General Bragg's Camp

JUNE 15, 1861.

HARPER'S WEEKLY.

373

GENERAL BRAGG'S CAMP, AS SEEN FROM FORT PICKENS.—[DRAWN BY AN OFFICER OF THE FORT.]

OUR ILLUSTRATIONS OF FORT
PICKENS.

WE publish on page 374, from a sketch by an officer in Fort Pickens, a view of a MORTAR BATTERY LATELY ERECTED ON SANTA ROSA ISLAND by the Federal troops, and on this page a VIEW OF GENERAL BRAGG'S CAMP, from a drawing by the same officer, and a drawing of the interior of one of the SAND-BAG BATTERIES BEARING ON FORT PICKENS, from a sketch by our artist who has been traveling with W. H. Russell, Esq., LL.D., Correspondent of the London Times.

The officer to whom we are indebted for the two first-mentioned pictures thus writes us concerning them:

FORT PICKENS, May 11, 1861.

With this you will receive a sketch of part of one of the Federal Mortar Batteries on Santa Rosa Island, near Fort Pickens.

This battery, a portion of which is seen in the sketch, was recently built by Lieutenant Tidball, of the 2d Artillery. The central object in the view is a bomb-proof shelter,

used as a retreat from a heavy fire, the mass of sand on its roof forming a perfect security against shells of the largest calibre. The powder and loaded shells are kept in similar shelters, according to the usage of war. The ruin of brick-work on its left, and but a few feet in its rear, is all that remains of a large redoubt once held by the English. Whether they built it or no I can not tell, as in those days there was a proverb that the " Spanish built forts, the English held them, and the French took them." When General Jackson came down to Pensacola in 1814, to look after Federal interests in his unauthorized but energetic way, he found the Spanish occupying several points about the place, all protected by a network of friendly relations with the Home Secretary in England, who was well represented on the occasion by a fine body of English troops fresh from the Peninsula. A portion of these occupied the redoubt whose ruins are seen in the sketch. Jackson cut the network by opening fire without orders—an example that might be followed with advantage by some Federalists of the present day. The Spanish and English withdrew after blowing up the forts and redoubts. In 1819 they returned again, but again the Federalists ousted them. It is a curious coincidence that our Government should occupy these points immortalized in history—that it should be here building up new works to teach its rebellious children a lesson that they might have learned on the site of the old. I looked with curious feeling upon some old nine-pound shot that the workmen turned up the

other day while building the battery. Those shot were fired by Jackson, in all probability, and answered by some long " thirty-twos," which now lie on some old logs at the left of the battery. Many years have rolled by since their hoarse voices were heard by Jackson as he threw off the dead weight of official ignorance and drove the intruders from Florida. You can still see the big " G. R." on the reinforce of the guns, but time has strewn huge scales from their muzzles amidst the grass where they have lain neglected so long.

This battery is only a part of the defenses outside of the fort. This side of it the ground rolls off in a series of sand hills, which form excellent natural traverses, and would well conceal from the enemy as many as ten or fifteen regiments.

In sending us the view of General Bragg's camp, he says:

FORT PICKENS, May 12, 1861.

Inclosed I send you a sketch of the encampment west of the light-house and nearly opposite Fort Pickens. In front of the tents, near the shore, is seen one of their sand batteries, in which they have mounted several Columbiads. It is reported that they have now 10,000 men here ; but I imagine 6000 is much nearer the exact number. This battery commands the entrance to the harbor, but is too far off to do much injury to the fort, the distance being nearly 1 3/4 miles. The light-house seen on the right is a very fine

one, but has not been lighted since the night of April 12, when it was suddenly extinguished during a great scare of the secessionists, caused by the firing of a few guns from the Wyandotte, which led them to suspect the fleet was coming in. They immediately extinguished the light and lighted up their batteries. In the mean time, Captain Vodges's company landed, captured one of their guardboats, which, as soon as the troops were in the fort, was allowed to go back, and convey to General Bragg the gratifying intelligence that the fort was reinforced.

COLONEL MOREHEAD'S CAMP
AT BALTIMORE.

WE publish on page 374 a VIEW OF THE ENCAMPMENT OF UNITED STATES VOLUNTEERS, UNDER COLONEL MOREHEAD, on the land adjoining Patterson's Park, Baltimore. Patterson's Park will be seen on the left of the tents in the picture. If the late accounts from Baltimore be correct, this encampment will possess remarkable interest before long.

INTERIOR OF A SAND-BAG BATTERY AT PENSACOLA BEARING ON FORT PICKENS.—[SKETCHED BY OUR ARTIST, WHO HAS BEEN TRAVELING WITH W. H. RUSSELL, LL.D., BARRISTER AT LAW.]