Mobile Register

July 9, 1861

Page 2

Letter from Pensacola

[From Our Own Correspondent]

Pensacola, Sunday night, July 7

This has been a good, old fashioned, hot day—thermometer standing above the flag staff till six o’clock.

The Advertiser and Register, this morning, brings us a synopsis of Old Abe’s message. The “old fell” is still for war, and I hope he’ll have it to his heart’s content—but about that money and those soldiers there’s some doubt.

Last night, as one of Capt. Lowell’s harbor police boats was on a cruise, she discovered in the bay, a few hundred yards distant, and near the shore, an eight-oared boat from Fort Pickens, which she hailed; receiving no answer, she put after the stranger, which immediately struck for the shore. The chase was quite interesting for a few minutes, but the corsair succeeded in beaching their boat, and reached terra firma in safety. No shots were exchanged, and as our boats have instructions not to visit the Island, of course further pursuit was not attempted.

Two nights ago one of our little boats, while beating about, went up to the wharf at Fort Pickens, and was hailed by one of the sentinels, but no shot was fired or attempt made to overhaul her.

I was rather fast in saying the troops had been paid off below. None but the Louisiana State regulars have yet been paid off. There has been some delay in getting the proper form of muster rolls. They are now mostly ready, I learn. The money has been here for some time, and there is plenty more where it came from.

W. H. Lamberton, whose arrest I mentioned in my last, was for the second time sent off last night. He left on the cars—destination I know not.

The little schooner Octavia, of this port, ran the blockade yesterday. She is now on the high seas, and can show her heels to the fastest of the blockaders. Mr. Abe, you’ll have to stop your holes faster, or quit.

The “Pensacola Artillery” completed its organization yesterday, by the election of the following officers:

Captain, C. P. Knapp; 1^st Lieutenant, F. B Bobe; 2^nd Lieutenant, J. E. Woolsey; Junior 2^nd Lieutenant, H. C. Bedell; 1^st Sergeant, J. C. Creene; 2^nd Sergeant, A. Gerard; 3^rd Sergeant, J. M. Blake; 4^th Sergeant, K. L. Berry; 1^st Corporal, Jos. Wilkins; 2^nd Corporal, Jos. Rosique; 3^rd Corporal, J. Walsh; 4^th Corporal, G. Quina; Quartermaster, J. J. Moore; Civil Engineer, W. H. James; Secretary and Treasurer, A. J. Mathews.

On Friday Lieut. Howard sent a 42-pound cannon ball through a target a mile distant. The shot was fired from one of the guns of the “Bradford Battery,” which ricocheted within two hundred yards of the opposite shore, a distance of near four miles. Look out, “Mister Ingion.”

Hundreds of our citizens attended the dress parade of the State Artillery this evening. The men, their horses and pieces, looked perfection in “their Sundays.”

There has been no addition to the fleet outside to-day. The flag-ship, with Com. Mervin, occupies her same position.

[Transcribed by Sharon Strout]