The New York herald., 1869-01-03
DRY TORTu0As.

SltuatlOn O1 E0Ec JoAero0n-Inuueuces or uD
Climats-Desire Of rho Omcers and Men 70
b Kelieved-Dusy sf tho -Garrissn - The
Troops and Their AGairs.
FORT JEFFERSON. Fla, Dec. O. 1868.
The physical characteristics. topography climate,
&C., OF most posts garris0ned by United States
troops are well known to the community At large.
albeit that these posts may be far from the more
popular haunts OF men who do not wear blue coats
and brass buttons but this forlorn and desolate
region Is rather regarded terra fnc0gnita, save
to those who serve our venerated Uncle Samuel
under Its burning SUM- The very name OF 'Dry
Toftugasn Is regarded the ultima Thule OF discom-
fort and physical suffering. From the situation Of
the fort the ardent power OF SOL as may be imag-
ined, makes Its deep imprint the countenances Of
all residents. which, added to the lIverlocking pro-
pensty OF the same tropical region gives the human
face divine the most grotesque Of Appearances; and
but that suffering. mental and physical II evidently
the cause, Q casual visitor might be disposed to
laagh at faces thus having some Of the appearance
each Of the canary bird and the brown thrush.
1t is not that officers men fear epidemic and
have their minds oppressed by anticipation Of its
consequences. Far from it. As they met death In
defending sFIag OF the Freer from domestic foes
bravely and severed the finite from the infinite with
out urmuring, So should Providence visit the post
with pestience, they would be found IN manful and
soidery performance OF duty; thIs too in the face
OF the fact that OF six officers duty at thus post
during the past year four have ended their mortal
and their shallow graves In the barren sands
OF the Gulf are but few rods from the sentries'
daily walk. How often Is it the case that an oficer
OF standing and repuie, with the lamp OF ambition
Of future usefulness comes to this region "a full
llde OF heaitn ana gradually, too often suddenly,
caseY Even the climate sapH the fountains OF phySi
Cal well being slowly 1t does 1t efectuaily
TO show that desire OF removal from this post does
lar nSfix
tine lie OF luxurious excitement the Atlantic slope
or the ability to play The carpet knight 10 his lady
drama now beng enacted ON the Western frontier
would be welcomed as harbnger OF JOY. II the
cauce WITH he ercs nrdes rnm wncs 5s sta
under Its new guidance s successfully emerging
Stil the nettle danger is there far more abundant
than the "nower safety" Let once the glad buges
sound the assembly, and with tue advance. turned
towards the setlng sun the hardsnips, toll and
danger Of travelling the Plains and plenty OF Indian
warfare at the end Of the trip and such a
shout VIII 60 up as VIII make the welkin
@ as ae aso ras na scepS a
relieved from the thraldom OF confinement
and bootiess service here for sterner and harder
consists chieny in guarding motley collection of
State and general prisoners. the true soldier, who
death showered around him, from which he never
faltered, views with disgust the position ne now
occupies aud sfghs for mora congenal duty.
Perhaps the most pregnant reason Tor the re.
msyan Ing a seas nsse q seos nTSss from the fact
long aud faithful service rendered at this post On
| thus narrow and confined islet Without change OF
ments OF that degree OF mental depression which
| follows inactivity and monotoaous routine This
fact cannot be disguised; and as the enlisted man
suffers, so does the oiicer. II faithful service or
| the evidence thereof be asked for, then refer
to the condition Of the posts occupied by
the Firth artiIery-Key West, Fort JEFFERSON
| Barrancas Fla; Forts Macon and johnson, n. Q.
In all that constitutes posts Of the highest order OF
W dsDoe sPn }na nssne ana eg wh9
| years OF experience in the army the writer OF
this article unhesltatingly says the finest men he
has ever seen are those composing the battalion
now on duty at Fort Jefferson by next spring only
handful Of them win be left. They viii not re-
Would it not be well 70 remove the dread thradom
which encircles them here and send the battalion
oy win - SUI ooa the stars and 'ssEs stTpes" at
whose everlasting wave they have in great mea-
sure made secure BY their bravery 1rmness and
The post Is garrsoned by Batteries I, K, and M,
Fifth artillery, and s also the headquarters OF the
General Bennett II. Hnl the Lieutenant Colonel
THIS battalion entered the walls OF the garrison in
Otober, 1885, fresh from che fields, where every bat
terry mad during the late distinguished ITSELF
tho reglmenta headQuarters having lately joined.
posing TINS garrison Would be relieved and ordsred
70 post on the New England coast where after three
years Of Imprisonment they could recuperats their
doubt that such change would take place and that
the Finn regiment Of artillery tan organization OF
strugg.e) would relieve @ command which for the
last three years has had healthy and agreeable poss
for II u possible the posts garris0ned by the
manning batteries OF the Fifth artinery-key West
and Barrancas Fla. and Forts Macon and John
son, North Carolina are equal in all the disagreeaDIe
pecuhariies TO the Dry 1urtugas except isolation
but 30 fur no order OF relief has come TO hand and 1t
u feared that none will be forthcoming.
Fne officers on duty at the post are Brevet Brigar
der General b. II. Hill, Lieutenant Colonel Filth ar
tilery, commanding; Brevet Lieutenant Colonel
noratlo =. Reed, Regimental and Post Adjutant;
Brevet Lieutenant Colonel w. Butler Beck, kegi-
mental and Post Quartermaster and Commlssary Of
subsistence; % Brevet Major Samuel A. Stovrow,
Surgeon; Dr. Warren Z. Day, Acting Assistant
Major Charles q Mcconnell, commanding; Brevet
Captain Frank Thorpe, on duty with battery. Bat
tery K-Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Edward q. Balm
bridge, commanding; Brcvet Major D. q. Kinzfe
and Brevet Captain Homer II. Baldwin, Second
Lieutenanrs John Mcclellan and Stanislsus Remak,
on duty. with battery. Battery L-Brevet Major 8.
7. McEirath, commanding; First Lieutenant FL
Captain Henry +. Beaverton, commanding; Brevet
Captain George w. Crabb and First Lieutenans B.
H. Roberts, second Lieutenant D. B. Johnston, on
duty with battery.
An ECCENTRIC CALIFORNIA DEllE