The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-10-07
w. n. TRIMMER
RECOuNTS EXPERIENCES

Editor Journal:
You cannot imagine, Mr.. Editor, the
thrill and pleasure / enjoy in reading
in the pare that THE soldier boys
are coming to join in annual encamp-
ment' companies of the First Florida
will be along. Company NJ, of the
second Florida from Apalachicola,
with others. To one who once was a
soldier boy and from ApalachicOla in
April, 1861, and occupying and sta
toned on the ground where these
young men are to drill and camp now
though AZ years ago and where spent
some Of the happiest days doing serv-
ice for the Confederacy. Almost to
the day these sons of Florida will
drill and camp where terrible and
bloody fighting took place on the night
of October s., 1861. We had been
camped many months in the sand
back of the navy yard. The details
from our companies daily for fatigue
duty were very heavy and hard work
and the nightly guard duty along the
beach took the balance of the men
and no idle men were left in camp.
The boys were worn out, camp sick
ness prevailed, and the old naval hos
pitaI was full of measles and pneu-
monia. The Yankees were very an
nOying and finally on the night of Sep
TENDER IA, or rather early morning
of the 18th, a boat load OF sailors
from the flagship Colorado attacked
the schooner Judah" then laying a.
the navy yard. The Apalachicola boys
were aboard of her Jim Cope for one
he is at the water works in your city.
They fought the attacking party, kill
ing three and wounding some or
TO- Among the wounded the Yankee
Lieutenant Russell This daring at
tack was too much for Gen. Bragg 20
let go by and the demand from the
army went up to headquarters to
avenge il, so on the evening of Oct.
Is. at dress pardae, it was made
known that an expedition would be
made 10 try and capture Santa Rosa
Island and Fort Pickens. From every
company in the army a detail of men
was made; from our company B, First
Florida, Is men were selected and the
entire First Florida was represented
by $50 men, besides, officers. They
were in the second battalion, whica
were 400 men in command OF Col.
Patton Anderson. Altogether 1900 to
1000 men were selected. These men
were all transferred about 10 p. m. to
the steamer Ewing and to the barges
and fats from Knapp's wharf, Pen
sacola, leaving about midnight. BY :
a. m. all were disembarked on the
beach on the island.
Colonel Chalmers marched up the
north beach. Colonel Anderson along
the south beach, with Col. jackson in
the rear with reserves. A hard march
of or 4 miles brought Chalmers to
the outposts of the Zouaves. who were
quickly driven in, the men charging
A. r.~I
cover of the darkness two companies
of United States regulars posted them
selves behind a dense thicket to inter.
cept the troops retiring and a right
smart skirmich took place.
Orders to Te-embark after day were
issued and some delay occurred,
owing to a h5wseT getting foul in the
propeller of the Neaffic in the mean
time the tide had fallen and the fats
and barseS were on the beach. The
enemy. taking advantage of this de-
la, appeared among the sand hills
near the beach and fired volley after
volley at the helpless men.
Two commissioned officers were
killed, Capt. Bradford and Lieut. Ne
lans. also about forty men and COM
missioned officers and about 80 men
taken prisoners. The Yankees lost
90 prisoners among them Major vog-
des, of the L. S. artillery and about
90 killed. The Zouave camp was
stormei and burned Wilson was
colonel of this New York regiment
and previously had held position OF
alderman of that city. The Apaiachi-
cola company had three killed and the
first Florida covered herself with
glory and so reported by Gen. Bragg.
VIM. H. TRIMMER
Moline. Fla. Oct ), 1908.
A REASON WHY