The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-07-26

deienceles5 condition, could, undoubtedly, IN d"
few hours, be totally destroyed hy the com
bincd fro Of Fort Piokens land batteries ana
the feet in the hsrbor but the governments desire is as
far as practicable 10 take by assault thus preserving
tho immense amount of valuable property within It's
walls. That could be akon by assault the most
pracsed eye IN military matters could easily perceive;
but great fears entertained that General Bragg who Is
reckoned among the first military men now living will
pressed beyond hope Of successful defence, blow mp,
fire aud totally destroy the town, and evacuate it with
his troops and those civilians who deem IL III 10 follow
hha leaving for nothing but shattered ruins That he
has been busly occupied for many months in tho con
strHoton of mines there exists question for such cpe
rations have been distinctly dseenble from Fort lckens
and The stormag party stands the risk of total anniha
ton.
But to return from this depression to disembarka
ton On the 25h of June operations were commenced
The engineers had previously beea sent shore 10 clear
the land and properly mark out tho ground Oh which
were 10 cacamp This accomplished, the cutters, bargee
&c, of the various menofwaf lying in the harbor were
brought alongside and the men, with thor tents and fod
sufficient to susan them Til the stores Of tho ship
andod hndiied together into the boats and by
on she following Icy the decks Of tho Vanderbilt
comparatively deserted, and Wilson'S Zouaves, amount,
ing 70 about eight hundred men, landed the most
iuhospitabe island on the face of this earth. For
and about three wide. With tho exception Of
Fort Pickens and its twelve hundred men,
human being or habaton be As far the eye
reach nothing is visible but fine white sand, inter
spesed here and there with few patches Of stunted
vegetation. Sufficient timber could not DO obtained TO
supply the use Of dozen families for winter AZ to
reptiles and other aboiH nations, their is legion.
Rattosnakes, moccasins, coppcrheads algaors he lat
tor in limited quantity, as we are highly encanpcd),
mosquitoes sand nos lizards, toads, frogs, our
panons BY day and night An officer living in ten. but
short distance from mine, awakmg from his slccpa
iow nights ago discovered moecasn ooed underneath
his This not only unpleasant but dangerous for
they tell mo that The nocc1sn sbite nevtaby ata For
tunately however his unwccome visitor departed without
hurting him. Md to these irilng inconveniences The
fact that tho waters around alive with sharks both
Young aud Old that it is very dangerous 10 advance
into the water higher than the knee Zone Of the regular
troops seized while at that depth bat few weeks
ago. the thermometer at hundred and ten degrees III
the shade tho about setting and dr,n chng
70 the skim without the possibility OF changcfor
at present possess but suadd 10 these say tho
approach Of the yellow and Intermittent fevcrs fever
and aguo, cholera in all its ideous forms and you will be
able 10 entertain some conception OF the island
inhabit and the condition Of ourselves Mark !
my words for 1t, apd call me false poPhe. If |
my prediction Is not verified, that il |
peied 10 remain here TIL the end Of August more |
viii be summoned TO thor last account FROM tho ravagcs
Of climate, the saltcd provisions generally provided,
and the exposure TO the sun by day and the heavy dew
by night than by the bullet sabre Of the enemy What
ia the sense could have Induced the
administration ign troops like these this living
tomb battles my comprehension They certainly copid
have selected no place more prpcions 10 Of the
Northern man than the saadhts we occupy. Our
character is well known We are essentially lighting
regiment The majority is composed of ep bred in their
carly days to prvaon and toll accustomed to laugh at
danger, who value their lives nothing, and would as
soon 90 10 lght as 10 sroic. They the representa-
tyesoi the bone and muscle Of New York. What policy
then could have dictated the necessity Of sending these
unacc,imated Troops whose lives have been
pythns but temperate or SOBER % the eReryans
Influence Of climate, the rarages OF disease,
which they have TO power to repclS Let those high in
authority al Washington answer us for with them and
them alone, rests the blame 1t Is not yet too late for
