There was a magnificent naval hospital at Pensacola, one of the finest structures of the kind in the United States. The Vandals, in their undiscriminating rage, had set that on fire, and it was speedily reduced to smouldering cinders. "It was," writes the correspondent of the Boston Journal, "behind this hos

the garrison at Fort Pickens were aroused by an unusual firing of musketry in the direction of the rebel forts. Signal lights were seen blazing upon the shore, and there were other indications of some strange commotion. Suddenly, and almost simultaneously, crackling, roaring flames, in huge billows, burst forth from forts and water-batteries and the light-pital that Bragg had a heavy mortar battery house, from the Marine Hospital and the Navyyard, and from Pensacola and the villages of Warrenton and Woolsey, and all other buildings along a line nearly ten miles in extent. It was manifest that the rebels had decided to evacuate the region, and that they had resolved to leave nothing but ashes behind them.

The rebels had carefully arranged their combustibles, which had been prepared in great quantities, and by the, light of the conflagration they could be distinctly seen running about, like demons of destruction, applying the torch. The long roll was immediately beat in Fort Pickens, and a tremendous cannonade opened upon the incendiaries, which was kept up incessantly for five hours, and which so disturbed the rebels in their operations that not a little property, which would otherwise have been destroyed, was preserved.

The guns of the rebel forts M'Rae and Barrancas, which had commanded the harbor, were now powerless, and the blockading schooner, Maria J. Wood, steamed into the bay and demanded the unconditional surrender of the place. As the flag of truce landed the officers were met by about one hundred and fifty people, who, with a single exception, manifested great joy in prospect of the restoration of the National authority. The negroes gathered in great numbers, shouting, exuberantly, "Dey is come at last; dey is come at last!"

Captain Jackson, with his flag, proceeded through the grass-grown streets to the house of Mayor Bobee. To the demand for surrender Bobee replied:

during the first bombardment; and shielded from the fire of Pickens by the humane folds of the yellow flag, which floated over the hospital, he kept up an incessant fire upon the Federal garrison."

This was the last foothold of any importance which the rebels held in Florida. The whole State thus virtually fell back into the possession of the National arms, though it continued to be the scene of many wild adventures. The necessities of the Confederate Government had become so pressing that the authorities at Richmond had decided to withdraw nearly all their forces from the State, and most of the troops had been sent to Tennessee. Still enough were left behind to keep up a sort of guerrilla warfare, which, with the torch and the halter, might prevent the development of any Union sympathies among the people. As the rebel troops were mainly withdrawn there seemed to be no reason why we should leave regiments there encamped in idleness. Jacksonville was evacuated, and the rebels returned, wreaking sore vengeance upon all who had ventured to express any sympathy for the National authority.

The recital of the barbarities they inflicted caused the ear of the nation to tingle.

About three miles above the mouth of the River St. Johns there were some renowned bluffs, which had caught the military eye of the old Spanish adventurers as an impregnable position. The bluffs commanded the river, and in the rear could be only approached through a single ravine, which could be swept by artillery. The narrowness of the channel and the elevation of the bluffs rendered the approach by gun-boats both difficult and dangerous. The rebels seized this Gibraltar, placed upon it a heavy and effective armament of nine guns, two of them Columbiads, and stationed a garrison there, infantry and cavalry, of one thousand two hundred men. Blockade-runners, having ascended the river beyond this point, were safe from any pursuit by our gun-boats.

General Mitchell, then the energetic com

"The Confederates have so long held sway here, and usurped the power which rightfully belongs to the municipal authorities, that I do not know really how much authority I have left." | Fortunately the Harriet Lane, with Commodore Porter of the mortar flotilla on board, was that night running down the coast from Mobile. Seeing the whole eastern horizon illumined with the blaze of the immense conflagration, Captain Wainwright steamed directly for Pensacola harbor. The arrival in the morn-mander at Port Royal, late in September fitted ing of this powerful steamer was very opportune. She was immediately employed in transporting troops, with their necessary armament, from Fort Pickens and the Island of Santa Rosa to the main land. About twelve hundred troops, with artillery, siege-guns, ammunition, horses, and camp equipage, were soon on shore, with defenses thrown up around them to guard against any surprise. The Stars and Stripes were raised over the smouldering forts. But scarcely any thing met the eye excepting fire, ashes, and desolation.

