, 1861-04-24
FORT PICKENS. =.
How the Traitors Proposed to Take It.

:, MAJOR Chase5 Inc TeDel Cmcef iaIeIy IN COM
mand Of the ragamuftins squattlng before Fort
Pickens, being assailed for not having taken
that place in January, jnstihes himself in card
in the Pensacola Observer, which is 3 bit Of
history worth preserving.
MEssRs. EprroRs: A friend has informed
me that blame has been attached to my not
taking Fort Pickeps when authorized and d.
reeted to de- so by Governor Perry. A simple
statement Of the facts of the case will exoner-
ate me from all blame In the matter.
ter to Gov. Perry proposing plan for taking
the forts, and committed it to the charge Of
Col Yonge, Who expected to leave that day in
the mail steamers for st. Marks. In conss-
queQce Of storm the mail steamer did not
si1iye at Pensacola until the morning Of the
On the Sd of January, received dispatch
from Gov. Moore Of. Aiahana, dated January
Let; requesting me to proceed that night to
Montgomery, The dispatch did lot reach me
until halEpsst 10 O'Clock l. II. Of the Sd. I
left for Montgomery at Q o'clock 7. II. On the
Creek BY the dood, did not arrive at Montgom-
~ until January 5th, at O'Clock 2. n. Wis
tied Gov. Moore and was Informed by him that
orders had been sent to take Mount Verpau
Arsenal and Fort Moore. n4,fte7i had retired
70 bed Coy. Nofean called to inform me that
seize tie fensacola fofts, md asEing his go 60.
operation, and that he would write bE mail.
received no telegraph from GOV. Perry and
waited at Montgomery on the 9Th for that par
pose. At half past . o'clock, received q tel
egraph from Gov. Perry, dated Tallahassee,
Colonel Yonge, IN these words YES, and go
ahead Immediately without waiting fer seces-
| tv-n --f'e '>''.to'40
left Montgomery on the mo-ning OF the
9Th By rail, snl arEiveQ in Mobile on the morn
ing Of the 9Th Of January. I arranged with
Col shepard to collect force to proceed as
| and capture that work. Col Shepard, with
great promptness, proceeded to execute my
orders. On the 9Th Of January, I left Mobile
| f0f Pensacola, and arrived there on the 10th
| Of January, at o'clock 4 NJ, and Was info{4-
ed that Pickens had beep taksn .possession Ct
| by the Federal troops from Barrancas. tele-
| graphed to stop Col ShepaEd'e expedition
from Mobile.
! It should be stated that Governor Perry act
ed In the prpmptest manner. Col. Yonge did
not arrive at Tallahasse, until the 9Th Of Janu-
~, when he hastened to deliver my letter to
the Governor, who instantly telegraphed me;
giving me full p0werto act
The plan 80 well devised for the capture of
Fort Pickens, and the othe: farts il tnis .har-
boz, aud 20 promptly approved when received
/ BY Gov. Perry, was defeated by no lack OF en-
ergy aud diligence Of those engaged to carry
It out; bgt hy the act Of Providence, which
through the Intervention Of storm, delayed
tbs N II steamer three days In her transit to
St Marks.
By no one was this failnre mora deeply de.
plored than myself. VIM E. CHASE.
PENSACOLA, April 10, 1861.
It was na1Tow: escape, due wholly to the
gallantry Of Lieut.. sLEa1aER, whose quick and
prompt occupation Of the place defeated the
reasonable purpose Of Gov. Perry, whose ea
gerness could not wait for the act Of secession
to pass the Florida Legislature. II we may
the believe following, another plot has beer
defeated:
| From the New Orleans Picay4ne.1
THE TREACHERY AT REssAcoLA-The Mo
bile ITibAne Of Tuesday morning, makes tht
following statement Of the late Singular affail
at Pen5acola:
On Friday Gen. Bragg had all the plans aec
essary laid for taking Rickeus. Sentinels o
| his gates "Nemo," afiqs Matthew'S, CORES
pondeut Of the Pensacola Observer, betrayed
the p1an, informed the feet and fort, and frus
tIated the movement. The fort was reinforced
that night Gen. Braggs Spy stood upon th'
beaeh and counted eighty flge men as they dc
aled fEomi tas su'f oo4ts IF the R3Eooklyn int
It was officially announced, at the headquar
tefa Of the Colonies Of each regiment, ESat
1rday, that fen: Rragg would haye takel
PlskePs the night RefoEe, peEhn.ts yithoqt ii
been for the treachery Of q friend In whom b
had had cnnddenpe for years. {Alludirg, d,
doubt, to Captain Adams, IN COMMAND ol th
deet]
/ Matthews was arrested last Saturday, upo
suspicion Of being spy, aud sent to Moni
: gomery for investigation.