The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1861-07-17
What Mr.. Russell saw at Pensacola.

! The London Times has letter from Mr.,
Russell, who was taken over all the works
at Pensacola From his description, it
would seem that Bragg has been doing JUS
lice to his name. Instead of two or three
hundred guns, hear what he says:
do not think that any number of words
can give good idea of long line of de-
tached batteries. | went through them all,
and certainly found stronger reasons than
ever for distrusting The extraordinary state
ments which appear in the American jour
mails in reference TO military matters, par
ticuarly on their own side of the question.
Instead of three hundred guns, there are
only ten. They are mostly OF small calibre;
ard the gun-ca:riages are all old and un-
sound; or new and rudeiy made. There
are only five "heavy" guns in all the works,
but the mortar batteries, three in number,
OF which one is unfinished, will prove very
damaging, although they will only contain
nine or ten mortars. The batteries are all
sandbag or earhworks, with the exception
OF Fort Barancas. They are made after all
sorts OF ways, and are of very different de-
grees OF efficiency. In some of The magan
zines will come TO speedy destruction; in
others they are we'll made. Some are of
the finest white sand, and will blind the
gunners or be blown away with shells
others are cramped, and hardly travellers
others. again, are very spacious, and well
constructed The embrasures are usually
made of sandbass, covered with raw hides
TO save the cotton bags from the effect of
the fire from their own guns. was anus
ed 10 observe that most Of these works had
galleries in the rear, generally in connec-
ton with the magazine passages, which the
constructors called ''rat Aoles," and which
are intended as shelter TO the men at the
guns, in case of shells falling inside the
battery. They may prove 10 have very
different result, and are certainly not SO
desirable in a military point Of view as
good traverses. A rush for the "rat hole"
will not be very digniied or improving TO
the morale every time bomb hurles over
them; and assuIedly the damage OF the mag
aznes will be enormous if the fire from
Pickens is accurate and well sustained
Several OF the batteries were not finished
and the men who ought TO have been work
ing were lying under the shade of trees,
sleeping or smoking-long limbed, long
bearded fellows in flannel shirts and slouch-
ed hats, uniformless in all save bright we'll
kept arms and resolute purpose. We went
alOn0 SlaXyiy frnm haftorv IN apnthor
| visited nine altogether, not including Fl.
Barrancas aud there are three others among
which is Fort McRay. Perhaps there may
be fifty guns of different sorts in position
for about three miles along line extending
1876 degrees around Fort Pickens, the ave.
rage distance being about II mile. The
mortar batteries are well placed among
ood, quite out of view of the Fort,
at distances vefying from 2 800 10 $500
yards, and the mortars are generally OF cal
ibres corresponding nearly with our 10 inch
pieces. Several OF the gun batteries are pui
on the level OF the beach others have more
command and one is particularly well plac-
ed, close TO The White Lighthouse on rais-
ed plateau which dominates the sandy strip
that runs out TO Fort McRae.
The amount of ammunition which saw
did not appear 10 me TO be a: all sufficient
for one days moderate firing, and many of
the shots were roughly cast and had deep
flanges from the moulds in their sides, very
destructive 20 the guns as we'll as accuracy.
In the rear of these batteries, among the
pine woods and in deep brush, are three
irregular camps, which, 10 the best of my
belief, could not contain more than 2700
men. There are, probably, 5000 in and
about the batteries, the Navy Yard, and the
suberbs, and there are also, | am informed,
1900 at Pensacola, but doubt exceedingly
that there as many as 5000 men, all told, of
effective strength, under command OF Gen.
Bragg 1t would be mistake TO despise
these irregulars. One Of the Mississippi
regiments out in camp was evidently COM
posed of men who liked cam paigning, and
who looked as though they would like fight
ing. They had no particular uniforms
the remark will often be made-but they
had pugnacious physiognomies, and the
physical means of carrying their inclina-
lions into effect, and every man OF them
was, / am informed, familiar with the use
OF arms.