Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-04-24
INTERESTING FROM PENSACOLA.
Correspondence Of the Charleston Mercury. !
HKApoUARrRRs Provisional ARMT.)

INTERESTING FROM PENSACOLA.
Correspondence of the Charleston Me,curyl
HKApoUARrRRs Provisional ARMY.)
Warrington, Fla, April 10, 1861.
The long agony Of doubt and suspens- which
has for months parals led the eDergi.s Of our
people, is at length over. We breathe freer. now
that we know the worst, and can prepare to meet
It. This place Is now TO become the grand theater
Of the struggle, and the focal point Of national
interest.
Just month ago the work Of reinforcing this
point began. At that time the garrison here con-
sisted Of i've comp anies OF Alabama twelve onths
volunteers. la addition 10 this battalion, there
was a remnant OF a militia company, under Capt
O'HaTa, from Mobile, a company of Florida
militia, and another squad of twenty Florida
militia. This entire force, which constituted the
garrison at this place on the 18th Of March, barely
| numbered 500 men. The first reinforcement was
the company of Red Eagles" from Mobile, Ala
bama, under command of Capt. Ben Lane Posey.
They arri we'd on the 18th of March, and were
placed immediately In command of the Barrancas
Redouht Capt. O'Hara's militia and the Florida
militia were then disbanded
ReinfOIcements then began to pour In from all
points. They have been arriving almost every
day since the Goth ult. The result is now an
aggregate of 5000 men. They consist Of the fol-
lowing elements:
brigade Of Mississippians. ..........1,.O 100 men,
battaliOns OF Alabamians 400 q
companies OF floridians. GOO "
oatiaiions OF u eOrgians, mot all here) 100
accompanies Of Louisianans, (Zouaves). 200
5000
1t may be necessary to explain the topography
of this locality, for the better understanding Of
our position here. Warrington NAVY Yard is
about eight miles from Pensacola tits about
two miles froin Fort Pickens, which is on the
southern point Of Sinta Rosa Island This Island,
which Is about forty miles long, and an average
| of a mile wide, divides The waters of the Gulf
| from thuse of Pensacola Bay. The entrance from
the Gulf to the Bay is about one mile wide IL
lies between the south end of Santa Rcss Island
on which stands Fort Pickens, and landspit of
the main land lust opposite, on which stands Fort
McRae. Fort Pickens is $40 wards from the end
of the Island, and Fort McRae is so near the
water that its base is washed by every wave that
breaks upon the beach. Pickens and McRae are
2.CU1 yards apart The main land opposite Fort
Pickens is semi-ciTcular In form, the Navy Yard
forming the northern point, and Fort McRa e the
southern point. The space between is occupied
by the village Of Warrington, which extends
parallel 70 the beach for mile. Next comes the
Marine Hospital; next Barrancas Barracks; next
Fort San Carlos de Barrancas; next the Light
house; and last, Fort McSoe. The further point
OF any of this seIni-circe Is not exceeding two
miles from Fort PickeDs. One thousand wards in
the rear OF Fort Barrancas stands Barrancas Re
DOUBT. These are all the points In the field of
operations VI 'ch have "a local designation end
name have given this minute Typographical
dFscr ip;on Of tie field of operations for future
reference by your readers, whom advise to pre-
serve 1t FOR tEat PurpoSei II will greatly assist
them Ia understand rg the letters written from this
place
will next give you statement Of the positions
occupied % the several corps Of he army The
Navy Yard is occupied only by Capt Lees com
paEy Of Z eOr4iams from Atlanta Ii has ITO men
Slxty-t at Of htm being mac hinsts 1t has been
converted Into corfs Of sappers and m ners
fhe south end OF Narrington-the Barrancas
barracks. Fort Barrancas and Barrancas Redoubt
are occupied by the AlcbamidDs Barrancas
Redcubt, the most important Of all these posi-.
mons - occupied by tie Red Eagles" under
capt. Ben Lane f'csey, who IS commandment Of
the rfdoubt he space between tie redoubt
and Bdrrancas b1Trecks lie occupied by the Geor.
glans Toe Mississippi brigade is posted be-
tween Fort BarraHcas end Fort McRae imme-
oiately IN the rear Of the lighthouse Fo,t
McRae was occupied yesterday by an Alabama
company under Capt. Draper
Last night, about O'Clock, was startled by
the firing OF cannon at the feet was about 20
call on some friends In the NJ ississippi brigade
heard i've guns fire at intervals Of about three
minutes each went down TO the light house
ehG ioGnd that two companies OF Mississi ppia ne
had Just ieIs 10 reinforce Fort McRae where an
attack was anticipated. The light OF the liz ht-
house was eAtinguished. The oficer OF tue dsy
came gallcping past, with orders 20 cal out ali
the troops under arms Many Of The toops slept
or theif a1Ins all night, aid som. never slept d.
The firing was to announce the arrival of the
stoIesh'P Relief with provisions for the garrison
and feet Rsinfoncsnients were probably thro,vn
into Fort PicEcns last night. The element, vr,,.
favorable Ior u, and he time WIS doubtless In
proved A Collision Is probable now q, any mo.
ment All the bn.lefie1 were supplied with am
nunitlon to-day. The Wyandot,e which has
been plying about the bay at pleasure notified
yesterday evening 10 leave, and II sh. comes In
again she Will be fred On We are looking for a
| steamer to arrive tonight from Mobile with
large cargo Of Quartermastets stores. Her en-
trace may bs interfe.ed with and that will ri,
happens, prod uce a collision.
| Our main reliance fer offensive Operat' ons Is
upon the sGIall batteries along the beach There
are three Of these N the navy ward mounting
about four ~ Is each. There is another battery
an admirable ore--in the south erd Of Warning.
| ton Ii ls last oppos,te the main gate OF Fort
PlckeD~, which Is distinctly visible from IL
| lnis battery VIII knock down the gate The
pest battery OF all Is one Of three ten.iLch Column
| biads, between Fort Barrancas and the Livbt
house Ii Will be finished tomorrow The neyt
best IS battery Of four eight inch Columbiads
| Just below the l. ght House. This hes been
| SIDE Of Fort Pickens, which Is a mere brick wall
| only four feet thick. This part of the fort was
never finished COlumbiads Will soon demoisb
II. That VIII be very well; but ''then comes the
| tug OF war -" IL will be an Imminent deadly
breachH indeed to rush into and hecatomb, ~
men viii perish In 1t.
| The heet lies usually about elk miles from For.
| McKae II has lately taken nearer position In
Line oI Daule tordEc with its brOadgdes the island
! approaches 10 Fort McRae
] HEADQUARrKRs Provisional ARMY.
Warrington, Fla , April Is, 1861 (
| Nothing OF much Interest has occurred since nv
last letter OF the 18th Silence and solempity Der.
wade the entire camp. Every one feels conscious
OF the forthcoming struggle, and things have as
suH.d the stiffness that precedes the storm The
Day is cleared Of all sails Scarcely yawI-bcat
nipples the calm surface Of the bay But In TIE
midst OF all this external Stiffness Intense actvitv
marks our operations. Yesterday-Suudav tbougb
IL "as-was spent In making new batteries. TSo
new ones are going forward on the beach in War
[ihgton Another is going up just outside of Fort
BaG rdncas "
The enemy are wide awake and actively alert.
dhsy expected an attack from US on Fort Pickens,
q