out an expedition to clear the river of these obstructions. A land-force of 1573 men, consisting of the Forty-seventh Pennsylvania, under Colonel T. H. Good, the Seventh Connecticut, under Colonel Joseph Hawley, and a section of First Connecticut light battery, left Hilton Head in four transports on the afternoon of the 30th of September. Early the next morning they arrived off the bar of St. Johns River. Here they were joined by six gun-boats commanded by Captain Charles Steedman of the United States Navy. The

land-force was intrusted to Brigadier-General up the river there was a sloop laden with cotJ. M. Brannon. The fleet immediately crossed ton watching for a dark night to run the blockthe bar and anchored in the mouth of the river ade. On the morning of the 15th of October opposite a small "timber village" called May- two boats were sent from the gun-boats Sagaport, situated on a bluff. About two miles more and Fort Henry, each armed with a 12farther up the river they saw the rebel flag, in- pound howitzer and rifles for the crew and dicating the position of their batteries. Three officers. They started before the dawn of day, gun-boats were sent up to draw the fire of the and, rowing up the river about four miles, disguns, that their number and the weight of their covered the sloop in a small bay on the eastern metal might be ascertained. shore of the stream. But the rebels had detected the enterprise. As the boats approached the sloop they saw a squadron of cavalry riding down the banks. They were thus obliged to move back, out into the river, and to send for reinforcements.

A few shells, with very accurate aim, were pitched directly into the rebel batteries. The return fire of their guns revealed that which we wished to know and did us no harm. As it seemed evident that the rebels were disposed for a fight, the landing of the troops was at Four boats were promptly forwarded to their once commenced, under the protection of the aid. As soon as they were all assembled two gun-boats, which, from the nature of the local- boats were sent to capture the loop, while the ity, proved a very tedious and difficult opera- rest held themselves in readiness to meet any tion. It was their plan to work around into emergency. The rebels, in ambush, threw in the rear, so as to cut off the retreat of the reb-upon the advancing boats a volley of bullets, els. The rain was now falling in torrents. wounding three men. The fire was instantly But through the discomfort of the storm and returned by a shower of canister and shrapnell, the gloom the troops, horses, and artillery sweeping the thicket and speedily scattering were got safely ashore, including three 12- the band who, in Indian fashion, were lurking pound howitzers, worked by marines. there. The rebel sailors fled from the sloop as the boats' crew boarded it. The victors cut their prize from her moorings, and all the boats towed her down the river.

As soon as the landing was effected, and the troops were prepared to move for the attack, the gun-boats were again sent forward. As they opened their fire, shelling the batteries, they found, to their great surprise, that the rebels had abandoned every thing and fled. Lieutenant Snell sent a boat ashore and raised the American flag. The land-forces pressed forward and took possession of the batteries. The position was found to be one of very great strength, the works carefully constructed and heavily armed. Had the rebels displayed any of that courage which they certainly on most occasions evinced, it is not improbable that they might have resisted even a much larger force than that which we had sent against them.

It was necessary to pass by the wharves in Apalachicola. The rebel guerrillas, who had been driven from their ambush, hastened to the city and secreted themselves behind an embankment and in the store-houses. As our boats came within close musket-range, the men laboriously pulling at their oars, towing the sloop, the rebels again, from their concealment, opened fire, with volley after volley, wounding several, but killing none. Little were they prepared for the retribution which instantly visited them. The howitzers were turned upon their lurking-places. Shells, shrapnell, canister pursued them as with a divine vengeance. Limb was torn from limb, buildings set on fire, houses blown to pieces. Not another gun could be fired at our troops. To pick up the wound

The guns, nine heavy Columbiads, the smallarms, and the ammunition, were removed to the gun-boats, the magazines blown up, and the entire works on the bluff destroyed. Cap-ed and to extinguish the flames, which threattain Steedman, with a portion of the fleet, ened the destruction of the city, engrossed all steamed directly for Jacksonville, to destroy the energies of the foe. Scarcely had the boats the rebel boats there, and to intercept the es- returned to the fleet with their prize, having cape of the rebel garrison across the river. A eighty bales of cotton on board, when a flag of body of infantry soon, followed. Jacksonville truce was sent to the fleet from Apalachicola, was found deserted by nearly all its inhabit- imploring that our naval surgeons might be ants excepting a few old men, women, and sent to the town to dress the stumps of the unchildren. One of the steamers, the Darling- happy men whose limbs had been blown off by ton, in charge of Captain Yard, with one hun- the fragments of our shells. Doctors Stevens, dred men of the Forty-seventh Pennsylvania Scofield, and Draper volunteered their servVolunteers, boldly ran up the river two hun-ices on this mission of mercy to our enemies. dred and thirty miles, and seized a rebel steamer, the Governor Milton. Our gun-boats now retained the entire possession of the river, and the expedition returned to Hilton Head without the loss of a man and crowned with victory. Apalachicola was now simply guarded by the blockading fleet, there being no Union garrison on shore. It was reported that several miles

The rebels were also informed that were our boats again fired upon from Apalachicola the city should be laid in ashes.

The secessionists in the vicinity of Apalachicola were largely supplying the rebel army with beef packed in salt. To facilitate this operation immense salt-works were erected all along the bays on the Gulf coast of Florida.

