Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-01-09

: CONDITION OF BRAsG's REBEL Forces
! Among the arrivals in the Governmen
steamer Connecticut, from Fort Pickens
, was Mr.. A. N. Baker, who formerl
, occupied the position Of lieutenant @
marines in the United States service
and was among the officers who, il
. April last, resigned their commission
at Norfolk. He has since been en-
gagged in the Confederate service a
Pensacola and in Virginia. On tb,
night of the Goth of November Thirty
six hours before the commencement o
the bombardment at Fort Pickens) be
deserted to Colonel Brown, and gave
information which led to the opening o
the fire of PIckens upon the rebel bat
ter;es. He was rowed nine miles in 6
small boat in order to accomplish hi'
purpose, by two sailors, who also
escaped.
His extensive experience and obser'
walton in the South, together with bis
frankness and apparent honesty of pur-
pose, renders his statement of the
condition of affairs at Pensacola and
throughout the South very interesting
and important.
Mr.. Baker was born in Pennsylvania,
and, as has been stated, held at the
period of the breaking out of the rebel
lion, the post Of lieutenant of marines
in Norfolk, which he resigned on the
18th of April. He excuses this act by
saying that he had at the time no idea
of what he was doing; and intimates
that there was "young lady" in the
question, fact which alone induced
him to remain in the South. Even on
the day of his resignation be under
took to ascertain if it was too late for
retraction. Learning that he must
abide by the consequences, he remained
two months in Norfolk and finally Of
fered his services to the Confederate
States, and was given the same rank
that he had previously held. He was
assigned to Gen. Bragg's division at
Pensacola, and acted for time as As
sistant Adjutant General, having abun-
dant opportunities of knowing the ex-
act state of affairs at Pensacola.
He states that Bragg's forces at
present consist of between five and six
thousand men, and the lines run from
Perdido river at Pensacola to the navy
yard-a distance of nine miles. Nearly
all of the force are encamped within the
vicinity of the rebel Notifications, and
only about one thousand men are be-
yond easy reach on the line to Perdido.
These forces do not, as has been sup
posed, occupy the forts and batteries to
any considerable extent, but are en-
camped two miles away, in the moods,
and out of the range of our fire. A
sufficient force of men to guard the bat
teries are detailed to that work, but they
do no more than picket duty. On the
occasion of an alarm, companies are
marched from the camps in the woods
as needed, and are employed to work
the batteries.
The rebel batteries are not of for
midable character. Many of them are
constructed with sand bags, and some
of these are mounted with "quakers"
or wooden guns-very formidable in
appearance, but not of any particular
service in action. Instead of the one
hundred and fifty or sixty guns which
have been counted by our forces, the
real ones are less by about one third
The serviceable ordnance of the rebels,
including those in Fort Barrances, the
only fortifcation, number one hundred
and two pieces, and there is not rif1ed
gun among them. Lieutenant Baker
states positively, although it has been
reported that rifed shot were fired by
the enemy, that they have nothing but
smooth bore guns. But he states that
there are five batteries OF "Bogg's
guns" which are of ten-inch calibre,
and carry conical shell somewhat re-
sembling the rifled shell now in use
There are in all, nine of these guns in
possession of the rebels at Pensacola
one of which, and only one, is at the
navy yard. This is understood to be
the one which damaged the Federal
steamer Richmond.
When the result of the Port Royal
expedition became known to the rebels,
1000 men Of Bragg's forces were with
drawn from him and sent to Savannah
and Charleston.
The condition of the troops at Pen
sacola is worse than has generally been
believed. They are miserably uni
formed at the best; some have no
regular uniform, and often they are but
half fed. Half rations are frequently
served to the troops, and much de-
moralization exists.
At the time Of the bombardment
from Pickens, the Confederate forces
were in no condition to be attacked,
and comparatively smalllanding army
would have cleared the camp and forti-
fcations.
REBEL SENTIMENT CHANGING.
Lieutenant Baker has spent conside-
rable time in Richmond, and other
parts of the Confederate States, travel
ing twice through the whole rebel re-
gion. and conyersing with all sorts Of
people. He is con6dent-snd this he
asserts from admissions which have
been made to him-that the confidence