The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1861-12-27
BomDARDMENT OF PENsA-
COLA.
Highly Interesting aud
Important Letter from
nn officer OF the Mag
ara.

Y. 5. FLAG SIR NlAGARA, Jfr IT. piekens,l
November 22--S l.. NJ.
To rnr EpiroSs % rnT pRoyipiNcs pR.s.:
BY this tine tho news ofthe bon.bard
ment Of Pensacola has travelled all over
the Southern States, and for all know.
has reached you; bat as the Southern tcc-
graph has no equal Ia the manufacture Of
lies. propose to give You such an account
rs tired body aud but little time will adj
nit. Fret, OF.
ruE rRIrARArioH.
The object was to destroy the Navy
Yard, 50 as to put stop TO their Use Of
Government property and tools in build
ing ny more extensive means of defense
and TO batter down some oftheir lurtifica-
items. Orders were gwen to cur engineers
to place bags filled with coal around such
portions ol the machinery as were ex-
po ed to shot, aud nearly all the work was
done which IL necessary TO prepare ship
for action"
Early yesterday morning the flag off.
Ger went on shore 10 confer with Colonel
Brown in regard to preliminaries. Alta
o'clock ne returned, and we received or =
dcrs to complete arrangements. Orders
were dispatched to the Richmond and
Montgomery, then in port, giving them
directions how to act, aud the word was
passed that we move in ut day light, so US
TO engage TT. McRae, the water battery
aud the sand battery, just in front of Me
Rae, all throc ofwhich could bring their
guns to bear upon sither f. Pickens or
the shipping.
We could form no idea Of tho strength
of these places, but Il was highly impor-
taut that we should draw their fire, as they
enhlsdod the pnrapet guns of pickens.-
IL had been arranged that, US soon Us the
steamers came from Pensacola 10 the Ma
Wy Yard, the tort was 10 open fire upon
them, 50 as to sink thcs, il possible, aud
cut oifall ms ans Of bringing dow re-en-
torcements from the town, and the first
gun from the fort was To be the signal for
US TO move in and open flee. Orders were
passed to have sufficient food Tor the day
cooked before s o'clock in tho morning,
and at late hour last night we turned in,
TO dream of terrible battles and chair
breadth escapes"
! oitNlNG W THE ENGAGEMENT.
by sunrise N morning we were al
rcsdy. Our boats had been hoistcd out
and moored alongside, shot and shell got
up and steam all ready to move II at short
notice. The usual morning prayer was
offered up, tho chaplain imploring u bles-
sing upon the events of the day, after
which tie Flag Officer addressed a few
words to the men in his usual clear, quick,
come-to'the.point manner. lie urged
upon u EN- "strict obedience 10 all orders
GOODNESS, Judgment. aud precision in f.
ring" The answer was three hearty
cheers.
About half past nine we could sec tho
steamers coming down to the Navy Yard,
little susrectng that their doom was
sealed. In avery short time they were
fast to the dock, and at Just twelve min
utes Of owe saw n smoke issue from Ft.
Pickens, and heard The bouming Of the
gun. A cheer burst forth from our mcn
and II ever a.hip's anchor came up lively
il was ours then.
In order to bring cur guns within range
IL was necessary fer us 10 run into yer,
shoal water, and consequently II required
the utmost caution in working the ship
Even with perfectly smooth sea there
would he only twenty inches of water
under our keel, aud Il il should begin tC
blow, or heavy swell set in, il was nee.
essnry for us b have the ship in such q
position that we could easily run intC
deep water.
While working our way in, the Rich
p1npH ~ N ttnIHr ats II A -.
draws less water than we do, the Com
modore ordered her togo in and open fir,
as soon as she was within range. Sht
passed by us, took up position nearer tt
the land aud opened fire. Meantime, tho
water battery and TT. McRac were doinl
their best to frightcn US. by throwing sho
that fell mie short. We kept oil
steudiy until We thought We were II
range aad then came to anchor.
TIE AcTf N,
Our first shot was from the 81 pound
rifle, aud II told with very good effect
The uext'was from l-inch gun, but i
fell short. A few more were fired, bu
with uch the same result. Finding that
we were TOO far of, a boat was s.ent oui
in charge Of the msster, in order to sound
aud having found that va could get in
somewhat closer with u. the wntor sho "
ing murh mere VIC hove up urchor and
ran in about ono fourth of N le further.
( During the time t'iat our boat was out
sounding, several OF their shots came nv
nsar il, but fortunat " none biz. We
now again opened fire from our broadside
guns, and this time TO some purpose.
Almost every shot told. The rebals
were constantly throwing shot at us, aud
seemed tc be either increasing the charge
Of powder, or else getting more elevation,
for their shot gradually ceme nearer,
though it was not until late in the after
noon that we were struck.
BY IL o'clock both the Richmond and
Niagara, together with the gunn bearing
from Fort pickens and Battcry Scott
were all playing into Fort NeRae and
its surrounded batteries. We averaged
one shell every three minutes, and as the
Richmond had more guns though smaller
and ore than our number of guns were
being served from Santa Rosa, there
were about two shell each minute, being
fred at this point.
About one o'clock firing commenced
from mask ed battery which disclosed
itself in the woods along the shore, and
about mile south of McRae. They
seemed to have a particular spite against
us, iy the pertinacity With which they
fred et us; but finding that they could not
reach us, they turned tlleir attention to
the Richmond, which was nearer TO shore.
N any OF their shot came close to the lat
toi, and had they been well directed
would have done great deal Of damage.
Only one took effect, however, and /
regret to record that this killed one man
ana wounded seven. The man killed
was captain Of the gun, and was in the