The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-09-30
To Cart. T. BAILEY, United States Navy.
OUR FORT PICKENs CORRESPONDENCE.

NEAR FORT PIcKsSs, Fla, Sept IA, 1861.
The Destruction Of the Dry Dock at PensacodHoao the
Work cds Accomrlished-7Ae P,1tuteer Judith Boarded
Under the Guns Of the Nary Yard ard Burnel-Spking
Columbiad-7he Health Of the 7roops--The Scarcity Of
Fresh Provisions, DC
Tho usual monotony Of camp life Santa Rosa Island
has been broken in upon lately by several rather exciting
events We poor mortals upon this almost desert island
watch for something to stir up little passing fame of
enthusiasm almost sedulousy the Eastern devoee
watches for the first early rays of the day god TO
mencc his morning devotions.
At night We seek beds, hoping that ere another
dawn some exploit little more Calling to tho proud
Souhron than any heretofore planned executed shall
have aroused his Ire and caused him TO show his teeth
But mol disappointment day after day. We're it not
that we know from reliable how utterly unpre
pared General Bragg s to commence an engagement, VIC
insult after insult was but intended to lure into
of ianced security and them like the crouchng panther
TO spring upon and destroy
Alas for all our anticipatons and ongngs for active
service. Here are, cooped up upon huge sand bank
thirty forty miles long and only about oneha milo
in average width.
Certainly 10 the secessonsts the possession of
Fort Pckcns is Of most manifest Importance
yet strange to say, General Bragg, with several
thousand men, scarcely three thousand yards OF
lies inactive, and submits tamcly to continued
insults from foe not than ethrd his strength
His schooncrs fired into, his dry dock is burned
right under the mouth Of his guns and last though not
least, Of his vessels, spenddly fitted as prva-
teer boarded while lying the Navy Yard dock set
fire to and burned TO the waters edge and the
time Of his largest and best mounted guns ten inch
co!umbiad is spiked and rendered useless yet all this
fails to him into activity. You will be amused TO
know that within a month he has boea at the "bragp
game by sending summons TO Colonel Brown to sur
render Fort Pckens. Most doughty knightp'
must give you account Of tho burning of tho dry
dock and Of the exploit of last night wherein the schooner
burned and the ooumbiad spiked an enterprise so
characteristic Of the naval service Of the United States
planned and executed with much GOODNESS and intre
pdy as to make every tongue here aud the bravery
those engaged in it and every heart mourn the loss of
those who fell
The renders OF the HERALD will probably remember that
tho dry dock lying the Warrenton Navy Yard
moved by the enemy oral months snce out into the
channel and sunk the object being to intercept the pas
sage OF vessels the bay in Of engagement
not content with the disposition thus made of it, plan
evidently formed to pump out the water, raise and
float it further down to position opposite Fort McRea
where the channel very narrow, and where if sunk
would eecualy bar the passage inward of any vessel of
size.
the night Of the 31s OF August Colonel Brown got
an mixing Of the design foot from the unusual stir
the Navy Yard the frequent passage Of boats to and from
the shore conveying what afterwards proved to BE- fuel
for the furnaces the dock &c His plans TO defeat the
accomplishment Of the purpose which the enemy had IN
view quickly formed. Selecting Of his mos
trusty officers, Lieutenant Shpcy he gave him orders tc
hold himself in readiness with crew Of picked mcn Ia
boat the following night, cautiously to approach
the dry dock land upon and fire it, then retreat
speedily as possible for the fort.
Colonel Brown, in the meantime, made every prepare
ton for general engagement He could believe tina
the enemy would allow handful Of approach Sc
his batteries, burn the dock and find their way TN
molested back the fort and he had fully determined
the retreatng boat fired upon, to open will
all his guns upon the Navy Yard and the adjoining bat
teries which, all trusted would lead TO general en-
gagement
All the next day (sunday) was employed in making pre-
paratons At the fort bombshels filed and place,
convenient the mortars the furnaces were filed will
purpose of heating cannon balls, and the officers an,
men were oil detailed their respective positions at tn
guns.
In camp there unusual degree of excitement
Although could not expect to take very active par
while bombardment lasted yet longed for the fra,
TO commence.
Az there several guns upon the opposite shor,
pointing directly towards camp, everything wa
placed in state of readiness that removal could b,
made at moments notice, and now waited expect
antiy for the coming darkness.
Night came cloudegs the heavens, lit up by hosts o.
stars looked beautiful beyond description The opposite
shore plainly visible, and the enterprise seemed toe
hazardous, as in the planning Of 1t darker night had
been looked for Upon consultation 1t thought best
to wait till the following night.
All day Monday strong breeze blew from of the
Gulf; rain expected but none fell Night and
the sky cloudy.
A few minutes after tattoo" (nine oclock) Lieut.
shipey left the beach in front of the fort with
eleven picked rowing noseessiy for the dry dock
The boat reached the dock without being challenged
made fast, wan the men srang up prepared to en-
counter and overcome the scntieg Uhn had o!An hen,
seen stationed upon 1t at nj ght were found how
ever and they proceeded 10 accomplish their work Com
busbe material of various kinds had been prepared and
brought along together with three large coumba shells
These placed in the boilers The combustibs pro-
perly arranged, word given for the men to 90
aboard the boat, Lieutenant shplcy remaining
10 apply the match, which done, he quickly
followed in their wake. Scarcely had distance Of twenty
yards from the doomed structure been gained by
gallant little band when the flames burst forth foil
almost Immediately by the explosion of the shells w
filed the air with fragments that fell in perfec' wht
around the rereating boat, but fortunately n .show
Of its crew. ring no
AS the first streak of namc mounted u2w
roll sounded at the Navy Yard, the rts the t'lo
there turned out in haste the engineers >d'ers station
and everything wild confusion: ran TO their gun
fired the boat reached the shore IL bet not shot
embarked and proceeded TO the fo safety the crew d
CALCULATIONS Of their comrader # TO receive the co
sky was ilumined by the tall Meanwhile the who
upward from the burning Dc spires of flame which sh
All night ong the fierce OK
abstraction and when m Aement sped on in its work
of ruins floating upon s'sng dawned shapeless ma
,he dry dock, which oANwater was all that remained
million and half 1cs; the government upwards Of
Of rebelon, hr 4 dos ars, but which the inad demo
" wbo ,xo'a - wress cd from i,s CRASH
ore cor,d' navc the lght that the hoheaded s,,tber
yctaliat lar all thH tamely? Some immediate act ,
No .cn was expected, but none followed
h ArAy two weeks by and life in camp which h,
an slightly swayed from its usual Iuonotonous cours
~ the event just narrated turned back into the oil
channel INV VIZ vi
Inc enemy made no demonstrations Everything seem
ca quiet upon the opposite shore. The counhad pIaute