The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-10-26

Bragg was MdJOr-1eHefdi Nohhohuhs
the troops; Generals GLADDEN. and Ander-
son commanded their respective brigades.
THE PENSACOLA CAMPAIGN.
The scene of the regiments service the
arst year of the war was the vicinity of
the lower portions of Pensaco'a Bay. be-
tween the navy yard and the mouth OF
the bay, about FIVE miles distant
OF the physical features. forts. etc,
of the locality, may speak briefly.
rensacnia Bay is fJrmcd by the Es-
Gambia River flowing almost due south
and the interposition Of Santa Rosa
Island lying due east and west and Their
fore at right angles to the course Of the
liver as it approaches the gulf, and TIE
bay thus formed being DETECTED west
ward. finds its outlet into the Gulf be-
tween the western extremity of the island
and a projecting angle of the mainland.
about thirty miles below the mouth OF
the river. Fort Pickens, by far the most
70 tmidable fortihcation in this vicinity
both IN structure and armament. stanco
upon this extremity of the island. and
Fort McRae Is due west just across the
bay about one and one-half miles dis
tant, the two forts forming the outpost
defenses of the harbor.
On the north side of the harbor or
mainland as we go from the navy yard
to Fort McRae, are successfully Warren
ton, Marine Hospital, Barrancas Bar
racks, Fort Barrancas, Fort Redouot,
Old Light House and New Light House.
These points occupy elevations from ten
to thirty feet above tide water, Fort
Barrancas and Old Light House being
the highest, while Forts Pickens ana
McRae rise from the white sandy beach
down close to the waters edge. Fort
Redoubt designed as a place of retreat
and continued resistance in case of Fort
Barrancas falling into the hands of the
enemy, Is half a mile inland, and d.
rsctly in rear of the latter. with which
| 1t is connected by an underground pass
way. 1t was used by the Confederates as
an arsenal.
Santa Rosa Island, a few feet above
sea -level, from a quarter to half mile
wide, interspersed with clumps of gall
berry slashes, great banks of white sand
and sea-drift, with here and there an
| old scaly, gnarly sea-coast pine. with not
| even a fisherman's hut or other sign OF
| human habitation. save the grim. gloomy
| old castle of Fort Plckens, stretches
away to the east many miles beyond the
| horizon.
| Previous to the arrival of the companies
| of the regiment, Lieutenant Slemmer.
| commanding United States forces. had
| surrendered all the forts and public build
ings on the mainland to Alabama and
| Florida volunteers, and, with a small
squad of regulars. mad retired to Fort
| Pickens. Thus the stars and stripes were
flying from the battlements of the lat
ter, while the lone star of State SOW
| ereignty, soon to be suppanted by the
stars and bars of the Confederate States
from all the forts and public buildings
| OF the former.
The personnel OF the regiment was re-
| markabie for the youthfulness of Its
members, and for notable men as pri-
Yates in it's ranks. OF the former, per-
haps not more than Is per cent. had
reached their majority. while not 10
per cent had passed twenty-five. The
prevailing ages were frem IS to q in
ranks with quite q number from Is to
49, The average age among officers could
| not have exceeded 30. Leutenant-Colonel
Steedman was only g. Most Of these
! young men were from homes Of wealth
and culture, of best Southern families.
and in1amed with resentment against
the North for long aggression
| upon the States rights, as well as by
the recent John Brown raid In Virginia.
had quilted these surroundings OF luxury
and in many instances classic halls of
| learning, seized their muskets and gone
| to battle Nor less conspicuous and he
| roic were the conduct and spirit of the
| wool hat boys" who. with no property
| interests involved, equalled the zeal and
| LOYALTY OF their wealthy comrades In de-
votion. courage sacrifice and duty. Space
nor ability permit ne to pursue further
this tempting line of thought. Crown him
historian laureate. the genius of whose
pen shall adequately portray and reflect
to future generations the war spirit Of
the South in 1861 All thinking classes in
the South knew that the "irrepressible
conflict had come and must be met.
OF notable men as privates in our ranks
were Edward c. Bullock. distinguish ed
barrister; Judge Cochran. an eminent
f. rist. and James J.. Pugh. who. few
weeks before had resigned his seat In the
Federal Congress upon the secession of
his State. These men, in bloused army
SHIFTS. trudging along at drill through
the deep sand beneath burning sun.
or pacing their beats. or pushing a wheel
barrow of sand to construct a battery
woe familiar sights to us all during our
twelve months service at Barrancas
They were dubbed high privates. The
following year Private Bullock raised
and led to the front an Alabama regi
ment but he shortly after died; Private
Cochran resumed the practice of law
Private Pugh was elected to the Confed
crate Congress where he remained to thu
end OF the war. and since the war ha
served three terms in the United States
Senate He now 1902 resides in Wash
E inEton. D. c.
Examples like the above in he Con
e fednr2te Army at this period Of tine wa
. could be given in definitely. There wa
. no office-secklnS, 1t being considered n
e high an honor To be a private rs to be Al
$ officer. The position and service of tn
= private soldier had thus been dign!heC
r AMI emphasized and this was no 3ma.
= factor in the production of the Southern
s soldier
r Until about the LIST Of April our resi
mont was quarterel at Barrancas Bar
= racks and Fort Ba -rancas. Many messe!
2 bod negro cooks. the men mixed to u,
8 all their laundry and other drudgery, wore
Q neat clothes. dow as daily rations
= pound Zach of beef and bakers brec
= orcas!onallv supplemented wi,h boxes o
e provisions from home, and yet we though
w are having hard time
Most OF the companies of the regimen
had tecn organized several years befor
the war. had been under the command o
eficient officers ard had therefore reache
l. Rarrancaa quite proficient in compan
r drill. hut had no experience In battalio
drill We now entered the fun routin
II of soldier duty. company drill in tn
n morning, battalion irill in the after
IS noon, guard dutr, police duty, etc. Nil
.e tary regulations began to be enforce
n and penalties to he inflicted for violation
= Gordon az guards was kept around IN
a cncampment and along the beach; no ir
" e-ess nor egress without a pass; no ir
l. toxicarts were allowed within the linei
); Whether rising or retiring or whateve
. aIeo ava~ytbtpg must Obev the fans