PENSACOLA BAY. 



573 



I 



nstion upon the condition that all other issues 

 were to be set aside, but that of " the Con- 

 stitution and the enforcement of the laws." 

 Two days later the Republican Convention met, 

 and nominated the same candidate. Thus rapidly 

 had party issues here vanished from sight. In 

 the second district the Republican Convention 

 refused to set aside party issues and consult 

 with the democrats by a vote of 13 to 20. 



The debt of the State of Pennsylvania was 

 mostly incurred for the construction of her 

 great lines of canals connecting Philadelphia 

 with the Ohio at Pittsburg. These cost over 

 $20,000,000, but did not yield, under State 

 management, an adequate return, although they 

 greatly aided the development of State com- 

 merce. The State recently has sold the whole 

 line of works to the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. 

 for $11,081, 000,the bonds of which, with other 

 material, cancel an equal amount of the State 

 debt, which consists of $36,967,291 of 5 per 

 cent, stock, $400,630 of 6 per cent, stock, 

 $381,200 of 4i per cent, stock, and $100,000 of 

 4 per cent, stock, together $37,849,421. This 

 sum includes a loan of $100,000, issued Nov. 

 1860, at 92.97 per cent. The State has also 

 itock in incorporated companies, amounting to 

 $1,746,546. There is also a small unfunded 

 debt, embracing 99,402 of relief notes, a 

 species of State circulation issued in 1837-39, 

 at a period when the banks had suspended. 

 On the occurrence of the war, the State issued 

 a loan of 3,000,000, to forward the troops 

 and meet the first expenses of the campaign. 

 For the purpose of organizing and equipping 

 the first levies, the war act authorized the ap- 

 propriation of $500,000, and ordered the Gov- 

 ernor to issue a 6 per cent. scrip,having one year 

 to run, in order to raise the amount. The banks 

 of the State suspended as a consequence of the 

 war, but the authorities insisted upon as much 

 specie as would meet the interest on the public 

 debt. This payment is to be continued in specie. 



There are in Pennsylvania a number of rail- 

 roads in progress,which are designed to afford to 

 the northwestern part of the State more prompt 

 and intimate connection with Pittsburg and 

 Philadelphia, and which will add to the freight 

 of the great Pennsylvania line. The large 

 tract, forming nearly one-fourth part of the 

 whole State, bounded on the north by New 

 York, south by the Pennsylvania railroad, west 

 by Ohio, and east by the Alleghany, has hither- 

 to been without communication by railroad. 



PEXSACOLA BAY. This fine bay is located 

 in the northwest corner of Florida, and at the 

 mouth of the Escambia River. On the bar, at 

 the entrance from the Gulf of Mexico, there are 

 twenty-one feet of water. The entrance is nar- 

 row, and is bounded by the extremity of Santa 

 Rosa Island on the east side, and by the shore 

 of the mainland on the west side. The brea<lth 

 of the island at this point is about ^ of a mile. 

 On the east side of the entrance, and on the ex- 

 tremity of Santa Rosa Island, is Fort Pickens. 

 Nearly opposite, being a little further outward 



or seaward, is Fort McRea. Nearly opposite the 

 entrance, on the farther side of the bay, is Fort 

 Barrancas, and nearly one mile to the eastward, 

 along the shore, is the navy yard. On the 

 secession of Florida the Barrancas was aban- 

 doned, its guns spiked, and its munitions re- 

 moved by Commandant Armstrong, of the 

 navy ; and on the 12th of January this fort and 

 the navy yard were taken possession of by 

 Florida and Alabama troops. The comman- 

 dant having a force of about sixty men, and the 

 opposing force consisting of nearly five hundred 

 and fifty. Ultimately all the military positions 

 came into the possession of the Southern troops, 

 except Fort Pickens. They immediately mount- 

 ed at the navy yard four Dahlgren long 32s, 

 and at Fort Barrancas twenty-five 32s ; at Fort 

 McRea were four columbiads and a large num- 

 ber of heavy guns. This work was carried on 

 until the guns were all mounted, additional 

 batteries erected along the shore, and every 

 thing made ready to attack Fort Pickens, or to 

 resist any attack which might be made. 



Lieut. A. J. Slemmer, who had been in com- 

 mand of the little Federal force in charge of the 

 forts, took possession of Fort Pickens on the 

 first indication of any thing like an attempt to 

 seize it. It was the strongest and most im- 

 portant of all the fortifications of the bay. In 

 this position he remained securely until relieved 

 of his command. "When <the Federal Govern- 

 ment determined to relieve Fort Sumter, it also 

 resolved to reenforce Fort Pickens, and im- 

 mediate arrangements were made for that pur- 

 pose. 



On the 7th of April, the steamer Atlantic 

 sailed from New York with 450 troops on 

 board, including two companies of light artil- 

 lery, and a company of sappers and miners, 

 under command of Col. Harvey Browu, to- 

 gether with sixty-nine horses and a large quan- 

 tity of munitions of war and supplies. On 

 the 13th she reached Key West, and took on 

 board more troops and ordnance, &c., and ar- 

 rived at Pensacola on the 16th, in the after- 

 noon. With the assistance of the boats of the 

 squadron then there, the larger portion of the 

 officers and men were landed, and entered Fort 

 Pickens before midnight. Between that time 

 and the 23d the remaining troops, stores, tico., 

 were all safely landed. Before the arrival of 

 the Atlantic, and on the night of the 12th of 

 April, reinforcements, consisting of one com- 

 pany of artillery, being 86 men and 115 marines, 

 were sent to the fort. The old garrison con- 

 sisted of 82 men and with this addition amount- 

 ed to 283 men. The arrival of the Atlantic in- 

 creased the number, and the steamer Illinois 

 followed, until the garrison amounted to about 

 880 men. 



Meantime, farther reinforcements were sent 

 out, and a large amount of stores, while quite 

 a fleet of vessels were stationed outside in 

 the Gulf. The first volunteer troops sent, con- 

 sisted of a New York regiment, under Col. 

 "Wm. "Wilson. This regiment encamped on the 



