Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-12-06
THE FIGHT Ar PENSACOLA.
Description Of The Place and Fortikcations.


be glad to get the fullest information with regard
tothe place, forti6cations, &c, we present below
detailed description of Pensacola, It's environs and
f0Fthesuons'-- 51J 15 e
PENSACOLA BAY.
Pensacola bay Il twenty-seven miles in length
and, 10 its widest part, twelve miles in width. 1t
liee Immediately at the mouth of the Escambia riv-
er. Running along the front OF the bay for four-
teen leagues, nearly East and West is long line of
sandy shore, narrow, barren and so low that in u
severe gale. the mad waves dash over it. Pensacola
bay has rare properties as an harbour, and can not
be exceed on the gulf, if by any in this country
II Is accessible to figaes of large size there being
twenty -one feet Of water on the bar and, when
once inside all the ships of our navy could ride in
safety The channel runs near the coast across the
bar, which is short and easily passed The harbour
Is completely land-locked and the ioadsteads capa-
cious. The upper arm Of Pensacola bay receives
the Yellow water of Pea river Middle river and
Escumbia river eleven miles from the Gulf of
Mexico.
: rs SANTA ROSA ISLAND.
Santa Rosa Island is the great barrier that forms
The main sea enclosure Of Pensacola bay. The is
land b fourteen leagues in length aud, on aver
age Is not more than one-fourth of n mile wide
although in places it exceeds this considerably
At high water there many places where the
ern end OF the island, and commanding the en-
trance 10 Pensacola bay, stands Fort Pickens. Near
Pickens 1t is barren for mile or thereabouts, and
then commences a low growth of shrubby, scraggy
pines, live oak bushes and small trees Of different
vsrietea II is too sandy for cultivation, and is Of
no manner Of except to protect Pensacola from
the sea and to form reliable road stead The island
Is separated from the main land one and quarter
miles: there are two channels for the passage of
vessels, one on the side of the main land and the
other on the island side. The outer shore of Santa
Rosa island Is sometimes dangerous TO incoming
vessels. The island however, affords the facility
Of making regular sege approaches by an attacking
force.
FORT rIcKENs
Fort Pickeus, the stronghold of the Yankee Gov
eminent In the gulf is built on low, sandy spot
on the westermost end of Santa Rosa island and a
little over one mile distant from Fort McRae, which
forms another sentinel to the bay 1t Is first
class Fashioned work. built of stone for foundation
purposes, with walls of brick and bitnmen. It's
walls are forty feet in height, by twelve feet in
thickness. 1t is embrasured for two tiers of guns
In bomb-proof easements, and tier of open or
en- barbette. The work has all the usual concomt-
ants Of first class work, viz covert ways, dry
ditch glaris. and outworks complete. The guns
from this work radiate to all points of the horizon
with hark and enfladinn fire iu the bitches and
every angle of approach. p. E
The guns command Fort Barancass Fort McRae,
the Navy Yard, and the other works now in pos
session Of the Confederate States troops. The work
was commenced in 1923, and finished in 1853. II
cost the United States Government nearly one mil
lion Of dollars When on n footing the garri-
con consists of 200 soldiers. Its present arma-
uent consists Of: In baston. twenty-six 24-pound
u howitsers Ia easement two 24-pounders, sixtv-
four 9e-pounders, 6Ay-hine 20 pounders en- bar
t bette twenty-four S-inch howitzels, six lS-pound-
ers twelve l2-pounders, one lO-inch columbiad.
mounted, and four l0-inch mortars.
b The fort is only approachahle by land on one side
Owing to the openness of the country, which Is a
barren bed of sand, party attacking from that
quarter would be very much exposed.
Almost Immediately opposite Fort Pckensis Fort
hcRea, where the Confcderates have concentrated
their forces 1t is powerful and castle-Hke ma
'sonry structure, built on a low spit of the main
land, and appears to rise out of the water. Thi,
fortifcaton is situated on Fosters Bank and guards
the west side of the mouth of Pensacola bay. II
ba Fashioned fort built of brick masonry, with
walls twelve feet thick. The work is somewhat on
of repair, and in view of this fact Gen. Bragg
recently ordered the removal of co heavy guns
and distributed them among the new sand batter
les.
Fort McRca is embrnsured for two tiers guns
under bomb-proof easements aud has one tier c,
NoUocue pTcScHJ armament CONSISTS OI--OWcl
tier, twenty-five -pouuders; second tier twely,
S-inch columbiads, eighteen 32-pouviers, en- bar
bette, sixty-two 2l-pounders, three lO-nch colum
biads, ant in time of war requires garrison Of 55l
men. The work cost the Federal Government ncnr
100000. Its guns ra1ate at every point Of tht
horizon. The full armament of the fort is no
complete, but sufficient number of guns are il
battery TO make very good opposition to For
Pickens. Below this fort is a water battery, whicl
mounts some eight or ten guns. The interigr a
Fort McItea is provid ID with the necessary shot
furnaces officers and soldiers quarters, magazines
&c, &c.
FORT RARRANcAs.
Fort Darrancas is on the North Of Pensocoi
bay, and directly facing the entrance TO its mouth
The work is erected on the site Of an old Spanisl
fort. Il Is Fashioned work Of heavy masonry
and mounts forty-nine guns, all Of which are il
battery and ready for action II Is Mt present glr
fsoned by three hundred troops of the regular ar
my Of the Confederate States. In the rear Of th
fort and q short distance from IT, Is a redoubt from
which BarTancas receives reinforceucnts in lin
Of action. Some extensive repairs have recent
been completed ON this redoubt and hankiug how
itAers of scarp nud counler-Scarp mounted In n
flank defences of Fort Barrancas eight 24-poun
bowitzers have recently been mounted Fort Bar
rancas contains 2ss s-uch shells, 933 24-pouu
balls, 500 ls-ponnd balls, and all the implement
for working the cannon. Its present armament con
kets Of eleven 32.pounders, three Snch paixhau
two s-inch coumbiads, eight 2i-pouudcrs FIVE Is
FOUNDERS, two 2-pounders, eight l2-pound howitl
efsj flank defence, two ls-inch morars.
TnE CHASE BATTERY-sAND PoRTA,
There Is a new sand battery erected by the Cor
federate troops aud is so situated as TO rake III
front Of Fort Pickens. The work has several co
umbiAds in battery.
THE SAND BATTERIES.
Along the bend from Warrington Navy Yard I
the extreme right of Mort MrRae there are eGicien
sand batteries erected at suiableu'crvals with ia
guns bearing on Fort Pickens They are built
considerable distance apart so as TO scatter the i
Of Fort Piekens
TlIF MARINE HOSPITAL.
Gen. Bragg has his headquarters here alioHin
ere the general barracks, large three story hul,
ing, only portion of the plan Of which is comp