The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-07-05
FROM THE SOUTH, VIA LONDON.
Interesting Letter from Russell Of the
Times.
he VISITS THE BL0CKADING FLEET, GEN.
BRACES BATTERIES AND FORT PICKENS


tains letters from Mr.. RUSSELL, its special
correspondent, describing his visit to the
blockadipg feet off Pensacola, fort Pickens
and the Pensacola navy yard. The comman-
der of the squadron, the commandant at the
fort, and Gen. BRAGG alike, gave him full per-
mission to visit every part of the hostile
camps. Neither Col. BROWN nor Gen.
BRAGG were the wiser of what be said at
Pensacola or at Pickens, but to the readers
of the Times he tells everything. His let
ter, contains the fullest description of the
fort, its condition and armament, and also
of the batteries and earthworks of the reb-
els. His praise of the condition of our
troops is as decided as the scarcely conceal
ed contempt with which be speaks of the
condition and armament of the beleaguer.
ing host-dwindled to 5000. We make
such extracts as our space permits.
VISIT TO THE FLEET.
Mr.. RUSSELL took passage in small
schooner-the Diana-from Mobile, for
Pensacola. He was accompanied by seve-
raj Southern friends, none of whom, howe
yer, we're permitted to enter Fort Pickens.
As the Oriental approaches, the Diana
throws her forsai aback, and the pretty
little craft, with a full sized United States
ensign flying, and the muzzle of brass
howitzer peeping over her fOrecastle, ranges
up luff, and taking an easy sweep, lies to
alongside US. A boat is lowered from her
and is soon alongside, steered by an officer !;
her crew are armed to the teeth with pistols
and cutlasses. All, l think l have seen
you before. What schooner is this ?"
"The Diana, from Mobile" The officer
Brown, Master in the United States Navy,
in charge of the boarding vessel Oriental.
The crew secure their boat and step up after
him. The skipper, looking very sulky,
hands bis papers to the officer. "Now, sir,
make sail, and lie to under the quarter of
that steamer, the POwhatan."
The Powhatan is a paddle steamer of
1920 tons, and ten guns, and is known to
our service as the flag ship of Commodore
Tatnal, in Chinese waters, when that gal
liant veteran gave US timely and kindly
proof of the truth of bis we'll known expires.
sion" Blood is thicker than water" Up.
on her spar deck there is stout, healthy
looking crew, which seems quite able to at.
tend to her armament of ten heavy lO.inch
Dahlgren columbiads, and the formidable
eleven inches of the same family on the fore.
castle. Her commander, Capt. orter,
though only a Lieutenant commanding, has
seen an age of active service, both in the
navy and in the merchant steam marine SER
vice, to which he was detailed for six or
seven years after the discovery of Califor>
MIA. The party were ushered into the ca
bin, and Capt. Porter received them with
perfect courtesy, heard our names and OBJ
ject, and then entered into general CONVEX
sation, in which the Mobilians, thawed by
bis sailorly frankness, gradually joined as
we'll as they could.
II it comes to fighting you will hear more
of the Powhatan and Capt. Porter. He
has been repeatedly in the harbor and along
the enemy's works at night in his boat and
knows their position thoroughly, and be
showed me on his Chart the various spots
marked off whence he can sweep their
works and do them immense mischief. "The
Powhatan is old, and if she sinks 1 can't
help it." She is all ready tor action; board
ing MEETINGS triced up, field pieces and how
itzers prepared against night boarding, and
the whole of her bows padded internally,
with dead wood and sails, so as to prevent
her main deck being raked as she stands
stern on toward the forts. Her crew are
Co. 81 7 bo rs 10
days on board man-Of- war. They are
healthy, well-fed, regularly paid, and can be
relied on to do their duty to a man. AS far
as 1 could judge, the impression of the Off
GERS was that Gen. Bragg would not be
rash enough to expose himself to the heavy
chastisement which, in their belief, awaits
him if he is rash enough to open fire upon
Pickens. AS Capt. Porter is not the senior
officer of the feet, be signaed to the flag
ship, and was desired to send us on board.
A ten cared barge carried the party to
the United States irigate Sabine, on board
of which Flag Captain Adams hoists his
of the Brooklyn, whose armament of %
heavy guns is said to be the most formula
BILE battery in the American navy. Her
anti-type, the Sabine, an old fashioned So
gun frigate, as rare an object upon modern
seas as an old post coach is upon modern
roads, is reached at last. AS one treads her
decks, the eyes, accustomed for so many
weeks to the outlandsh uniforms of brave
but undisciplined Southern Volunteers, feel
en- payi de oonnaissance, when they rest upon
the solid mass of 800 or 400 quid-rolliDg,
sunburnt and resolute-looking blue. shirted
tars, to whom three years cruise has inn
parted family aspect which makes them
almost as hard to distinguish apart as so
many Cinnamon.
1t is now nearly six weeks since entered
"Dixie's Land" during which period /
must confess l have had suficiency of the
music and drums, the cavalieriDg and roys-
teripg of the Southern gallants. As an
imperial observer, l may say find less Bit
terness and denunciation, but quite as dog
ged resolution upon the Rounbead side.
Some experience, or at least observation of