flanked by the enemy. In the darkness and confusion, a company of the rebels crept along by the shore and entered the camp of the Zouaves, almost without a shot. Suddenly the little band of sixty men drawn up under their colonel, received a heavy musket-fire upon their front, from their rear and upon their right wing, and the rebels, in large numbers, were seen running along one of the ridges, to cut off their retreat to the fort. The Zouaves fought bravely for a while, but overpowered, were obliged to retire to the first ridge, where they halted and again fronted the foe. The vastly superior force of the enemy was now revealed to them by the light of their own tents, which, having been first rifled of their contents, were in a blaze. The Zouaves, though thus out-numbered, fought desperately for a while, using their rifles with deadly effect, at short range. At length, becoming disorganized, they resorted to bush fighting. The company under Wilson, unable to withstand the overwhelming force of the rebels, were withdrawn in good order along the beach to the first battery, where they halted.

In the meantime tlie alarm had reached Fort Pickens. Volleys of musketry were heard at the fort at half-past three, in the direction of the camp. Colonel Brown ordered the long roll to be beaten, and Major. Vodges was despatched with a company of regulars to the aid of Col. Wilson; and Major Arnold was ordered to man the guns on the ramparts. In half an hour the firing grew heavier, and Major Arnold was sent out with two more companies to support the first detachment, and with orders to Wilson to advance on the enemy, whose force was unknown. Major Vodges with his regulars had proceeded nearly a mile, when, in the gloom of the night, he was suddenly surrounded by a large body of the rebels. He was in front, and being immediately recognized, was forced to surrender. His command now devolved on Capt. Hildt, who, aided by Lieut. Seely, extricated his men, eighty in number, from their entanglement, and rallying them, with great gallantry, opened a heavy fire heavy fire upon the enemy, whose lines had become very much broken by the confusion incident to a midnight attack. At this time the rebel general caused the signal to be sounded for his men to turn and march back. He erroneously supposed that he was now in the rear of the Zouaves, having cut off their retreat, and that he could drive them before him, to utter destruction. But as it grew lighter, our troops advanced in better order against the rebels, who were now getting into terrible confusion. Major Arnold came up with his two companies to support the sturdy band of regulars, that, under Capt. Hildt, was driving a large force of the enemy, pouring in upon them a merciless fire. Two companies of Zouaves, animated by the reënforcement, formed anew under Major Tower, and joined in the pursuit. Col. Wilson with a portion of his men came up later. The rebels were now effectually routed and in full retreat to regain their boats.

Their confidence had given place to terror. All organization seemed to be broken up, and they fought no longer for victory, but only for escape. The regulars, in solid, unbroken phalanx, pursued them, pouring into their ranks volleys of death, while the fiery Zouaves, mainly broken into detached squads and dispersed as stragglers, too impatient to wait for

reorganization, ran along the flanks of the foe, skulking like Indians. behind every bush and mound, and with deadly aim compelling every bullet to fulfill its mission. One of the rebel soldiers thus describes their disastrous retreat.

"Amid this excitement and conflagration the wildest disorder reigned. Companies were disorganized, and no such thing as a regiment was known. Our men retired in great confusion, and the line was a tumultuous mass, moving without orders and almost without object. We expected every moment to be shelled by Pickens and the fleet, which could have swept the island and not left a man. Unfortunately for us, they had sent out several companies to intercept our boats and cut off our retreat. These lay behind the sand hills and embankments and fired upon our disorganized masses. Several attempts were made to rally into line, but without effect. The island is alternate marshes, ravines and hills, with occasional long sandy plains. Whenever we met these squads, we had to carry the place by storm, yet their advantage was too manifest. They could hide behind sand hills, completely protecting themselves from our bullets, and shoot into our disorganized body for several minutes before we could come upon them. Several times we met these hostile squads and mistook them for friends, occasioning us heavy loss."

