Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-11-15

ID impossible to collect the revenue.

", General Scott's statement alleges
that the Brooklyn, with Captain Vodges'
company alone, left the Chesapeake for
Fort Pickens, about January 22d and, on
the goth, President Buchanan having en-
tered into a quasi armistica with leading
rebels at Pensacola and elsewhere caused
Secretaries Holt and Toucey to instruct,
in joint note, the commander Of the war
vessels of Pensacola and Lieut.. Slemmor,
commanding Fort Pickens, to commit no
act of hostility and not to land Captain
Vodges' company unless the Fort should
be attacked" He af.erward states, with
in brackets, "that joint note l never saw,
but suppose the armistice was consequent
upon the meeting Of the Peace Convention
at Washington and was understood to ter.
inmate with it,
These statement betray singular want
of memory on the part of General Scott
1t is scarcely credible that this very Joint
note, presented in such odious colors, was
submitted to General Scott on the very
day it was prepared, (January 29th), and
met his entire appreciation. would not
make this assertion if / did not possess
conclusive evidence to prove it. On that
day Secretary Holt addressed me a note,
from which the following is an extract
81 have the satisfaction of saying that on
submitting the paper of General Scott he
expressed himself sati'fed with it, saying
that there could be no objection to the ar.
rangement in military point of view or
otherwise" This requires no Comment
That the General had every reason to be
satisfied with the arrangement will appear
from the following statement:
A revolutionary outbreak had occurred
in Florida; the II oops of the United States
had been expelled from Pensacola and the
adjacent Navy Yard; and Lieut.. Slem-
mer, Of the Artillery, with his brave little
command, had been forced to take refuge
in Fort Pickcns, where he was in immi.
nent danger every moment of being cap
tured by vastly superior force. Owing
to the interruption of regular communica
tons, Secretary Holt did not receive
information of these events until several
days after their occurrence aud then
throu h a letter addressed to a third person.
He Immediately informed the President of
the fact and reinforcements, provisions
and military stores were dispatched by the
Brooklyn to Fort Pickens, without mo-
ment's unnecessary delay. She left For
tress Monroe on the Gath of January.
Well founded apprehensous, however,
were entertained at the time of her de-
parture that the reinforcement IS, with the
vessel of war at no great distance from
Fort Pickens, could not arrive in tine to
defend it against the impending attack
In this state of suspense and whilst Lieut..
Slcmmer was in extreme peril, Senators
Slidell, Hunter and Bgler received tel
cgraphic dispatch from Senator Mallory,
of Florida, dated at Pensacola, on the
2Sth January, with the urgent request that
they should lav it before the President
This dispatch expressed an earnest desire
10 maintain the peace, as we'll as the most
positive assurance that no attack would be
made on Fort Pickens if the present status
should be preserved.
This proposal was carefully considered,
both with view to the safety of the Fort
and to the unhappy effect which an actual
collision, either at that or any other point
might produce on the Peace Convention
then about to assemble at Washington
The result was that joint dispatch was
carefully prepared by the Secretaries oi
War and Navy, accepting the proposal,
with important notifications, which was
transmitted by telegraph, on the Goth JAN
uary, to Lieut.. Slemmer and to the naval
commanders near the station. 1t is too
long for transcription; suffice it to say it
was carefully guarded at every point for
the security OF the Fort and Its free COM
munication with Washington.
The result was highly fortunate. The
Brooklyn had a long passage, Although
she left Fortress Monroe on the 9th
January, she did not arrive at Pensacola
until the 9th FEBRUARY, In the meantime
Fort Pickens, with Lieut.. Sommer (whose
conduct deserves high commentator, J
and his brave little band, were placed by
virtue of this arrangement, in perfect se-
curity until an adequate force had arrived
to defend it against any attack. The fort
is still in our possession. Well might
Gen, Scott have expressed his satisfaction
with this arrangement. The General was
correct in his suppositon that this arran'
cement was to expire on the termination
,f tbo lronuant;on