
/ be surp:1sed- tbs Ftrs is & beautiful place
tnclo;ss 50 acres Ct ia:t; tss wal net"een
IS al 80 fest h:gf, IF frick Ard ttcns, snd
IRON IS 20 40 lceI vide; hns d mest about il
sGms IS feet vide In most places, and SIX fee,
/ .dep5h.uf Water N the mort. THREE kun5rs {
guns, besides Urge number OF Tcr aIs, ear
be plaeed in the ctsama'e q d On parapats. II
eesa Of q Eiegs-that Is On all tides-6,OCo mel
would te repaired to properly man tbs enns
FIVE Men ca5s woIil the gRns, bit there eh :ult
be sever, aud there SHOULD be in such C, ,se
three distinct parties to take their turns At th'
guns, OF 1elieiA, 1s they a.e callsd Oeteit'
| Of the most ara water Ga5tsTi1s. Tbs darEe
no1o would come from til. land ssde. On It's
side there ara no caseul.tss, except thos
which protect The gates. The F. IT Is ba.l
on puins Of md OF aocu. 1so aures, and
connected with the main land ~ 1erg str:]
OF land 100 feet wide acd d mile aud q q l3rts
| or mere long You see II thu place is assault
, ed, the forces rnuss csms cv=E this strip c
sandy land Now pointed over this strip {
lan3 are large number OF guns CT heavy ca.
Der, aud number of mort4rs; and any toIce
. | coming over would be exposed TO tsrr:bl
, | fire, aud no doubt destroyed. In addition I
this strip, there Is smother long md Ear1G7
strip that, with bridge, leads to Hamptc1
: Ths bridge is now down, and 8 picket guar
Is established On eilhsr esl-; Oh one silc
the resula1a, and on tee o:nsr ty the Ham
: ton p=cple- Toe gu5rd is more than mi
!, out feo.a the Fott. Iha quad r galus thu
: far) leel that II g very u1csr an whether the
retoIn to the Fort anye, when they 60 OF
, there Sixty acres are fneissed By the Tor
: 1hs other sixty are l.nlt upoa, and IL is gu
q watering place. S5ntineis are SIT ai1 ov
the village ou'sid. at light These buildirt
will probably be destroyed soon asth=y won
. afford aid TOT an In my, aud will b. IN the ";
in case Of an attack- There Is large hots
= brother OF Willard, a. Wsshiagtoa.
The Government machine shop IS outs:t
= | the walls, hnd is now ooe.ated b9 machini5
- | from our cemp.uies, John g. Briggs bsi1
. . fortm2p Neatly oil GU ai:e:s are ropg
= cestionizts, an1 are BY Gegr5s= l=lvtas, rs th
= know they would be destroyed ii they did nt
= Taside the Fort there are several tiree-sto
= erik houses, and several long rA1ges of bd
= | ,Eacks, barns, sttreEOn5ee, g. church, and
. | addition, LnubtF Ot houses, as they G.
y them, bulit IN tho casemates, which are arc
es in the walls, tan ftet high and as ma
). vide, In which, when the fort is in war coz.
. tin, the gnns are placed, Hsinz them,
i course, through holes in tbs walls. The
: arches ara divided acr DEB the middle end forl
~ ~ ed into two rcons. Tne cHcers of-our &c,
+ raj companies. Is well as many OF those hp,
= occupy thfss houses.
y Tha cfie=rs OF The Fort here ara e1tr=ne
| pleasant.