Our

gun-boats swept the coast and laid them near- loyal men felt very great relief. ly all in ruins.

About this time a guerrilla band at Cedar Keys, with savage cunning, enticed a boat on shore from the steamer Somerset, by displaying three white flags from the houses. Just as the boat's crew were landing they were fired upon from the windows of a house, and eight of the men were wounded, some of them very severely. The retributions of war are terrible. The wounded men succeeded in working their way back to the ship. An avenging force was sent to the shore to administer the merited punishment. In a few hours the whole town was in ashes.

This sense

of security was increased as, after a few days, the Sixth Connecticut and the Eighth Maine were sent to reinforce the little army. But to the astonishment of all, and the consternation of every loyal man, scarcely had these latter troops debarked ere the inexplicable order came not only for their immediate return, but for the recall of all the colored troops and the abandonment of the place for the third time. Though there was nothing to be done but promptly to obey these orders, the murmurings were loud and deep.

There probably never was an army composed of such fine materials as the Union army Twice the Union forces had now taken Jack-in this great conflict. In every regiment there sonville. Twice they had abandoned it as not worth holding. Slowly, and with great opposition, the Government had been led to adopt the measure of employing colored troops. The rebels had run large numbers of slaves into the interior of Florida, as a place of security. It was deemed wise to occupy Jacksonville as a base of operations for collecting and arming the negroes. On the 6th of March, 1863, a secret expedition, whose destination was known to but few, left Beaufort, South Carolina. consisted of the First and Second Regiments of South Carolina Colored Volunteers, under Colonel T. W. Higginson and Colonel James Montgomery. They were conveyed in three transports.

It

might be found many men of the highest intel-
lectual and religious character. But whenever
there is war all the lovers of violence and crime
rush to the field. Thus there will be found in
every army many men utterly reckless, and
who shrink at no crime. Some of these men,
notwithstanding the indignation of their com-
rades and the utmost exertions of their officers,
taking advantage of a high wind and the com-
bustible nature of the buildings, set fire to the
town. Jacksonville was soon in ruins. The
beautiful city, which had been the pride of the
State, and for many years the favorite resort
for invalids from the North, was wrapped in
flames and consumed to ashes. Scarcely a
mansion, store-house, or negro cabin was left
to tell where Jacksonville once stood. Long
lines of magnificent oaks, with their green fo-
liage and graceful drapery of Spanish moss,
ornamented the streets. Orange groves per-
fumed the air with their perpetual blossoms
mingling with the golden fruit.
and gardens were embellished with shrubbery
and flowers blooming in the profusion of tropic-
al luxuriance.

The yards

The relentless flames swept over the loveliness of the Eden, and it emerged from the ordeal as if scathed by the curse of God. An

On the 7th the vessels reached Fernandina, and, after a short delay, proceeded to the mouth of the St. Johns, where they dropped anchor on the morning of the 9th. Here a couple of gun-boats joined them, the Norwich and the Uncas. The next day the expedition steamed up the river. Passing the ruined batteries on St. Johns bluff, which the rebels had made no attempt to repair, they ran alongside of the wharf in Jacksonville, and, under protection of the guns of the Uncas, the colored troops, glowing with enthusiasm, eagerly jumped on shore. The rebels had simply a picket estab-eye-witness on board the steam transport Boslished in the town, while a considerable force ton writes: was encamped three miles distant. The welldisciplined troops immediately formed in marching order, and so suddenly had they arrived and landed that almost the first intimation the inhabitants had of their presence was in witnessing the solid column of black faces marching through their streets.

Colonel Montgomery, at the head of two companies, pushed out into the woods, where his colored soldiers, with bravery which elicited great admiration, attacked a company of rebel cavalry and handsomely routed them. Colonel Higginson, in the mean time, stationed pickets throughout the town, and adopted other precautions against surprise. It was now night, and our troops were in secure possession of the place, with the loss of but one man killed and two wounded.

It was supposed that the National flag was now established permanently here, and the VOL. XXXIII.-No. 198.-3 B

"From this upper-deck the scene presented to the spectator is one of the most fearful magnificence. On every side, from every quarter of the city, dense clouds of black smoke and flames are bursting through the mansions and warehouses. A fresh south wind is blowing immense blazing cinders into the heart of the city. The beautiful

Spanish moss, drooping so gracefully from the long avenues of the splendid old oaks, has caught fire, and, as far as the eye can reach, through these once pleasant streets nothing but sheets of flame can be seen, running up with the rapidity of lightning to the tops of the trees, and then darting off to the smallest branches. The whole city-mansions, warehouses, trees, shrubbery, and orange groves— all that refined taste and art through many years have made beautiful and attractive, are being lapped up, and

by the howling, fiery blast."

