The weekly Butte record., 1862-01-25

THE FIGHT At FORT PICKENs-
We take the following statement iEom The
official report Of Col. Harvey Brown
| have been in command since the 10th oi
April. and during the whole OF that time their
force has averaged, SO far as | can learn, fron
eight To ten times the number OF mine. The
position in which have thus been placed has
oi.en sufficiently trying, and l have al three
kse parate times intended to free myself from il
Ibv ohDening my batteries on them, bat imperi
Gus circumstances, over which | had no con-
troll, has Unexpectedly, in each instance, pre-
ivented Affairs were in this state on the
\ morning of the 9th Of October, when the ene>
nv, fifteen hundred strong, attacked by sur
prise portion OF my command on an intensely
dark night. They were defeated aud driven
Afron the island with great loss By less than
kwo hundred regulars and fifty volunteers all
the efficient force had dispOsabe for the pur-
,3ose. An insult so gross 10 the flag of my
country could not By me be passed unnoticed,
and designed Immediately to take appr0pri-
ate notice of it but, as | said before, circum-
stances over which | had no control prevented.
I make these predatory remarks to explain why
l have now opened my batteries on the enemy,
when, from the smallness of my forces, about
,ne-sixth Of his-thrteen hundred to eight
b ousand-I have not the means Of producing
aIgy decisive results, and as evidence of my
b;eving accomplished what | designed-the
furnishing the perpetrators Of an insult to my
country's flag.
Having invited Flag Officer Mex can to CO.
pperate with me in attacking the rebels, and
to hich he gave ready and cordial assent
on the morning of the 22d, opened my bate
ries on the enemy to which, in the course of
aIf ho,, Io ra-pnrfflal from htc
forts and batteries extending from the Navy
Y ard to Fort McRae, distance of about four
miles. the whole nearly equidistant from this
fort. and on which line he has two forts
NcRae and Barancas-and fourteen separate
Batteries, containing from one to four guns,
many of them being ten-nch c0lumbiads, and
some twelve and thirteen inch sea coast NOR
tars, the distance varying from two thousand
One hundred to two thousand nine hundred
wards from this fort At the same time of my
opening, Flag Officer Mexican, in the Nia>
gara," and Captain Ellison in the Richmond,
took position as near to Fort McRae as the
depth of water would permit, but which, un-
fortunately, was not sufficiently deep to give
ul effect to their powerful batteries. They,
however, kept up a spirited FIRE on the fort and
the adjacent batteries during the whole day.
NV fire was inceSsant from the time Of opening
lntil it was too dark to see, at the rate of a
shot for each gun every fifteen or twenty mi
hutes, the fire Of the enemy being somewhat
lower. By noon the guns OF Fort McRae
we're al silenced but one and three hours be-
ore sunset this fort and the adjoining battery
eased fire. | directed the guns of batteries
sncon, Cameron and Totten principally on
he the batteries adjacent to tue Navy Yard,
hose of battery Scott to Fort McRae and the
IL. l. I Al. r
Il. We reduced very perceptiby the fire OF
'arancas entirely silenced that at the Navy
ard and in one or two of the other batteries,
be efficiency of our FIRE at the close Of the day
OF being the least impaired.
The, next morning again opened about the
bme hour, the navy, unfortunately, owing to a
eduction in the depth of water, caused by a
hange of wind, not being able to get so near
) yesterday, consequently the distance was
po great to be eifectual The fire this day
as less rapid, and think more efficient, than
nat of Yesterday. Fort McRae so ellectually
enced yesterday, did not fire again to-day
Ve slencet, entirely one or two guns, and had
ne of ouRs disabled by shot coming through
De embrasure.
bout three o'clock fire was communicated
one of the houses in " arlington, and shortly
forwards to the church steeple, the church
BID the whole village being Immediately in
ar of some of the rebel batteries. they appa-
|nty having place them purposelv directly in
ont of the largest and most valuable build
gs The ite rapidly communicated to other
Mlugs along the street until probably two
irds Of it was consumed ; aud about the same
me fire was discovered Issuing from the back
lrt of the Navy Yard, probably in Wolcott.
Village 10 The north and Immediately adiOln-
! e.. -,
naiiv it penetrated to the yard. and as it
ntinuei to burn brightly all night | conclu-
d that either in it or in Wolcolt many build
rs were DESTROYED.
Very heavy damage was also done to the
diugS of the yard by the avalanche Of shot,
Il and splinterS showercd increasingly on
en- for two days. and being nearly fre-proof.
Ag built OF brick aud covered with slate.
nld not succeed in firing them, my hot shot
shells not having any power Of igniting
en-
The steamer Time, which was at the wharf
the time was abandoned on the first day
d exposed to our fire. which probably entire
Disabled her. The fire wGs again continued
dark, and with mortars occasionally until
o o'clock the next morning, when the combat
ased.
-hs fort. at lis concusion-though it has
sived great many shot and SHELLS, in
cry respect, save the disabling of one gun
rriage ana the loss of service Of six men. as
cient as it was NJ the commencement OF the
mbat. but the ends proposed in commencing
wing been attained, except one, which | find
be impracticable with my present means. I
not deem it advisable further to continue II
less the enemy think il advisable to DO so
zen l viii meet hiE9 with aiacriiy.
a BArTLE1N KENTUCKY.
4 battle between detachment of General
ell's forces and the rebels occurred at Mum
dsvile on the 18th December. In his Off
report Gceeral Raell says;
The recent Mum(ordsyille engagement con
ering the disproportion Of numbers. proves
most brilliant Union victory vet achieved
ur companies, Of about 250 men, Of Colonel
anach'S regiment. led by the Lieutenant
lionel. drove back over 5000 rebel cavalry
alerv and infantry. They were first attack
4 a. II