Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-12-17
THE LATE FIGHT AT FORT pICKENs
TIE OFFICIAL REPORT OF COL. BROWN
What Facts were Elected by the Bernhard.
ment of the Rebels.
Colonel Harvey Brown has made the follow
ing official report Of the late fight:

Fort PIeksnS, Nov. 25, 1861.
General: That Fort Pickens has been be-
lsaguered by the rebels for the last nine
months, and that 1t was daily threatened with
me fste Of Sumter, is a fact notorious to the
whole world. Since its occupancy by Lieut..
Slemmer the rebels have been surrounding il
with batteries, and daily arming them with
the heaviest and most efficient guns known 20
our service-guns stolen from the United
States-until they considered this fort as yir-
tually their own, Its occupancy being only
question Of time.
have been in command since the 18th of
April, and during the whole of that time their
force has averaged, 30 far as can learn, from
eight to ten times the number of mine. The
position in which have thus been placed has
been sufficiently trying, and have at three
separate times intended to free myself from il
by opening my batteries on them; but imperi-
ous circumstances, over which / had no control,
have Unexpectedly in each instance prevented.
Affairs were in this state on the morning of
the 9Th OF October, when the enemy, fifteen
hundred strong. attacked by surprise a portion
OF my command on an intensely dark night.
They were defeated and driven from the
island with great loss by less than two hundred
regulars and fifty volunteers-all the efficient
force l had dispossble for the purpose. An
insult 80 gross to the hsg of my csuntry could
not by me be passed unnoticed, and / designed
Immediately to take appropriate notice Of it;
but, as / said before, circumstances over which
had no control prevented. make these
predatory remarks to explain why / have now
opened my batteries on the enemy, when from
the smallness of my forces, about one sixth of
ms, thirteen hundred to eight thousand,
have not the means Of producing any decisive
results, and as evidence of my having accom-
plished what deslgned-the punishing the
perpetrators OF an insult on my country's flag.
Having invited Flag 0ficer Mexican to CO.
nnaratn " Wit I'm 81
and to which he gave ready and cordial as
sent, l, on the morning of the 22d, opened nv
batteries on the enemy, to which, in the course
OF half an hour, he responded from his numer.
ous forts and batteries extending from the
navy yard to Fort McRae, a distance of about
four miles, the whole nearly equi-distant from
this fort, and on which line be has two forts
McRae and Bsrrancas-and fourteen sensrsts
batteries, containing fromons 10 four guns, ,many
OF them being ten inch columbiads and some
twelve and thlrteen-inch sea-coast mortars tha
distance varying from two thousand one hun
dred to two thousand nine hundred yards from
the fort At the same time of my opening.
Flag Otheer Mexican, ia the Niagara, and Cap
tain Ellison, in the Richmond took position a
near to Fort McRae as the depth Of water
would permit, bat which unfortunately was not
sufficiently deep to give full effect to their
powerful batteries. They, however, kept up
spirited hre on the fort and adjacent batteries
during the whole day. My fire was incessant
from the time Of opening until it was too dark
to see. at the rate Of shot for each gun every
10 or 20 minutes, the fire Of the enemy being
somewhat slower.
By noon the guns Of Fort McRae were all
silenced but one, and three hours before sun.
set this fort and the adjoining battery ceased
hre. directed the guns of Batteries Lincoln,
Cameron and Totten principally on the bate
nes adjacent TO the navy yard, those of Bat
tery Scott to Fort McRse and the Lighthouse
batteries, and those Of the fort to all. We
reduced very perceptibly the fire of Barran.
cas-, entirely silenced that in the navy yard,
and In one or two Of the other batteries; the
efhcleney OF our FIRE, at the close Of the day.
not being the least impaired.
The next morning again opened about the
same hour, the navy, unfortunately, owing to
a reduction In the depth Of water, caused BY q
change Of wind, not being able to get as near
as yesterday, consequently the distance was
too great 70 be efectual Ny hre this day was
less rapid, and I think more efficient, than
that Of yesterday. Fort McRae, 30 effectualIy
silenoed yesterday, did not fire again to-day.
We sneneed entirely one or two guns and had
one Of ours disabled by shot coming through
ths embrssure.
About three o'clock FIRE was communicated
to one Of the houses in Warrington, and shortly
Afterwards to the church steepIs, the church
and the whole village being Immediately in
rear Of some of the rebel batteries, they aDpa-
rently having placed them purposely directly
in front Of the largest and most valuable build
ings. The fire rapidly communicated to other
buildings along the street until probably two
thirds Of il was consumed, and about the same
time FIRE was discovered issxing from the back
part Of the navy-yard, probably in Wolcott,
village TO the north and Immediately adjoining
the yard, as Warrington does on the west.
Finally IL penetrated to the yard, and as Il
continued to burn brightly all night conclu.
ded that either in it or in Wolcott many build.
ings were destroyed. Very heavy damage was
also done to the buildings Of the yard By the
avalanche Of shot, shell and splinters showered
increasingly on them for two days and being
nearly fre-proof, being built Of brick and
covered with slate, / could not succeed in firing
them, my hot shot or shells not having any
power Of igniting them.
The steamer Time, which was at the wharf
at the time, was abandoned on the frst dsy
and exposed TO our FIRE, which probably entirely
disabled her. The fire was again continued
till dark, and with mortars occasionally until
two O'Clock the next morning, when the COM
bat ceased.
This fort, at its conclusion, though il has
received q great many shot and she'll, is, in
every respect, save the disabling Of one gun
carriage and the loss Of service Of six men, as
efficient as il was at the commencement of the
combat, but the ends proposed in COM
which I find to be impracticable with nv
present means, I do not deem II advisable fur
Their to continue 1t unless the enemy think 1t
proper to do 50, when shall meet him with
The attack on " Billy wilson's'' camp, the
attempted attack on my batteries, and the
insult TO our glorious flag have been fully and
fearfully avenged. / have no means Of know
ing the loss Of the enemy, and have no dispo-
sition to guess at Il. The firing on his batteries
was very heavy, we'll directed, and continuous
for two days, and could hardly fail TO have
important results.
Our loss would have been heavy but for the
foresight which, with great labor, caused rs to
erect elaborate me ans Of protection, and which
saved many lives. lost one private killed,
one sergeant, one corporal, and four men (pri-
Vstes) wounded, only one severely.
Ny officers, non-commissioned officers, and
privatss we're everything could desire. They
one and all reformed their duty with the
greatest eheerfulnsss, and in the most able
and efficient manner. am much indebted TO
Major Arnold, my executive officer, for his
valuable sssistsnce-his whole conduct was
admirahls; and Captains Allen, Chal6n, Blunt,
Robertson, Hildt, and Duryea, and Lisutensnts