Our victorious companies of regulars and Zouaves were now pressing hard upon the confused bodies of the rebels, following regularly down both shores. As they retreated they turned to the right shore, where they encountered Lieut. Seely's body of regulars. Running to the left, they were bravely charged by the Zouaves. Unable in their rout and demoralization to resist the compact bodies of disciplined soldiery, their only salvation lay in reaching their boats as speedily as possible. Towards their landing-place they rushed in headlong confusion, as the National troops, with volley succeeding volley, crowded closely upon them. Another rebel steamer had arrived loaded with reënforcements, but beholding the utter rout of their comrades, they did not venture to land. The rebels rushed into their boats. They were fast in the mud, and could be extricated only by the aid of the steamers. And now, during that terrible delay, a dreadful carnage ensued. The Union troops in pursuit came up, one company after another, and poured their deadly volleys upon the steamers and launches. Concealed behind mounds and embankments, the Zouave rifles hurled their death shots among the defenseless rebels, who could neither find shelter for themselves nor opportunity to return the fire with any effect upon their victorious foes. The scene at this period of the contest is described as peculiarly awful-the cries of agony and the moans of the dying breaking forth through the pauses of the battle; the shouts of the victors and curses of the defeated, the voice of command and the sharp ring of the muskets immediately following, all rendered the scene horrible and heart-sickening. The steamer Times, crowded with troops, got aground while moving off, and five companies of the Union troops, who had now arrived on the ground, fired for half an hour at the hundreds of the humiliated and infuriated foe massed upon its decks. The killed and wounded in the boats and in these steamers must have been numbered by

scores and hundreds. At length the unfortunate rebels were towed out of reach of the Federal bullets, and the firing ceased, with exultant cheers from the victors. One of the flat-boats was so riddled with balls that it sunk before it had been towed half-way to the navy yard. A large number of dead bodies were found, the morning after the battle, floating on the water, and nineteen were found slain on the battle-field. The rebels carried away in their boats many of their killed and wounded, and about twenty of our men as prisoners, among whom were Major Vodges and a Federal captain and lieutenant. They themselves lost five officers and twenty-two privates as prisoners. From their terrible exposure to the fire of the Union troops on shore, and from the accounts next day, brought by a flag of truce from Gen. Bragg demanding the bodies of their slain, it was estimated that over three hundred must have fallen in this ill-fated expedition. Our total loss was sixty-seven, of whom fourteen were killed, twenty-nine wounded, and twenty-four missing.

Most of our men fought with the greatest bravery, and many officers distinguished themselves for coolness and intrepidity in this blind encounter with an overpowering hostile force, so signally repulsed by three hundred and sixty-five troops. If the rebels purposed only to destroy the camp of the Zouaves, against whom in their battle-cries they manifested the greatest hatred, they were successful. They carried off many trophies of their adventure. The Zouaves lost all their tents, baggage and ready money; but the enemy received a fearful retribution from the fierce firemensoldiers and their brave comrades, the United States regulars. It was evidently the design of the rebels to attack the batteries and disable the guns, for spikes were found in the pockets of several of the killed who were left on the island. They, however, did not come within five hundred yards of either of these batteries, or in sight of the fort.

In the desperate rout of the Confederates, their whole force could have been easily captured or slain, had not the officer commanding the steamer McClellan, who was ordered by Col. Brown, when the alarm was first given, to take a position opposite the landing-place of the enemy, been directed also to ask assistance of the Potomac, lying farther out in the bay. The Captain of this frigate requested the McClellan to tow his vessel within range of the enemy. This caused so much delay, that the hostile steamers and boats were gone, and the engagement over, before these vessels reached the scene of battle. The McClellan alone could have driven away the steamers, destroyed the boats, and thus prevented the reëmbarkation of the retreating enemy. Caution in the movements of our forces, have so often been disastrous to our cause, in the history of this war, that it has almost ceased to be commendable.

With barefaced falsehood, and equally characteristic bombast, Southern papers claimed a victory, after such an ignominious repulse. But while exulting over the alleged cowardice and defeat of the Zouaves, the destruction of their camp, and fabulous trophies of the battle, they admitted a heavy loss, and the death of several valuable officers. Even General Anderson, of fillibuster notoriety, commanding the rebel forces, was wounded in both arms, but escaped capture. One of the rebel combat

ants, in letter to the Atlanta (Ga.) Intelligencer, speaks thus of the battle: "I scarcely know whether we achieved a victory, or suffered a defeat. We did the duty which we went to perform, and did it well; yet we shot down our friends in numbers. Indeed, I think as many of our men were shot by friends as by foes. Night skirmishing is a dangerous business, especially in an unkuown country, as was the island of Santa Rosa. The enemy appear boastful that we did not assault the fort, after we had driven their men in, and gone almost under its guns. We accomplished all, and the great misfortune is, more than we intended."

