The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-08-14

gerhead turtle sea turtle which has monstrous head
but yields very good steaks makes pretty fair
although not equal TO the green Turtle and turtle eggs
are always quite abundant in the fort party Of the
wormen sailed out the other night and captured over
Two IONS OF the anphbi and about two bushels Of eggs
The eggs are eaten In the ordinary manner and also
USED as substitute most excellenD Cor milk. The OH
cer get green turtle from Key Wost and put them In
TANK ihey have seventeen there now, the lightcst Of
whch weighs one hundred and forty pounds But to the
oas proper. II Is most delightful pace-quite an at
ac'e INSTITUTION EAterorly, with ats docks, sentry
boxes, scows shantes heaps of building material and
oa guns and balls small boats and its prsonlke aspect,
~ Is not particularly atractive bst inside you find
IL, Tor fort very fine residence II thirteen
acres OF ground and built of Yankee brick in the form
Off may use the term-an oblong septagon 1t has
Sax bastions each Of which is mounted by ten inch
collmbad calculated to throw shell OF one hundred
pounds and solid shot Of hundred and twenty eight
pounds. The curtains or spaces between tho basons,
are each one hundred and twenty feet in length There
are now two tiers of casemates and o surrounding
parapet about fourteen feet wide, upon which
two hundred masons and other mechanics are at
work This will soon DO finished, when Fort JEFF
ferson will BIO second in size and armament only
to Fortress Monroe. 1t will mount three hundred
and forty of the heaviest cabre (eght and ten
nchers) and seventy one banking guns, which
twenty -four pound howitzers There will also he on
hand twenty four ten and thirteen inch or.ars making
an aggregate OF -four hundred and fifty pieces Of MOTTO
besneezeda at ordnance All tho cisterns--ncary two
hundred in number-have been repaired, and will DO
equal TO providing the heavy garrison and the feet with
an unlimited supply Of pure water AT present Of
the ciserns yied bracksh water but condensng dis
tling apparatus, now on its way from New York, will
quickly and eiiectualy obviate that difficulty
Min WIN that and other advantages, Lieutenant
prld will be 10 900 gallons day There is any amount
OF bombrroof storage room for provisions and Of maya
zines for powder there ten, large and small There
are two distinct commands the embracing the works
the direction of workmcn, the movements OF armed YES
sells, sailors, &C., employed thereon, under tho superin
tcndencc OF Lieutenant Morton. The military jurisdiction
is oonhded to Major L. c. Arnold, United States artillery
Tin Mexico, under General Scott and then in Texas),
NJ Graham, First artillery; Captain Matthew NJ Blunt
and Lieutenant Thomas +. Miller Second artillery and
Captain Henry Benson now acting Quarcrmaster The
surgeon Tor the engineer force Is DR.. j. B. Holder Of
massachusetts, (now on visit TO Lynn, and that
to the military department is d.. John T. Ham.
mond Major Arnold Is q strict but gentlemaaly
commandment Some Of his punshments are rather Sc
but their very severity renders their frequent rope
tton improbable and uncallod for For instance, sol
der who Degecs roll call in the morning usually gets
twenty days in the guardhouse and for negcctng to
clean ones nasket the penalty s generally gusrdbouse
for fifteen days and fine of S. The result OF this disci
pine as handsome looking and well conducted body
OF soldiers as you would wish 10 behold. Col. Wilson
had just fifteen minutes notice that two companies
of his regiment wanted at Tortugas and must
embark forthwith upon the steamer State Of Georgia.
In five minutes these crack companies called
together and in ten they had their goods packed and
in launches their way TO the steamer Capt whiting
Of Company H. Is the senior captain the regiment and
in case Of Major Arnod's withdrawal would be in com
mand OF Fort Jefferson He capital officer, and has
so astonished the regulars by his knowledge of military
matters, and his practical eucidaton thereof that they
are making efforts TO have his transferred to the
government army list. You will recolcct him once
treasurer of tho Metropolitan theatre, Broadway and
agent IOr estate. Captain Dufresno
very popular and his men look like ''brds at guard
mount So you SEQ tho Zoaves like snged Cats-much
better than they looked when they left you. All the Off
Of the two companies in Fort Jefferson clover
are well known New Workers. and subon their names,
knowing many of their friends read the HERALD and would
like TO hear from them
Company b, Captain A. I. Whiting First Lieutenant
and Acting Adjutant, NJ. j. Denslow Second Lieutenant,
" Van Gieson; FIRST Sergeant Alexander H. Wallace.
