The New York herald., 1864-11-08
NEWS FROM KEY WEST.
successful Raids ON sho Florida Coast
DeesltutI0n 1n the State, &c.
QUE KEY West OoRREsPONDBHCE.
KsY WRsr, Fla Oct. Is, 1864.

OeoeltutI0n IN the state, &c.
QUE KEY West ooRREsPONDEHcE.
KEY Wrr, Fla, Oct. 26, 1854
DESTRUCTION SALT WORKS.
Acting Volunteer Lieutenant w.P. Randall, command
Ing ahe United States bark Restless up the Gulf coast
has been recently engaged n harassng the enemy and
destroying his salt works On the 9th instant Lsncn
ant Randall despatched TIVE boats with twenty armed
men, under the command Of Acting Ensgns Henry Easson
and Alexander Hinckey from g. Andrews Bay for West
Bay, for tho purpose Of destroying large quantity Of
salt and . number OF salt worksh had been informed
wsre 10 the negnborhood Arriving At the entrance to
west Bay about eight O'Clock p. NJ, The nres
from the salt works for q number
OF miles along the beach, On tho following morn.
log landing was effected two O'clock when nineteen
men were detailed, VINO marched i've miles into tho
interior, whore thoy found aud destroyed two large rebel
salt works, which filed with salt! A num-
Der OF houses, wagons, with other equipments, wcre
burned at tho same time At daylight they arrived A.
the mouth OF West Bay creek where thoy burned
tensve bscksmiths shop and salt houses They
also captured team. the driver OF which they com
peed to transport part OF tba expedition 10 the largest
of the salt works on the peninsula between West Bay
aud Burnt Mil creeks These and other WORKS. with all
we're the route, who wished Mr.. Easson to Rive
them written permission TO manu- acture salt, but be
refused them all. Tho two officers and the under
their command behaved well throughout They fell In
with rebel troops during the whole OF the operations.
THE DAMAGE uoNR.
The following Is a summary OF the damage inflicted
the rsbes:-Fity boilers holding from hve hundred TO
thousand gallons each ninety six kettles holding
from sixty five 10 two hundred gallons each thrce hun
dred bushels salt thirty wagons and several CARTS
FIVE hundred cords Of wood; hundred and fifty build
ings OF different kinds; one hundred and thirtynues
and cattle turned loose.
These equen, raids the rebel salt works, and tho
destruction buildings and apparatus OF others provi
ousy destroyed often tho rebels Bnd
they OF. having work OF destruction
repeated over and over again. show the desperate straits
which the rebels reduced for want OF salt. The
entire country is represented as being in the utmost
state OF destution also from OF clothing and food
nuoTl IN
naval officer informs me that ho was 10 Ireland dur
log the potato famiue where he such scenes OF
misery ne expected TO witness again bat no
be compared for moment with those he became
familiar with along the western coast OF Florida
RRBEL ATROCITIES
IL is q common practice, says my Informant, when q
deserters captured to compel him 10 dig his own grave
and after shooting and buryng him TO turn bis family,
he has one out Of doors set re 70 the house and leave
starve. The chief agent OF these atrocities Captain
Thigpen, commonly known BY the more appropriate So
brquet Of Pigpsn I'll At length ho became too cruel
These seventies were pracccd In order TO deter he
rebel soldiers from dosertng they 10 the
habit OF doing They have been unsuccessful however
Thgpen himself has lost large number OF his from
dcsertion.
CAPTURE COTTON.
On the 10th instant, Acting Master James j Russell
commanding the United States schooner Ariel, landed
with fifteen and nine refugees at Yellow Bluffs
near Auchote river the western coast or Florida.
Taking up the line OF march they proceeded hve miles
into the country, where they fell 10 with i've Thousand
punds OF cotton. Pressing team into the service OF
United States, they hauled the cotton down TO tho
Beach, when 1t was taken board the Sunlower and
rived here on the 2ls
NAVAL AFFAIRS A
The arrival OF the supply steamer Admiral on The elsa
instant with about twenty naval officers on board to Join
Gulf squadrous aud tho presence our waters
OF the Neptune Proteus and Gacna, and other smaller
vessels, have tended TO enlivsn Key West