New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-11-28
nrhn Islrht at I,ensncola.

We are much indebted to a gentleman Of this
city for the following account Of the fight in Pen
sacola Bay, written by his brother, an officer Of
the Tenth Regiment of Mississippi Volunteers:
cIMr PHILLIPS Nove,nbe. g, 1861.
Fort Pickens opened fire on us about 10 o'cloek
yesterday morning the 2lst. The first fire was at
the steamboat Time, as she was landing at the
Navy Yard wharf. They then threw several shells
into the Navy Yard, but they did little damage
and one at Gen. Gladden's headquarters, whicn leu
and exploded in the front yard. About nan ah
hour after their first fire at the Time our batteries
Forts McRae aud Barrancas, opened ire on tne ~,
and did some good shooting. Two memoir .ile
Niagara and Colorado, which were lying out IN 'ile
Gulf ran in so close to Fox Island that the Saus VI
McRae could not be brought to bear on them, ana
the vessels and Fort Pickens kept up cross nfe
on Fort McRae all day long, making u falher
dangerous post. It an exciting ana interest
| inc scene to Witness heavy bombardment from
| two large war steamers and a strong fort, acting
hin concert. But we are expecting Lncoln's great
4 armada here every day. When it comes, then it
/ will be more worthy of our attention.. Infee san
| were seen off at sea late this evening.
4 What is known here as Bragg's Battery con-
4 str1cted under the supervision of Capt. Bragg,
| consisting Of one I0-inch ,columbiad under Capt.
Kerr of the Jackson Mississippi Artillery one 10
I inch columbiad, under Capt Aderholt, of the
| Georgia Battalion, and four large mortars, under
command of Capt. Dick English, Of the Natchez
Artillery, did splendid execution. The two column
biads of Capts. Kerr and Aderholt and one To-
inch columbian, in a battery near Fort McRae,
about fifty yards from Braggs Battery, across the
lagoon back Of McRae engaged the war vessels
with splendid effect The Niagara received such
injuries that she did not participate in the engage.
ment to-day. She is now lying off in the Cult
about six miles, with carpenters at work on her.
| The Colorado did not come so near this morning,
\ but tried to take McRae at long range; but her
shot fell short. This evening she moved up near
her former positien--not quite SO close to MeRae
| and the three batteries commenced playing on her
| again, with such success that she weighed anchor
| and put out again, with several holes in her
saw two shells from kerrs eolunlhiad burst in her
| rigging, near her smoke stack. ',0
| No damage was done to McRae to-day, as the
vessels kept out of range. Yesterday six men
were killed at Fort McRae, at Capt. Smiths bat
terry, by the falling ia of the magazine, which was
| built of light timber and heavily laden with sand
was occsioned by two shells falling on it in ra
| pid succession. At the time it fell there were
| twenty-one men in it. Some were pulled out by
| the heels the others had to be dug out, under a
| heavy fire. Six men were killed by this accident.
| One man had his legs shot off by shell, and died
| this morning. Our total loss is seven killed and
| eight wounded-ail at Fort McRae. No Louisl.
antans. NIX @'4'-1 ar.. r-.
Col. vilipigue. in command at the fort, was
slightly wounded in the arm by the bursting of a
| she'll 'f ZAP #'t @fF 40 'a-.'-.a
The Niagara and Colorado divided their shot
pretty equally between McRae and the Bragg Bat
terry. They did no injury to the latter, but they
made some splendid shots, and caused the boys to
lay fat very often. fsaw one S-inch shell strike
within four feet of Capt Aderholt, who was stand
ing at the time behind his gum but fortunately it
did not burst Capt. Kerr's horse was hitched
| near his battery, and was killed by "a shell.
1t is impossible to discern what damage was
done to Fort Pickens; but. Judging from the NUNS
Der of shell saw burst in the Fort and around the
classmates, think somebody was hurt"
| Thus far, we have only fred each gun about
every half hour. Some of them we have not fired
| . at all. We have not commenced in earnest yet,
but are saving our powder and ball for the great
| feet. We have been firing some tonight in order
to witness the action Of our fuses. When left
Bragg's Battery this evening, there was one house
several have since burned. They were set on fire
by hot shell from Pickens. Nv