Company +, Captain II. Dufrcsne; First Lieutenant,
Robert Roddy; Second Lieutenant Oliver Mathew First
Sergeant James Hamilton Acting Sergeant Major Charles
Pease.
have not told you the one half about Fort
Jefferson yet. | must room TO say that inside
II IS perfect village, while outside j, has well
ovcrsecrs numerous enough to mako small New York
street. But inside let me see--here is chapel boat
builders cdihce, backsmiths shop, bakeholse from
which they carrying beautiful looking leaves Of
bread around In whcebarrOws TO the different mcsscs
an arstocratic and handsomely furnished three story
brick ednce, containing all the modern improvements in
which the officers quarter school house for the children
or there thirty forty families resident herc)
laundry, lighthouse and dwelling attached in which
the keeper and his wife and daughters domchate two
large stores emndng Inc of the country in which you
can buy anything, from lishhook to yard of muslin;
caimcous enclosure containing dozens of turkeys and
chickens butchers shop, with 1.-Two cattle enough in tho
pens TO give tho dwellers on Garden Key fresh meat
every other day. and many other village appliances which
do not feel disposed to catalogue In the classmates
also store rooms, rooms Cor sergoants families, and
very good library containing one thousand Of the best
modern books This bought by subscription, by the
soldiers and uader the charge OF First Sergeant r. NJ
Hail. OF Company N, First artillery. The grounds are
Of flower beds and other natural decorations There is
abundance Of trees prominent among which are the
red oak aud the aianthus The mosquitoes trouble the
latter only to die But the most attractive tree here is
that which bears the nut These trees sprned
in squads throughout the grounds, and grateful TO
the eye rs they are useful for shade long, CO,
carpets the sand very aCceptably Indeed this
the paradise of fors-as elegant is strong and
ful.
Phillip L. Cosgrovc New Yorker is the pilot located
at Fort Jefferson under Major Arnods appointment The
ease with which the Vandeybt-the largest vessel
Mill inf.
ments of the fort showed that Cogovc understands his
business, as very few men in the same line do New
cevery and so speedily. The whole thing
plshed (at cost of 1851 IN about half an hour. All
around is shoa and reef, and how the easily put
us into safe harbor is marvel to all nautical Connois
Mr. has been in the vicinity Of the Torugas for
eight years, and wishes to remain there.
IF should record all the Of the New Workers.
abiding and doing duty horc should f at least column
and they all anxious to be remembered to the dear
home from communication with which, at present they
are so rigidly cut of Among the master workncn
counercd Robert Montgomery and his brother John He
has small frame building all to himself, and dispensas
gentity, happiness and hospitality TO all who visit him
His brother John begs to be remembered 70 his old
cates through the medium Of your types ink and papoF
There two hundred New Workers. and Brooklyn
ties working here, and there is room for more.
ScOws are continually bringing in immense loads OF
white coral. This is pounded 10 powder by hammers in
the hands OF iaborers and then mixed with cement the
whole forming concrete mass which is being used to
make the fort solid aud compact structure One hun
dred barrels Of this miyture-i do not know what else TO
call it--are used daily. Many splendid shells also
pounded up with the coral.
Among the laborers many negroes. They work when
white men could not bear tho rays Of the They have
formed band consisting of several volins, banjo
guitar, French horn, flute, aud bass drum. Rather
rea collection .sT Ta aa5 but
nades are among the gems Of the pleasant
features of life in the middle OF the great Ct the
Gulf Of Mexico The darsey force (hired from slave
hoders) embraces colored gentleman who belongs TO
Mr. Mallory the Secretary Of State under Jefferson Davis
An 'agent receives one dollar and half per day for this
is not I Tn ckat