The attack upon the Federal outposts on Santa Rosa Island aroused the indignation of the defenders of Fort Pickens, who, though in this instance signally successful in repelling the enemy, saw themselves daily exposed to such assaults from the Confederate troops, whose numbers and advantages were constantly increasing. For nine months the rebel General had now besieged the fort, leisurely drawing his cordon of batteries around it, armed with the heaviest and most effective rifled guns, and preparing for Pickens the fate of Sumter, whenever he should be ready to strike the blow. The fort had been carefully made ready for the final contest, and two additional batteries had been erected outside, for the destruction of the navy yard. But the force allowed by Government for the protection of this important station, was insufficient. This was probably not their fault. From every part of our widely extended country, there was now a call for men and arms. With a powerful enemy hemming him in on all sides but the sea, and regarding the fort as already theirs, the position of the commanding officer and his men was a trying one. By the middle of November, the Federal force amounted to thirteen hundred; that of the rebels, to eight thousand. Extending from the navy yard to Fort McRae, a distance of four miles, they had fourteen separate batteries, each containing from one to four guns, many of them columbiads and seacoast mortars, besides Forts McRae and Barancas, all within about equal range of Fort Pickens. The recent insult of the Federal flag, in the rebel raid upon the island, and the increasing danger of his position, finally impelled Col. Brown to attempt to batter down some of the enemy's fortifications, and destroy the navy yard works and buildings, which were of valuable service to the Confederate army.

Accordingly, Flag-officer McKean, of the navy, was invited to coöperate with the Niagara, Richmond and Montgomery, of the blockading squadron, in the bombardment, which was to commence November 22d, 1861. To cut off reënforcements from Pensacola, that might easily be sent to the enemy, it was determined to wait until the regular daily steamers should come down to the navy yard, where they should be disabled or prevented from escape by our guns. At half-past nine in the morning, the steamers arrived, and were soon fastened to their wharf. A few minutes after, a puff of white smoke, and a loud report from Fort Pickens, announced the beginning of the bombardment. At this signal, the Niagara and Richmond moved up cautiously in the shallow water, as near as possi ble to McRae, to draw the fire of that fort and the two batteries in front of it, from each of which the parapet guns of Pickens were exposed to a

dangerous enfilading fire. The national batteries, Lincoln, Cameron, and Totten, which were constructed near Fort Pickens, were directed to open fire upon the fortifications adjacent to the navy yard, and Battery Scott was to assail McRae. The fire of Pickens was to be concentrated now upon one point, and now upon another. In half an hour, the Confederate guns replied, and the bombardment became general. Salvos of artillery shook earth and water with terrific thunder. The discharges from Fort Pickens were incessant. The frigates also maintained a spirited fire on the lower batteries, though the depth of water would not allow sufficient proximity to give full power to their broadsides. The fire concentrated on McRae was terribly effective: the storm of shot and shell unendurable. By noon, all but one of its guns were silenced. Its flag-staff was shot away, and the fort enveloped in smoke, from a burning building in its rear. At sunset, the fort and its adjoining battery entirely ceased their fire. During the afternoon, another battery near the navy yard was also silenced, and the rebel steamer, Times, at the yard, riddled with shot.

The fire of the rebels upon Fort Pickens was excellent. They worked their guns with much coolness and skill, but they did little damage to our ships. Scores of shells fell in and around the fort, many bursting directly over it, but the sand-bag traverses, and other precautions, saved the works from any serious injury, and made our loss very small. Early in the afternoon, a masked battery from the shore opened upon the shipping, one of the shots hitting the Richmond, by which one man was killed at his gun, and seven slightly wounded. The rifled ordnance of the rebels gave them advantage over the frigates, which were impeded by the shallowness of the water. The bombardment was witnessed by hundreds of people at Pensacola, who were crowded on the house-tops, public buildings, and along the shore, listening to the roar of artillery, and eagerly watching through glasses the progress of the engagement.

As the gloom of night rolled over the scene of conflict, the Federal guns discontinued their fire, and the ships steamed out to a place of safety. Our men everywhere had behaved with great gallantry and spirit during the day, and the execution of their shots was evidenced in the diminished fire of the enemy. None of the guns in the fort were disabled, and the weary garrison, wonderfully preserved from death and wounds, went to rest, with confident expectations of renewing their exciting labors on the morrow, with still more decisive success.

The night was improved by the rebels, in raising higher their embankments, and erecting masked batteries near the beach. A little after ten o'clock in the morning, Fort Pickens reopened the contest, and was answered by forty or fifty guns of the enemy. The morning was cold and rainy. The wind had changed to the north-east, and the depth of water, blown from the bay by the wind, was so diminished that the ships could not approach so near as on the previous day. The Niagara attempted to work her way up against a strong wind, but the water was dangerously shoal, and while the rebel batteries were far out of the range of her own smooth bores, the shells of a rifled gun, of immense size, newly mounted by the Confederates, threatened her with destruction. She was therefore