The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-03-21

HEADQUARTERS WRIGHr's BRIGADE, Il. T.,
SxA,----a,. L,..,.;-a March ID lSG2.

FRIEND WILLARD This is a bright and beau
tiful morning. and we are approaching Fernan
dina, Florida, expecting to make an attack OF
the rebels to-day Gen. Wrights brigade, (con
sisting of the 9th Conn. 4th N. H., 9th Penn.
and 9th Maine regiments,) went on board trans
ports at Hilton Head Jan. 2lst. We lay in the
harbor during u gale until the 26lh, when we
left for Warsaw Sound, Georgia, to make re
connoissance and fcint up the little Tybee and
Wilmington rivers. At the same time, part OF
General Viele's brigade, with gunboats. went
through Scull Greek on the north OF Savannah
River, to try and effect passage through Wall
Cut into it, and also erect battery on Jones
Island, SO as to cut off communication between
Fort Pulaski and Savannah The battery was
finished about the 10th of February, but think
the gunboats have not yet been able to go into
the Savannah River, although our batteries have
shut Pulaski out in the cold Our brigade
landed on Warsaw Island, and remained there
and on board the transports in Warsaw Sound
until Feb. 9th, having waited for the Navy
about three weeks to get ready, when we left
Warsaw Sound with as large fleet of gunboats
as We had at Port Royal. The day previous to
leaving Warsaw Sound, Gen. Sherman came
down with his medical director, DR.. Cooper, and
ordered the 9th Conn. to return to Hilton Head,
lntimating that they had ship fever on board,
although they were he only two persons In the
whole fleet who believed there was any trouble
Of that kind. Gen. Wright has now had both
of his Conn. regiments taken from him, and his
whole force is about $500 effective men, three
regiments, Capt. RanSoms battery of four guns,
and one company Of engineers. There are also
800 marines We arrived off st. Andrews the
morning Of the LIST Of March.
FERNANDINA, Fla, March 9th, 1862.
| commenced writing you Sunday morning,
expecting we should have fight that day with
the enemy, but we learned from negro that we
picked up about noon, that they were evacuat-
ing the place. The ships got aground in Cum
berland Channel SO the fleet remained at anchor
until Monday morning, when the lghtdratt
gunboats came through the North Channel, and
the large ships with the transports put back,
and came up the Amelia Sound Channel Tuesday
morning. The last of the rebel force left here
Monday evening, the cars starting oil just us the
gunboats arrived. The boats threw some shells
at the train killing several of the rebels, and dis
aiding the engines. Hon. ID. s. Yulce, Gate u.
s. Senator, was on the train. The enemy from
the mainland run another train of cars over the
BRIDGE when Yulee with Il number of others
jumped into them and escaped. 1t was exceed
lngly notifying to think that we might have
bagged the whole crowd if we had come directly
in on Saturday morning, when We arrived off
the coast. The plan could not have failed, and
with little or no risk on our part. We waited
more than three weeks in Warsaw Sound, ex-
pecting day after day that we should start for
this place.
Fernandna, previous to the war, was the
most Aourishing city in Florida, and contained
some 1850 inhabitants. The wealthest and
business part of The inhabitants have been eav.
ing FOR the past three months. The place was
fortified by Fort Ciinch, and several batteries
the entrance of the harbor. The
enemy left sixteen large guns and considerable
property of the Quartelmaster's Department,
but no Commissary stores. Provisions have been
very scarce and high for sometime.
Gen. Wright and staff occupy Senator Yuee' s
mansion for headquarters. W found nothing
in the house but his servant, and barrel of
whiskey in the attic. The negro welcomed us
to the house, and said he wanted to work for us.
and Of course we employed him. | asked HIM
where the furniture Was? He said it vas put
or the train which was fired mto and brought
back to the depot again. | went with him and
selected the Senator s furniture from the baggage
Car, and re.tunshed the house. | asked the
negro why he did not run away with his mas.
ter? He said he was not atraid of US, and had
" some curiosity to try II change should
judge there were about 300 or 400 white people
left, most of them miserably poor.
Capt. Ransom made IL reconnaissance yester.
day to The southern part of the Island, but found
the rebels had all left. They burned the end of
the railroad bridge Monday night, SO that we
could not follow them. We have three locomo-
tives and several baggage cars. The railroad
runs from here to Cedar Keys, across the north
part OF the State $50 miles There were about
5000 rebel troops here last week; during the
winter there was a much larger force. The viii
lage of st. Mar = above, is evacuated also.
don't know how .ong we shall remain here: il
will not require more than one regiment. and
couple Of gunboats, to occupy the place think,
perhaps, we may 90 down to jacksonville before
returning to Hilton Head. Fort Clinch was
planned by Gen. Wrigh, some years since. lie
has now got it from the enemy withou, trying
the strength of his work
| have "a very fine warehouse and wharf for
my commissary stores Many of the houses are
lett with furniture IN them, and deserted bv
their owners, which are turned over to Col. Rev.
nolds the Government Agent. Capt Towle of
the 4th N Il. regiment, is Provost Marshal of
the town, and all persons not connected with
the army or navy, white or colored, have to call
at his Office and have their names and residences
registered.
Some of the officers OF the Navy visited the
estate OF the late Gen. Green, on Cumberland
Island, opposite here, to-day. This estate was
presented to Gen Green by the United States
Government, at the close of the Revolutionary
war, and is now owned by Mr.. Niyhtinyale.-