Fifty families, most of them professing Union sentiments, with their homes and their furniture in ashes, in the extreme of penury, and debarred of all means of support, were huddled on board the transports, and were conveyed to Beaufort. Most of them had saved nothing

but the few clothes they wore. There they out a single boat's crew of bold men, and sent stood, fathers, mothers, daughters, torn from them on an exploring adventure up the bay their once happy and beautiful homes and under the command of Acting-Ensign James J. plunged into life-long woe, many of them the Russel. It was the 2d of December, a very innocent victims of dreadful war. It is a slight delightful season of the year in that sunny resolace to one's agonized feelings to reflect that gion. probably many of these women were among the most determined and malignant instigators of the conflict. It is one of the mysteries of God's providential government that the innocent must suffer with the guilty.

On the 1st of April the fleet, after a fine run of fourteen hours from the mouth of the St. Johns, returned to Beaufort. General Saxton set apart some houses for the temporary accommodation of these war-stricken refugees, and they were fed upon the rations of the commissary department.

They rowed along, in a westerly direction. about twenty miles, through a varied scene of wildness, desolation, and beauty, and then landing, marched through the wilderness country five miles until they reached a large sheet of salt-water, called Lake Ocala. Here they came suddenly upon Kent's salt-works. There were thirteen huge tanks or kettles in full blast, cach holding two hundred gallons. It seemed as though they had fallen upon some realm of Pluto, as they saw the immense fires blazing, negroes running to and fro feeding them with The achievements of our blockading squad- the resinous fuel, and the air filled with smoke ron have never been suitably commemorated. and vapor. They were producing one hundred And yet they performed many of the most and thirty gallons of salt daily. Our boat's arduous and daring exploits of the war, and crew, who certainly deserve the title of incontributed far more than is generally supposed trepid, broke the boilers to pieces, utterly deto the glorious final result. It was one great molished the works, and threw into the lake all object of the National Government to render it the salt which they had accumulated. Two as difficult as possible for the rebels to feed large flat-boats and six ox-carts were destroyed, their armies. Vast herds of cattle roamed over and seventeen prisoners taken and paroled. the prairies of Florida. These were killed, The success of this expedition incited to packed in salt, and sent in great abundance, by other similar movements. It so chanced that the internal railroads, to the several encamp- the stern-wheel steamer Bloomer, under Act*ments. There were innumerable bays and in-ing-Ensign Edwin Cressy, arrived. The steamlets penetrating the Gulf coast of Florida, alonger was of such light draught that she could run whose silent and secluded shores salt-works almost any where over the shallow waters of were reared. The destruction of these works cut off those supplies of meat which were essential to the existence of an army.

the bay. Master Browne put three officers and forty-eight men on board, and sent them to the extreme western extremity of the bay, to a About one hundred miles east of Pensacola place called West Bay, where they found exthere was an immense body of water jutting in tensive Government salt-works, which were profrom the Gulf, called St. Andrews Bay. The ducing four hundred bushels daily. Here they shores of this inland sea spread out through destroyed twenty-seven buildings, two hundred uncounted leagues in every conceivable irregu- and twenty-two boilers and kettles, five thoularity of outline. Here there was a gloomy sand bushels of salt, and store-houses containforest and there a frowning bluff. At one pointing three months' provisions. The estimated the open prairie spread far away until it was value of the property destroyed was half a milllost in the distant horizon, and again the en-ion of dollars.

croaching hillocks, crowned with dark ever- This little stern-wheeler, which a sailor said greens and hoary, moss-draped oaks, obstructed"could run wherever there was a light dew," the view. From time immemorial the wigwam of the Indian had dotted these shores, and his fragile canoe had glanced over these waves. The Indian had now disappeared. The country generally retained its pristine wildness, and naught but the cry of the water-fowl was heard to disturb the silence of its lonely waters.

now steamed down the shore of the bay, penetrating all its secluded inlets, and destroyed a hundred and ninety-eight private salt-making establishments. Seven hundred and sixty boilers and kettles were broken to pieces, and an immense amount of salt thrown into the lake. There was also committed to the flames two hundred buildings, twenty-seven wagons, and five large flat-boats. The entire damage to the enemy was deemed not less than three millions of dollars. Such is war! "War," says Napoleon, "is the science of barbarians, the science of destruction."

Not far within the entrance of this majestic bay there was the little town of St. Andrews, an exceedingly convenient resort for blockaderunners. There was a small blockading force guarding the coast there, under the command of Acting-Master William R. Browne. Learning that there were some pretty extensive salt- By some strange instinct, in these far-away works in operation far up this bay, in regions regions, the slaves, with universal acclaim, rewhere they could not be reached by our gun-ceived the Union soldiers as their deliverers. boats, and being fully convinced that in their wilderness seclusion they would not be protected by any military force, Mr. Browne fitted

No frowns of their masters could repress their delight. With joy, which at times passed all bounds, they availed themselves of the oppor