New-York daily tribune., 1861-05-14
1BOm FORTRESS mONxoE.
Seizure by she Bebcls-Hnserestins Hnciden's
Of the B>ecksde-Meuntins Guns-The
Way the Ma~sschusetts Boys DO H-vigi-
ynuee in the Yertrcss-rhe OGcers-Cel.
Dimmick.
OLD PoIEr CoMFcRT, May III, 1861.
Correspondence Of The n. Y. Tupnne'
Forq'REss monroe,


Baltimore. and met the Seden, to when, under in
guns of the Cumberland, her passengers were Trans
fered for Norfolk Freights, or anything else ou
passengers, their baggage and the United States mail
Lad previously been forbidden The Adelaide came 70
anchor under the walls of the Fortress and renamed
all day. The return Of the Selden from Norfolk was
due at p. m but after waiting till 10 in the evening"
the Adelaide went off without her coming, or knowing
the cause of her detention This morning. the Lousl-
ana of the same ine came down from Baltimore with
passengers generally Southeneis going homel, ana
the mail but there was no Norfolk boat here to meet
her, the S,lden not having made her appearance In
the course of the day the crew of the Seden made the
way across the bay in an open boat bringing the IN
tellgence that when the Selden neared Norfolk on tne
day previous she was fired on from one OF the heoei
batteries that line the harbor and tha on gong 10 e
dock, she was seized. The populace threatened 70
burn her. They rushed upon her, demanding VIVA.
she had aboard and when they were told that she id
nothing bat passengers and the mail, they said, Damn
the mails; we want something TO eat Why don't you
bring us something to eat The passengers are MOTH
inc but ses let us seize them and burn the boat! IL
resulted in the fright Of the poor Southerners who
might well be frightened at this reception, on hrrt
touching rebel soiQ and the seizure OF the boat.
When the arrival of the Sedens crew with this In
togence became known here, the passengers brought
down by the Louisiana in the morning. who had been
waiting at Hampton, took steps for conveyance 70
Norfolk, and accordingly about 2 p M, number OF
them put out from Hampton in small Schooner. lie
Star late MONTICELLO was lying near the mouth OF
the James River, some eight or ten miles above. Inc
schooner all right though she might have been was nev
eheess undertaking to run the blockade for no vessel
whatever from any source permitted to enter Nor
folk harbor The Cumberland was swinging at anchor
opposite the fortress and it is probable that the flag
officer sguaed the Star to overhaul the schooner for
when about three miles out tho Star fired shot across
her bow at long distance. happened to be on the
ramparts of the fortress at the ime The report Of the
Stars I0-iuch columbisd brought large number Of
oficers and men to the same POSITION. The schooner
did not heed the warning but kept on Shortly she'll
wac exploded in her immediate neighborhood, and 1t
was not ill four shots were fired Of which made
greyous rent in her sail, that she came to. A short
time after she laying under the guns Of the Cum
berand humble enough She would probably be
permitted to undertake her expedition again, having
learned that no movement be madeinthese waters,
especially from Hampton 10 Norfolk, without the ox-
press permission of the flag officer.
The reader Of the published accounts viii remember
that it was stated that frsky little tugboa was per
mitted to ply between Norfolk and Hampton in the
service of the Rebels. She suddenly cut short in
ber career one day last week by huge ball fred from
tue Cumbo rland which tsok of a good share Of her
bulwarks The Commodore did not take tie trouble TO
pu. blank cartridge or even waste shot across her
bows, but put shot square into her vital part IL
ended her rebel service little repairing put her all
right again. and che has since been Of great service to
Col Dimmck and the Commodore in towing trans
pors and in other respects Iu fact she is the most
seryiceable boat now in the employ of the Government
in all these waters.
The rebel encampment across the bay in the neigh
borhood of Norfolk may be distinctly seen with good
glass Get the Defense Committee hurry up another and
better, and a, times by the naked eye; but no idea
of the number of men can be gained. ean from one
of the Sedens that while the rebels claim to have
5000 men in the neghborhood Of Norfolk the number
does not probably exceed 1000, and likely is not
10 many. From the same source l learn that ! 100
arrived from Georgia en- Thursday, with proyis-
ions, and that others were expected No doubt the
number will seon become formidable, and there are
several important considerations connected with tie
fact aside from the defense Of Norfolk and Cos
peninsula between York and James Rivers, at a
line as high up as Yorktown, on York River. With
that line occupied by ten thousand or fifteen thou
sand rebel troops a very important step will
have been taken in a comprehensive plan for the
investment, OF Fortress Monroe. With that line
pied by Federal troops, O rope would be round Vr-
gnia 3 neck. 1t would command her completely on
the seaboard side stop communication between Nor
r II. ID l. L. T.,
less tie communication Richmond has with York River
by rail TO Westport York River both rivers would
be completely blockaded, and Fortress Monroe rem
dered secure with a small force inside of her.
Standing on the ramparts Of the fortress you can,
with glass, see the Secession flag waving at different
points in Hampton, and slso what appear to be rebel
batteries beyond. John Tylers villa, Marietta, can
be seen in the suburbs of Hampton not far from which
rebel flag floats. 1t may be interesting for the ven
cradle Virginian to know that within few days past
O.inch Columbiad has been mounted on the ramparts
of the fortress that gazes directly upon said villa.
Lieut. T., under whose direction the huge gun was
placed in position calls it telescope with which TO
take observation OF the f. F. b, ana the e4-free-
dent in particular.
Speaking of mounting guns, it is " sight to see'
how they are handled good deal of that sort OF
work il being done in the fortress now, and the Mas-
sachusetts boys of great service. They are 20
handy and jolly at it, that it seems about the sort Of
soldering suited to them at any rate it Is ust the kind
most needed here now. The guns are stored in the
ordnance yard outside Of The fortress and
There is a company Of Cambridge Firemon in one Of
the regiments, and when they get l0nch Columbisd,
weighing $4,000 pounds slgng up under two :; huge
much like "running with the machine !" And You
should see them go and, besides, they are permitted
10 shout which they do, as only fremen can; and the
way they do snake along" the heavy monsters, an
unceasing wonder to the regulars.