The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-11-13

The Rishs - 14nta Rosa eaaara tet.
ter ffsm saseesn.
The following Isttsr. nom surgeon. wha
was present In the fight IT santa kssa. writ
ten to his father in North CaroIfua appeared
IN the Petersburg Erprsss Of Monday:
CAMr GIADDss, Fla,
You will see, from the headinS Of I'M nv ,s,.
Ter. that we are again in camp. We LETT the
Navy Yard, / think, on the Sth. fthe dav
previous to our expedition against Santa
Moss } and are once more iivipgin the woods.
and we hope In about mouth, to exchanr..
our tent for shanties.
You would, I presume, like to hear di.
rect account Of the Santa Rosa fight / viii
rive you the best can, althoug am 30 m uch
provoked and Disguised with the different
newspaper statements l have seen, thai
have almost resolved never to speak Of 1t, all
the credit being given to few volunteers In
whose praise every little picayune newspa-
per writer in the South II now squibbline
white men who did as much service, and
suffered more, are not mentioned. However,
to the point.
The object Of the expedition was to. surprise
and burn Billy Wilson's Zouave camp, stu
ated just opposite the Navy Yard, and abont
mile above Fort Pickens, 10 effect which, a
thousand men, consisting of Fioridians,
GeorgiaGs, Alabamians, Mississippians, and
under command Of Brixadier- General An,
derson, of South Carolina, were selected.
had the honor Of being chosen as one OF to-
surgeons, Of whom there were five. We en-
harked from the Navy-Yard at nine O'Clock,
r. M, for Pensacola, in Is large aoyerum en- /
steam boat, with lighters in tow, reaching
there ebout log o'clock. From there we re-
embarked in smaller steamers and lighters for
the Island, distance about five miles.) ars
irving about seven miles below the Fort al
two o'clock "A. M. DISSEMINATING there, we
moved up The Island in three deIachments :
one on the bay side, another up the centre
and the third, which / was with, on the side
next to the Gulf, having first to cross the
isIahd-Eo small undertaking, assure YOU
as ii is full Of holes and boys. After cross
ing, We marched down the beach for about 5
miles, iii sand ankle deep
When nearly opposite and about half IL
mile distant from Billy Wilson camp. we en-
countered the principal picket OF the enemy,
consisting Of about 60 regulars, who reserved
their shots until we were within twenty wards
OF them, (tney being behind d kind OF q breast
Work. When hey poured most desiruc tive
ire into US, killing and wouGding about Is or
lG OF our number This, ofCOurse Coming SO I'm
eSpeciodiy, threw rs. fer Il few nome a ts i d to
confusion, while the enemy (whu were mostly
old -eg Iiars Of the U. 5. 3rd InfintryD made
very orderly retreat. Our men, however,
soon rallied, and gave them yolley in re-.
turn, lesssDing their num- Der somewhat Our
force then formed ill line of battle across The
Island, and marched up to Wilson's cam o.,
which hau been nred by the detachment on
this side. was ordered to pick up the wound
ed, and convey them tn place OF safety l
sueceeded In bringing Off i've, ona of whom 1
rad trans ported on q litter, the others being
able to walk with assistance; and with y
guard OF SIX men, took my way back to the
boats, distant at least five miles, and day Just
beginning to dawn, and succeeded in reaching
item about u O'Clock.
After the burning of Wilson camp and
our mea were preparing to return, hayipg
eHected their Object, three companies of reg.
uiars were sent IRON the Fort against them
alc for an hour or more very hot skirmish
WAS carried on. knowing the Island better
than We did, gave them, of course a decided
advan tage. We embarked about s O'Clock
and, having left the shore, we were exceed
ingly annoyed by shots from the Minnie
rifles OF the enemy, losing several of our
men, they being crowded together in open
boats, while the enemy We're protected hy
sand banBs 1t was at this time that General
Anderson was shot, whose wound had the
honor OF dressing,) the bail passing through
the arm and striking the chest, making how.
ever, only braise. haa my hands mi
assure You, being the only surgeon on hand
three having been captured. the other effect
ing his escape in 81 small boat. The three
VINO were caprured were released on giving
their parole to leave Florida. They can,
however, serve elsewhere.
Our ioss-in killed, wounded, and prisoners
was near hundred; that Of the enemy was
l suppose, more than double. We took about
30 prisoners, amongst whom was Mai. Vodges.
second in command. Billy Wilson's camp
was entirely destroyed, end his men scat
tered. l send, as memseao, Il piece of his
flag, which was captured BY one Of cur men.
M