New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-02-27
THE DRUNKEN ARMY OF FLORIDA.
gOpespoudeDoc Of The N. y TriOrne
u, s. STEAM-SLOOP Brook .YN,

tuesday, teO x, 1901.
Quito UNEXPECTEDLY to US, an o sportuOity is to-
say presented TO forward, bs private convey !
.nee letters to our friends at. the North. need
not tell you that embrace it with ayidity, to
.rpre YOU Of the state II existing things at this
place, :.
Since our arrival b6,te on the Sd inst, our life
has been ono Of Comparative inactivity: our YES
,el has been DIR ktiDg fret one way, then the
ether, with the screw ups" and we relieving
sho mOnstony of our life by specializing at what
yeriod our IFOgressive Government viii see BIT to
communicate such orders to us, that We may re-
arrange affairs at this place. We have been e1-
peOting them, and that 10 the effect that will
,ss,ily us in the immediate retaking Of the
Navy Yard, and other property, now IN the
Aands of the insurgents.
This movement of Secession in this portion Of
Che State of Florida is perfect farce. and 10
destined to become q complete failure. Already
The major portions of the inhabitants of Pensa.
cola are fully satisfied with, and assert that they
have had sufficient OF the novel excitement they
have been for some time participating in, aud
now that they are beginning 70 feel some Of the
effects of separating themselves from their sister
States, are thoroughly disguised with tho sub
lime feeling of Independence.
Personal observation and communication have
proved anew to ME what assured you was the
ease 10 my last letter, viz That there are sti1
remaining here many good and true UniOn-loving
nen-men who have not been carried away with
this suicidal excitement, but are those who have
kazed into the future, and have dscerned the
serrible and inevitable results of tho Inauguration
and carrying out Of this movement.
portion Of these loyal men come off to our
vessel whenever an opportunity occurs, so that
they may escape observation, and almost inyari-
ably bring with them, for our sustenance and
comfort some Of the necessities Of life. Such has
been their noble and heroic conduct that both
cur officers and crew will refer to this epoch as 5
. memorable one in the history Of the Secession
era,
The town of Pensacola is held in possession by
mob of about 400 persons, 800 of these being
from Alabama; those from Mississippi that were
recently here, have decamped to their homes.
They came here with the ayOwed intention OF
assisting the undsciplined gang, called soldiers
that we're here before them, but it would seem
their only purpose in visiting this section, was Of
eating and drinking everything there was to be
sbtained, either by fair or foul means, and then
evscuatiDg; in this they were emuently successful,
and when they had accomplished it, shook OH
the dust Of their feet against the city.
The citizens that have visited our vessel, IN
form us that the condition Of these so.caled sol
diers is miserable beyond description, they pos
sess no money, clothes or provisions-in fact 1t
Is nothing more than q drunken rabble, being
such terror to the whole neighboring county,
that the establishment Of guard has been neces-
sary to protect the wives and families of certain
eitizous. These outlaws h"-s' L" t-"'- A-N
arreditions, entered houses when the male mem
bars were absent, and with pistols presented al
the heads of the female members thereof, de-
psanded all the provisions the house contained;
nm case of refusal as has occurred in one In
stance insult upon insult was hesped upon the
\ heads of the unprotected females. Their sole
occupation is nothing less than robbery, and
every chance that is given is ayaied OF by them.
As you are well aware, they have possession
of Forts McRes and Barrancas, and they have
erected few six.pOunders along the beach
This seems as far as my observation extends,
" 20 everything VI hOpo VI AhPViponSO "eSOAH-
plished by them. Discipline and order are un-
known within their ranks.
have to inform you that the L. S. steamer
wyandotte enters and departs from the port
Goth fag of truce flying at her masthead 1t
makes our very blood boil to witness this humili-
ating spectacle, and the bowling Of the knee by
the President of eur country to these highway
men of the deepest cast. We have thought how
truly lamentable it is that such ineficiency and
weakness az has recently been observed by us,
should have characterized the administration Of
our Executive head.
Among the other atrocities committed by this
gang, Fighting for liberty" is that at the time
of the capture, or rather surrender Of the Navy
Yard, there was deposited there 1000 tuns Of
coal for our naval vessels, belonging to the
United States Government. This coal these
fellows are at present selling at ruinous price;
IN fact, simply what it cost to freight it; and
The proceeds are being appropriated by them.
If this can be called aught else but robbery, /
should like to know it.
would not have you to understand that all
the men under arms here are such deeply dyed
characters as those alluded TO, who, for personal
emolument, would stoop to any act, however base
and atrOcious it may be; not by any means. As
i truly believe that some among them, uneon-
nected with these base acts, are perfectly sincere
10 their convictions, and think that the taking up
Of arms is justifable, these misguided men are