New-York daily tribune., 1861-03-04
LETTER FROM LIEUT. A. J. sLEMMER.


DEAR BROTHER: As special messenger will leave
here for Washington tomorrow, Will ask him 10
carry some private letters, with bis public ones and
aet you know some little about Fort Plekeps ana tbe
sunabants thereof. only wish it were not SO much
Sf q One-sided arrangement, as we need letters down
here moro than you fortunate people up North can
Tbe papers through sometimes but letters never
It quite surprises me 10 see my name hguIng 20 exten
RivtlY in the newspapers. have simply done my
luty but suppose the doing H. under such pressure
c opposition, makes it appear crediabh. The troops
ere leaving the opposite Shore dsglSed at playing
three hundred remaining, and these are regulars
having enlisted for one year. Ny messenger to the
yard this morning, said tLey afraid we would at
lack them now. We could do so, and get possession
psain Of everything in hour If we were only permit
bed 70 take such a course. / have Low mounted
eeary all the gunshat is all that are really necessa-
Ey enable this work 10 he defended by force OF 300
haen We have worked like horses 10 accomplish this,
bot great things be done by small means wheno one
ernOws how. This small command bas done more than
thase or Lomax could have done with their2 900 men,
and they know it. Having seen our guns go up.so
kapidly they swear we have had reenfOrcements. In
ct, the papers say, nothing else could be expected
That have smuggled In men from the vessels. 1t Is
brue we could have done 60, and they be none the
wiser but not man has been added TO this command
from them. Ia fact, particular are we, that not
syen ON officer has ashore with the exception of
Dapt Vodges and be only once, when the vessels rst
These Southern papers are publishing al sorts of
Ese reports about One is that was heard tosay
That If they bad attacked the fort any time during the
brtt fifteen days would have surrendered 1t without
king a gun. OF course this is not true. My men
hood at the guns every of those days. and II they
bad they would have learned the definition OF one
bind of grape.
The people on the opposite shore think we are In
kauch more deensibe condition than when they first
Aame. TIE moral effect Of the guns top is great.
When the move was frst made worked most where
they could not sec me, and they thought but little was
doing; but when my men were put to work on the
karbette guns, and they them go up almost IKE
hagc as they thought they could scarcely move their
bTn guns) they began 10 think troubous times were
toming. There are only as / said before, about four
hundred at the barracks, Fort Barrancas ana OLD
NcCrea--only enough 10 garrison them: They are
bhe sips In the harbor with the Intelligence TO them
that they can leave within two hours unless they pre-
Zen TO be food for powder.
7 Col Chase and Capt. Randolph both in Mont
konery leaving Col. Forney in command
He Is West Point graduate, and was engaged In
batting up the batteries before that work was stopped
{ Colonel Chase putting up battery near the
lighthouse and mounting eight inch coumbado on 1t.
This battery would have raked our front, 20 wrote
protesting against its continuance at present. and also
Against the erection Of all batteries bearing on the
Tort Colonel Chase told the Secretary OF War that
he weuld land the troops in the Brooklyn, he on
his part would not attack the fort, and would une
aately discontinue all preparations for so doing OF
course this battery building was violating the agree
tEsnt, and they have admitted IL by not going on.
they think have no right 10 mount any moro guns
esther, but that is all they know about II. There was
20 srrustice on my side at all except about the landing
Df the troops and that was the Secretary's ON al
perfect liberty TO mount every gun IN one iort II
Choose, and to make such other ceenses as can In
vent or CODY. A. j. SLRMMER,
: First Lieut., Firs! Artillery, Commanding Fort
Pickens.