The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-07-24
INTERESTING FROM FLORIDA.
Our Naval correspondence.

TAMrA BAY, Fla, July 3, 1862.
Aaach On Tmpa-7he United States G'n'oa Sycamore
Shcils The Ioua--Bdriarity Of The Rje, Gueras, d..
Forty and Ave officers from the Cnitod States
bark Ethan Allen board the United Starcs gun
oat Sycamore FOR the purpose Of making attack uoL
tho town OF Tampa, the head OF Tampa Bay FLA. on
the morning of Juno 3d. 1862. The bark Ethan Allen
could net get up to the town account of drawing too
much water, and was thersore left behind at Egmont
Key, where she could command The to the har
Dor Tic sunboat Sycamore safely plotted up the
crooked channel VI Tampa Bay for distance OF twenty
five miles. The steamer to anchor about two miles
off the town and at about the distance from the
three small rebel batteries erected in deenca the
town, and supposed TO contain about two CUTS each.
Several oicers went ashore under as OF truce, and
ciicer OF The Sycamore demanded the surrender OF tbs
Town. To this deIusld the reply was given, 1--WE have
such word in our book surrender. Tell your
aanders that Captain rierson says So With This reply
the rebels retired aud gave three or four terrific yeis
while the officers returned to their ship. some little
deiay cccasioned aud time also given the In
hab.tans to get out of the town. Tia Sycamore
mencei throwing shells Mt six r. at tho batteries
shore. The distance great thst only q few OF the
twenty thirty shells fred during tho afternoon
reached the battery Two shells exploded in the town.
which almost surrounded the battery except its
ront. Tho rebels fired about twenty times at the
sunboat, with solid shot from ong thirty -twos, but
all OF their shots fell short. The firing on
both sides ceased at sandown. On tho morning
of the next day, july /, the Sycamore approached
two three hundred yards nearer the town. by
ieamug through mud two teet deep and ngain opened
y
c shot, and struck directly In the battery and ssnced
IT, hs rebels taking refuge behind the large white oass
that stood aud u them fad 10 the woods FOR
more pace Vi rouge alter. There we're
thirty shells fred during the day, few OF them
exploding In tho middle OF tho town. Findng 1t was
impossible get enough TO the town TO protect the
boats that intended land and seize the anmuni
on the Sagamore obliged " retire without eectng
the object for which abe came Some rebels boisted
rebel dag flagstaff the shore after the Saga
had stopped firing. Three shells were fired at
hc but they Ted into tho woods. Some OF the rebels
would dodge behind tbs trees when the shells bred,
and after they had exploded would como out
again, evidently much pleased at the exhibition
of fireworks. There company of about one
hundred rebels at Tampa during the bomhardmcnt They
guerilla band aud stye themselves the "Bcauregard
Rangers They the state Of florida waiting
chance to ire upon OF the boats that 20 ashore
from the bockadng vessels after water and provisions
They lay IN ambush weeks since and hred upon
boat from the United States bark King Fisher, Of 81
Marks, killing two and taking two officers aud the
boat prisoners Shortly after they lay In ambush
Apalachcoa, ana fred upon boat from the United
States gunboat Sycamore, severely wounding two men
belonging that gunbost. II was probably the same
party that red upon boat that went ashore at Mosquito
nlet the eastern coast OF Florida killing ava six
IL NJ TO BIO hoped they will meet their ja deserts