The true northerner., 1864-06-17
Life i'm Fort Lafayette.
Eetter frOE Howard, the PrOcli,-
NATION EOrger.

NATION EOrger.
Howard, the forger, has written to the
Brooklyn Eagle. lie seems 10 be quite
factious over his confinement. He thus
describes life In Fort Lafayette
Cell 53ll, Second Tier,
Fort Lafayette, May "a, 1864. IS
DEAR EAGLE In the language Of
the magnificent" Vestyali, I" am here"
[ think l shall stay here, at least till !
get out.
Perhaps you are surprised at my sud-
den departure. So was L.
But | received pressing invitation
from Gen. Dix to come down here, which
| didn't feel at liberty to decliDe, so |
didn't.
But Murray brought the invitation
Bob Murray is United States Marshal,
and ne marshaled me the way l should
go; so thought it best to 90 it.
Bob is nice man he has a very ia
king way with him; but | wouldn't re.
commend you to cultivate his acquaint-
ance.
You may have heard of Fort Lafayette
it is great resort of friends of the Ad-
mlnlstration-o the left.
THE LOCATION
of Fort Lafayette is in the water between
the Atlantic and West Point.
1t is a good site for marine residence !;
but | haven't seen any marines here. 1t
is inaccessible on all sides, except on the
inside. Its out-accessibility is what l
most object to.
THE WAY YOU GET IN
is curious, and may interest your readers
who haven't been here. You cant 60 by
railroad, or steamboat, or horse and buggy.
The entrance is effected in a highly mill
tary manner, invented, l believe, by Gen.
Dix, or some other man.
You 60 to Fort Hamilton.
Which sjust over the way.
A 1250-pound shell, with the inside
'ouv, "a provideu Tor the purpose. You
get in the shell. 1t is then pu. in 2-40
inch mortar and rammed down on a bar,
rel of powder. The mortar is touched of
and up you 20. You keep on going up
about so miles You then come down
and land right in the middle of Fort
Lafayette.
The artillery artist has attained great
precision in the range, and you light ex-
actly in tae center of hollow square of
military people drawn up to receive you.
THE SENSATION
as the shell goes up is peculiar.
When you have reached an altitude Of
40 miles eight furloughs, the view is
magnificent.
You have birds eye view of Bath,
Coney Island and New Jersey.
made sketch of it. I'll send it to
you.
Perhaps you think this is a strange way
of getting into the fort, but it isn't cir
cumstance to
THE WAY OF GETTING OUT,
which haven't discovered yet. When
do, III let yon know.
The people who keep the fort are of the
military persuation; it is their forte. -
They mostly wear guns or swords, and
do everything in military way, which is
not civil way, though they have been
very civil to me.
The fort is a substantial building ;
there is no apprehension from burglars.
Sensible people would rather break out
than to break into it.
AS hotel it is not equal to the Mansion
House, Though The terms are more reason
able. They don't charge any board. The
only charge military people are given to-
is to charge bayonets
The bill of fare is wholesome, but lacks
variety. There is
TOO MUCH PORK.
The bill of fare, however, is varied.
We have pork and crackers for break
fast.
Crackers and pork for dinner, and
Pork ,ciM crackers for tea.
/ think we shall have a change mex
week, as the commandant bas sent al
order to New York for barrel of pork.
When you write to me, enclose bunch
of radishes in the letter.
THE SOCIETY
of the fort is select. They are mostly
people of Southern complexion, who hav,
been recommended here for the benefit O
their health. They don't generally see it
There is no female society here; mo-
no Union Leagues; nor no Philharmoni,
concerts. Otherwiss it's pleasant.
The view is enchanting. Lovely waite
scapes spread before the vision on ever,
side. As | said before, the situation i
marine-ultra marine, and gives Inc tn,
blues as l gaze upon it,
There is no Post Office in the Fort. an,
correspondence is limited. Perhaps YOU,
like to know how ] sent this letter. 4
pigeon flew into the fort to-day, and
attached the letter to his tail If yor