Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-05-05
Fram, Fort pirken..

From Fort PicBens.
Tie Warrington correspondent of the New-Or-
leans Ddtd writes under date Of the 9th ult., as
fol ows;
Nothing of interest has occurred since my last
except an incident which gave some alarm to the
Major IN command at Pensacola. A we'll dressed
man. who had been observed hanging about the
wharf and Bedell House for some days, mysterious
ly disappeared the other day, under the following
circumstances: A Tennessean, who had just arriv-
ed was lodged in the room with this stranger.
The Tennessean had some money in his pocket.
Waking up about daybreak he missed his fellow
odger and searching his pocket he discovered that
his portemonnaie, which contained all his money
was gone He Immediately dressed himself and pro-
ceeded to the wharf. On reaching the end of the
wharf he discovered beat coming in, which was
rowed by negro boy. On inquiring of the boy, the
Tennessean was informed that well dressed gentle-
man came down TO the wharf at midnight and, wax
ing him, asked him TO row HIM in his boat TO yes
sci which was anchored a short distance out Ia the
bay. He consented, and the boat proceeded with
the stranger in it. When the negro had rowed
nearly to the ship, the stranger told him he had
concluded to go over to the island. The negro OBJ
jected saying he had positive orders not to go to
the island. The stranger then drew pistol and
told the negro if he did not him to the island ne
would blow his brains out. Under this menace the
negro proceeded to row towards the island, on
reaching which the stranger leaped out, throwing
the negro a half dollar, and proceeded down the
beach in the direction Of the United States squadron
This man Is supposed TO be spy and is believed to
be rogue.
Speaking Of the navy must notice the
arrival here of Lieutenant Hamilton who became
so famous from his connection with the celebrated
floating battery, which so handsomely indicated its
ethclency at Fort Sumter, against the sneers and
redicule of so many persons, including the whole
North, where it confidently predicted that it
would become the coffin of the rash men who
would trust themselves in it within striking distance
of the fort. Lieutenant Hamilton saws the floating
battery received one hundred and fifty shots with
out damage. He gives many interesting particulars
about the bombardment and reduction of Sumter.
The result was achieved, he says, by the mortars
no breach having been made in the walls by the
cannon. But the eleven mOrtars which were remark
ably well managed, rained torrent of fire on the
interior of the fort, when the quarters of the men
were set on fire. It was wonderful that Anderson
able to continue the fight long he did with
such fire raging around him, threatening the ex-
plosion of his magazine. By the by, Lieutenant
Hamilton relates curious indident which hap
| pened in the fort shell struck the door OF
| the magazine and drove in the lock- so that
| it could not be opened, and kAnderson was
obliged to dig through the wall to get his ammuni>
ton. As it was he kept up the fire, and only sur
rendered when be had not one cartridge left. Lieu
tenant Hamilton, after remaining here few hours
and holding short interview with Bragg, left for
! Montgomery. What Lieutenant Hamilton says of
the efficiency of mortars is fully appreciated here by
Gen. Baagg, and his chief of ordnance, Capt. Boggs
and great efforts are being made to forward several
large morars, which have arrived at the upper end
of the gap in the Montgomery road. This road will
be completed through by next week, when it is TO
be hoped there will be difficulty in moving the
ten-inch cOlumbads and the mortars to the batteries
which are already prepared for them Our old
armorer and ordnance officer, Captain OladOwski,
of Baton Rouge, Is very active and efficient here
in managing the batteries. preparing the guns
and fixing ammunition. He has mounted two
strong mortars in Barrancas, and says he only
wants seven more ten-inch columbiads to drive
the Yankees out of their stronghold. 1t does not
strike me- however, that mortars can be as efficient
against Pickens as they were against Sumter, see
ing that there is no woodwork on the fOrmer-nO
quarters barracks the interior of the fort the
men being lodged entirely in classmates. The ten
inch guns must, after all, do the work. Can they
reach the wall at the distance of a mile and four
tenths? If they can, the result is a certain thing
for it is evident that with their powerful ar
tery they can never silence batteries so well mask
ed and covered as the sand batteries which Bragg
has thrown up the main land. These are far
more to be relied on than the Forts McRea and
BarrancsS, which important chiefly as links in a
general line of batteries rather than distinct for
fcations McRae is important too the chief obsta
Gle to the entrance of the feet which will doubtless
make effort TO pass within the harbOr when the
bombardment begins The Powhattan, with her one
eleven-inch and twenty nine>inch guns, and the
Brooklyn, with her fourteen eight-nch and her two
ten inch, and the Sabine, with ten eightinch and
forty thirty-twos constitute a far more powerful
and effective battery than Pickens. But lying out
side of the island. their fire would be Ineffective
If 80 daring an officer as d. d. Porter, commanding
| the Powhattan, has his way, an effort would very
probably be made to carry the fleet into the harbor
but in doing so the ships would pass very near Nc
| Rae, which would rake them from bow to stern
| and then cross fire.
If they succeeded in passing McRae, they would
have to head right upon Braggs strongest batteries
and we do not believe any ship would live through
| such storm. Whenever the conflict commences
believe it will be the severest fought Thu
continent, certainly one in which larger number
of guns will be engaged than in any battle record
| in our history.