Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-05-30
interesting from Pensacola.

From letter to the New York Tribune
from Pensacola, We extract these particulars;
For the past few days the enemy have not
seemed so eager for the fray. Heretofore,
according to all accounts, they have always
been Just on the eve of taking this fort by
assault They have been held back by main
force. suppose it took one half of the Con-
federate army to hold the other half back, SO
determined were they to wipe out Uncle Sans
troops from the sacred soil Of Florida, and
from the face Of the Garth. They were uncon-
conscious Of danger, and reckless of conse-
quences. 1t was too bad to restrain them,
when they were 'ispiling' for 6ght. They
were quite frantic in their desires to gallop
right over this fortifcation, like rougn shod
mules, and trample Us all in the dust.
Still they are not unwilling to ''aToid
bloodshed Ito that end they have practiced
upon the fidelity of some of thesoldiers with
in the garriBon-hsFe offered tempting
brides, in the shape Of large sums Of money
and commissions in hhsir o0s army, as q re-
ward for putting them in possession of the
fort. The result was not very encouraging
They probably succeeded in debauehing only
three men, two Of whom have since desert
ed. Their scheme consisted in disabling Ger
tain important guns commanding the ap-
pr0aches 70 the fort, by having the charges
Withdrawn or otherwise tampered with, and
then taking possession ~ Gssault; which, if
successful, would have been hsralded to the
world and forever commemorated as a brill
liant and brave exploit; not word, of course,
being uttered about the Il tleachery attending
the procedure. This elegant arrangement
was fortunately frustrated by the vigilance OF
Lieut.. Slemmer.
Information Of q tolerably authentic ma
ture was to-day received to the effect that the
railroad is now completed to Fensaeola-and
that IL columbiads and some Is heavy sea-
coast mortars were brought by the first
through train from Montgomery. With this
additional armament added TO that alresd y
in portion, they viii have tremendous ERE
upon this Fort and its surroundings. They
cannot reduce it but they may, Is they as
sert they will, -''make it hot for US. Our
-own guns being of limited range, are mainly
calculated to repel storminS psrties-and
that they will do effectuslly. But suppose a
bombardment should take place to-day,
would you like to know the probable
strength of the enemys fire as compared
with our own2 Il will be as twenty to one
For every twenty shells or shot which the
rebels will throw into or at this fort the gar
risOn viii send one back So far as can
Judge by the temper exhibited by our officers
and men, 1 do not thihk they are dismayed
by these odds. But do you not think our
Government sometimes expects little too
much from its troops leaving them to
work their way out Of difficulties with very
great obstacles and too numerous odds
against them2 There are msn enough here
to defend the place against all the troops the
South can bring, but the armament and mu-
nitiOns physical elements quite as essential
as soldiersl seem to be inadequate for the
emergency, and are certainly disproportion-
ate to the work which the country expects
from this garrison. -s1rI ..sH Ed.