them 10 repair Ills mistakc-o call il Ivy charitable
phrase the "oversightnthey have comnted, aud de-
spach Va as fast as steam proel to Virginia take
part in the glorious struggle going there sub
nit This respectfully, 10 those high authority and I
an convinced utter the sentiment OF the entire reg
mcnt
or course, il woad DO improbable TO enter into mi
mute narrative u camp life The fare, though rude, and
o. course we can expect nothing different. Is ceany
served and there Is plenty of IT, We slept Cor several
nights On the sand beneath me shadow of tenls,
faculty cannot be too highly appauded, Introduced
one evening wooden floor. HIS example speedily
followed and wrapped in blankets and oyercoats with
30 comfortably IL not for the mosquitoes But little
drilling has yet, heen done Up to this time the
have been mostly employed in unlos ting the provisions
from the boats they ashore cutting frewood,
dwelling and improving the condition OF the camp mount
ing guard and other matters essential 10 comfort and
convenience. The meI are pretty well satisfied with
her lot but what they require is action. They cou.cnd
that, according 10 The promises held out 20 tho at the
time of their enlistment and during their scjourn
ten island their energies should be devoted 10 the duties
Of campaign; that they should the foe in he eld
face 10 face, aud have, as they call il, a
''squaro t,ht - bat that they to he
cooped UP on q barren island the most inIosplabe
and barren that the world could produce, entered
into their caculaon md thcy mrrmur accordingly, and
that. too not without reasoi, that they have been
fairly dealt by. They faltliy promised that they
shouh noble immred within the vans Of ertresses ard
yet in spite OF this two companies have been despatched
TO Key West ~ garrison md two to Fort Pkcns where
they now DO duty Mounting sontinei such locality as
This is by no agreeable occupation. The chief
qualifications OF guard sbold. Of course consist IN
great watchfuness, together with keen oyesght. pru-
dce and determination We sboad remember that
him rests, in great measure. The safely OF the army,
ana That to be soaad asleep on his post the punishment
death General Bragg, the rebel chief. has for |
tine past diverted himself by sending warIkc mssvos
20 Colonel Brown demanding evacuation OF tho fort
iud island, threatening attack in of refusal.
u hardly necessary to that to these reply the
negative has been returned uu,il h. has become 80 i'm
Fortunate in this weron papestiat Colonel Brown has
refused To any farther communication fiona him
GOOD bad or nlgerens This has made the cnl,1.
-ouherHer naturally rate, and lie spends COCA deal OF
lis iimo ia prac'isng With his canrcn ut any conspicuous
object that wod Invite shot at no grent distance from
camp. This has fortunately neither alarmed nor
hurt any OF 1t Is said that he has gone further than
Ihis in piaguns soldiers Some aver hat he has
ploysd spies 10 visit our camp and sentries by night
They approach the sonry, and when hailed voicrsae
reply but DIRT into some near thicket the guard seadng
his bullet whi2zng after them. Now, whether the sentry
Anc mat men ana goats are trees cannc, say though
optical decisions OF more startling KIND than these
well authentcaedbut trouble and annoyance oc-
cured 10 Us NE other evtaig, which viii briefly
rste;iust AZ wus ong my nIuskot preparatory
irut for the night heard three shots which evidently
nom the sentrics on the bay. We AN umhcd ont
with nuskets Loaded and bay liked formed Of
battle and waited enxiously the approach Of the
my for an hour or more but no enemy coming
dismissed The night dark pitch aud the rain
fen ia torrents. similar occurrence took place
twelve O'Clock the sane night, which ended in like
manner Such things are OF course very anney ing b!,
"grin and bear them best say. beyond
~ firing a salute % thirty four guns from Fug pclsns
amt ,p,ut from zis- inn f,Nhf
answered by the enemy with fifteen rounds
not the slightest notice taken ci the glorious
Fourth. There was mol even the ordinary dress
parade. The camp had the appearance Of Quaker
ng house Tie Colonel during The day No
address dciiv crcdIo vh.Ney served ont This bs
circumstance Greet rd and very naturally Sc eooi
deal Of feeling the They argued that ~ every
soldier ia the United states extra allowance given
celebrate tho day, tat the wbiskey board The Van
lcyili had aen antcl 90 Tho and tAen ainl.