The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1873-08-20
HAWAIIAN GAZETTE
ThrfIlinE NaraI ExPIoII.

Hnchur Of For Pickens N July, 1861.
We ieft ~the Hub " on the 18th Of the
p-evious month with 4 crew OF col souls.
and slowly steamed out Of that land-locked
h-rbor amid the cheers Of the brave vol
unteers who crowded the parapeis OF
Fo-s Wzrren and Independence. Ten
DAYS sailing and steaming brought Us
face 70 face with rebellion. We had ar
rived OF Charleston hzrbor. aud could
p,4iuly see she Palmetto flag. the symbol
q treason, floating de6antly from Forts
Sumter and the batteries Of Sullivan's
Island The Wabash and Vandalia were
biockadinc the harbor, and after an hours
communication with them we sailed south
ward. On the morning Of the 5th of
JAY we dropped anchor of Fort TAYLOR.
- Key Wes5. the welcoming salute from
the for announcing Z friend, while the
sght q the flag Of the Union waving
from her ramparts more than compensated
rs for the shor1 cruise we had made along
. coast brissling with stolen guns and dot
I'd with encampments Of armed rebels.
We remained here one week, and then
r0unded the Florida caPes and entered
the beautiful Gulf Of Mexico, and steam
ing along the coast OF 4 country thzt
Ponce de Leon had secured in search Of
the fouutaiE Of youth; THAI Oseeola had
- stubboruly couteuded for, and whose
skies had blcached the bones Of the brave
Dade and his companions after heroically
eadearoring 10 defend It's inhabitants from
the terrible fate he met; a country. too.
that had, after the shedding Of SO much
blood, been purchased with gold from onr
Treasury, snd whose people, in an hour
Of madness had struck at the standard
that = former resident, with his "boys in
blue had borne through their swamps
ard jung,es for their protection. Alter
reaching the westerumost end Of that
low. s2uiy stretch Of land known as Santa
Rosl Island, we anchored in sight OF Fort
Pickens, 8 fort that, thanks 70 Slemmer, .
kept risI over Forts Barancas and Nc .
Rae, the water batteries and the navy
yard on the man land opposite. which,
thr uEh cowardice or vaciIlation. Sere in f
the hands Of the enemy. At the navy
yard, the steam sloop-of-war Fulton was
on the stocks in an unfinished condition.
vhiie 3 splendid, rakish-lOoking three
mzs,ed schooner. the judah. was living in
one Of The slips fully equipped for service
As 5 rebel privateer. mounted with six
brass twelve-pounders, and watching an
opportunity 70 escape
The magnificent floating drv-dock. built
; few years before at an enormous ex-
peuse, Law grounded IN the middle Of the
bay between Fort Pickeus and the navy
yard q sort Of neutral object, it being
100 near 70 either side for practical use.
TIE for1 and the earth-works on Santa
Ross IN charge Of Billy Wilson's Zoo
Zoos,- frowned directly upon the navy
yard At Warrenton, while our shipping
kip, an eye on Forts MeRae and Barran-
cas-, which were nearer the mouth of the
barber. Blockadiug life was commenced
n earnest. but lis nlonoiony was relieved /
by Remembering boat expeditions by
day and night, and throwing shells iron !
car heavy guns entirely over Santa Rosa t
q rebol steamers inside the bay.
On the night Of tie ID OF September. a '
boat exPedisioa from Fort Pickens, under :
command Of Lieut.. Shipley, quietly slip q
ped over TO the dry-dock and fired it, Col. J
Brown having aseertained q few days be :
fore that the rebels were making prepare 4
-i0us 70 raise It and float It nearer to the
yard a fen days afterward preparations e
we're inside on the Colorado for an expedi- /
.iou, bat matters kept dark as to its des- b
ination- The launches and cutters were v
1laoei In readiness, oars and oar-Iocks b
1ut5ed, twelve-Pounder boat howizers put n
a tim, and the small arms, eutlasses. &c.
5ui IN complete order o
On the afternoon Of the 18th Of Sen d
ember, uinety-eight men were picked h
rom the crew, including Lieutenants J. ;
3 Russel nov Commander,) Sprotson
nd Bake; Middies Sieece, Forrest and
IigginsOn; Capt E Med. Reynolds and y
weuIy marines Each man was EARNED
o the teeth with breech-loading Sharp's
life, viih sword bayonet, revolver and ],
hiP's oatlass. A white cover over the r
p was worn to distinguish friend from At
oe IL the dark r.
A soon as dark came on, the two B
lunches and first and second cutters we're NJ
roPped into the water from the davits. ip
ID the men embarked. At IL O'Clock i,-
-e lefi the ship, and At u reached Fort I'D
fcksns, where a consultation was held in
the landing with the army officers Of re
be fort. =,
Lieu- Russell then informed Us of the he
beet Of the expedition, as follows: To 81
rep into the harbor passing the rebel tn
NJ and batteries. and Braxton Braces TO