Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-10-29
The Rebel Attack on Santa Rosa Island
n Costly Failure,


Mr.. Packard, gentleman who formerly
resided in Pensacola, but who fortunately
made his escape and arrived at New York
in the late steamer, makes the following in
teresting statement;
The attack on Wilson's camp was avowed
in Pensacola to have been part of an intended
attempt TO storm the fort. News had reached
the rebels that feet was on its way to the
Gulf with $4,000 men, and it was deemed
necessary to attack the fort before its arrival.
They had arranged, therefore, that fifteen
hundred men should attack and destroy Will
sons camp, while one thousand more should
cross the island and attack the fort in the
rear-Bragg opening his batteries on it at
given signal. The fifteen hundred men sent
to surprise the camp were all picked men,
seventeen being selected from each company
of the various regiments. The other one
thousand were Georgia troops, and could
not be collected from the town in which they
were scattered soon enough to take part in
the affair. They were just ready to embark
when the others came back after their re-
pulse. 1t was universally conceded by the
rebels at Pensacola that the expedition was
an utter and costly failure. About fifty of
the men carried cans of camphene for the
purpose of firing the tents. They came upon
Wilson's men and took them by surprise.
Part of them4ought very we'll, and Major
Creighton ordered them to charge, but his
orders were countermanded and the troops
fell back toward the fort in some confusion
Captain Hill, meantime, hearing the firing
came out Of the fort with two or three COM
panies of regulars, repulsed the rebels
drove them into their boats, and killed many
OF them after they had embarked. One
rebel officer was shot in the cabin of the
steamer in which he was crossing, when
more than half mile from shore. The reg
ulars showed the most perfect discipline and
courage, and fired three shots to the rebels
one, taking very accurate aim, and hitting
nearly all the men in the head or breast. It
was conceded at Pensacola, (and indeed, the
rebel newspaper accounts already received
state their loss at forty killed and fifty or
sixty wounded. The loss on our side was
either eleven or thirteen Mr.. P. did not re
member which,, k lied and eight wounded.
The reported des ruction of property ia
Wilson's camp is utterly untrue. They
partly burned one barrel Of pork, not dam
aging more than one-quarter OF it, set q
house on fire, and destroyed fifteen or twenty
tents. Beyond this they did no damage
whatever.
Mr.. Packard states that Colonel Brown
had made all his arrangements to open his
batteries on Pensacola on the 10th; and that
nc was pLSNOubcu IuO LILO uOubu
of the Mississippi, which made it necessary
for two Of the ships which were to have
taken part in the action, to go to the aid oi
our. .blockading fleet.
Affairs in Pensacola are represented as be-
ing any thing but prosperous. The rebels
have about seven thousand men there, but
provisions were very high, and the Govern.
ment had begun to seize grain, pork, and
whatever else might arrive for the public
service, paying only at such rates as they
might fix. Pork was selling at $55 barrel
and thirty cents pound at retail. Sugar.
| cured hams, thirty-fve cents butter, sixty
cents; salt, $5 bushel; corn, 81 50;. flour
| So to $l2 barrel; bacon, twenty-five cents
| pound, &c. Some provision dealers haC
written TO their correspondents in the coun
try not to send any more produce there, as
| would be seized by the Government Ever,
man suspected of owing any debts at tn
North was compelled to declare the amour
under oath, and pay it over to the rebe
treasury. Nothing was in circulation bu
paper money, gold commanding a premium
Of twenty per cent. Corporations and indi
vduals were issuing shinplasters of all sizes
Mr.. Packard states that any one suspecte
| of Union sentiments is in great danger {
being moi bbed, though Mobile paper state
that over four hundred "alien residents" ha
| gone from there to Richmond to get pass
ports to the North, under the proclamatio
giving them forty days to leave. He say
there are still great many Union men Their
but they dare not give the slightest expre
sion to their sentiments. Mr.. Packard hin
self is a native of Maine.