The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-05-15
Sinking tho ycesels at shs Entrance of Pen
eacVia Bay.

eacOia Bay.
The correspondent OF the n. o. Delta |
gives the following graphic account OF this
achievement:
WAsRtssros NavY-YARp, May 3, 1851.
Il DARN. ana successful Attempt Was made
,aat piyut TO obetruct the channel and en-
trance OF the by, or To compel them II they
at:clnpt 10 come in, 10 DO so IN dangerous
r,roxitnity to Fort NcRap. l believe the credit
a.; ,h,s ide: is due 10 Capt. Lowell, of The
Ou!tman Artillery. OF Natchcs, formerly ono
oi the most actiEe, efficient ana promising or
fcers OF the U. Navy l. had oeeh lntiiaa-
I'D ,y the officers of the squadron OUTSIDE
that :, blockade of this port would commence
to-day. In view CT tins, ana OF the uanGeT OF
the ships attempting 70 com" IN "nti-I otf
| forts and batteries we're engaged WIN flcR-
! aas the plan was adoplsI OF buying some YES
/ sells AT Pensacola. and sinking them In the
/ ,hsrnal TO Captain Lowell this duty was
igned and prom pity executed. prie was
| brought down from Pensacola, ana night DE-
f,r last =, large detail from the army were
| employed la throwing heavy stones into Lrr
! hold This consumed nearly the whole hight'
! IN the meantime, Commander kenkht",
| ca Stephens, and Capt. Lowell and a party
%! officers proceeded in one OF the little team
err, 10 the channel, and by sounding ascertain :
ed the proper place 10 eihh me "n,
! They were observed by the sentiueis on tbe
| ratnparts OF Pickeps, an alarm WIS given, ana
the drumB beat to arms, hu' they had accom-
| ,lish.f their object and returned safely Last
| night a llrye force was set TO work on the yes
! saIs again. and by midnight they were all got
| ready. Capt. Loveifs company, SIXTY mus
kats were the only armed men III the party
; A large brig and three large fco"S, neaNIi1
| loaded with stones, were fastened 10 The TWO
little tug steamers, and, under the cofnih"il"o
/, ! Ctut Loyrll assisted by COMMANDER Ken
,hay and superintended by Col. Stephens
| Chief OF EnCineeVs, were thea noistiebsly con
waved about two miles out towards me pom
| where the obstructlous were TO Or placed
:, Th.v r,assed very near 10 For: Pickens. blu
| sxclted no alarm. Having reached the sceh
;, ! of their operations. prompt measures "er
u | 1aktn TO sink the vessels This was done b
" SQUIRTING and the brig and three ecoWs Wer
n ! iust thITty- ny" minutes IN silRinS;
:, GIANT Rensh4W, with his little tug, n
: valued until Tho vesstg had entirely olsaE
=, ppared but the men on the steamers eNpect
- every moment to hear the whizZiug OF the o
=. shot from Fort PicKens, or from the ne'
which Law shout 4 mile OFF There was NO
Il however, the slightest INDICATION On eithei "a
: | fort or ships Of any knowledge or ooseIFN'i1
; Of what was gong on At daySreas the pa
=. | " in command OF this expedite returned
"a ! the ward safely, greatly 10 the rrliei VI u
80 whole camp and OF the jewellers IN ihe var
- who apprehended that an attempt 10 81
-, these vessels would draw the IRE OF the loi
ne and bring on the action before our sue we
fully prepared therefor. The railroad TO Non
no | eomary il now complete, running throng
IN ! ard the difficulty of trans porting the biS c
-, ! tumbiads no longer exists. The impoftah
- | of an early assault upon Fort Pickens Ia f1l
- | aonreciated by every body here. The oeii
- though IT. has produced so much resLiVen'
md i,nUatieaca among the troops, has lie
- unavoidable. The Confederate States Il
-, hers, 20 begin the organization OF an army;
- IL wonderful to behold how mnch mas o.
~0 doue and how well II has been done; ont
-. | form alton support aud effective organiGat
", | al an army ia not the Work OF week
~ | month or of six months.