Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-11-02
slranEe and Imporlant d True.

Il has long been wonder to the public
that Colonel Brown, the commander at
Fort PiOkens, has not attacked the rebels
at Pensacola, he having guns and men
enough to drive them from the place, or at
least 10 destroy their stores. A Fort
Piokens correspondent Of the New York
Tribune accounts for the fact as follows
The reason for this tolerance on our
part Is more surprising than the fact it.
self During ell this time the commandant
Of the fort has been acting under the in
strucfions sent under the Buchanan Ad
ministration, which instructions have
never been oounteFmanded or amended.
These instructions were and are, that un-
der no circumstahees Is he to open fire
upon the Rebels except in the event of
their batteries opening first upon him.
II Is said that our commander has writ
ten three several times to the authorities in
Washington, begging permission to open
Gre on the rebels, and also, know not
with how much Of truth, that no notice has
been taken Of his letters. The Rebels now
boast that their preparations for heattsek
are complete. Certainly if they are not
successful, whenever they shall have COM
pletei their works, and with the choice of
time left wholly with them, it will be no
fault Of the authorities ct Washington,
whoever they may be, who are responsible
for this unheard Of blunder. To us it
seems as though the fact Of war, notWith-
standing the humiliation and disgrace
Ehioh has been heaped with such profusion
upon the Union cause, was not yet reoOg-
nizsd. We still treat the rebels as though
they we're froWard children who would vol
UNFAIRLY return to sense Of their duty, |
when the present pHroxysm should be over,
and as though our object was to inAiSt as
little injury as possible, meanwhile.
believe it is fact that at the time Of |
the spirited attack on the Judith, it was
agreed between the officer in command of |
the expedition and Col. Brown that in the
event Of the Confederates attacking him
while engaged in destroying the Judith, |
the latter should support him by fire from
the guns of Piekens, He was so attacked,
but Col. Brown failed to support him, be-
cause that on reading his instructions
again, under the actual circumstances Of
The case, he could find no authority for
such action.
Again the attack on Wilson's encamp-
ment was anticipated, but the instructions
already referred to tied Col. Browns |
hands.
Is it not time that the pretence of keep |
ing up hostile attitude was laid aside, or |
that the fact of war should be recognized, |
and the commander Of the fort released |
from instructions which emsuRted from |
the imbecile Buchanan dynasty, and which |
for reasons inserutable to human wisdom, |
are still perpetusted? ?
A short time ago Col. Brown wrote for
the third time to Washington, asking to be !
released from these instructions 1t may |
be that the affair of Wilson's Zouaves viii |
open the eyes of the authorities; and that
before this reaches you orders will have
been transmitted which will allow US to
break the spell which has bound as. At
all events, if We must walt for the rebels
to still further carry on their works, sn
hero will do their duty, and endeavor to
avert disgrace from the National arms,
although disgrace would seem to have been
courted.