Wabash off St. Johns
Florida—10 Mar. 62
My Dear Friend—
After sending Mohican, Pocahontas and Potomska to Brunswick
I sent the 6 light draft vessels here to cross the bar, explore and go up to
Jacksonville and to Palatka if need be—and after arranging all matters for the
occupation of Fernandina, St. Mary's Geoa Cumberland Sound &c,
with Gen' Wright and Drayton—I came out in the Bienville and joined my ship
again, and run down here to see how the expedition was progressing. Nassau we
have—but the boats were still outside the bar, except Ellen which we got in this
afternoon. The others hope to get in tomorrow. These bars are very shallow and
there is some delusion about the Fernandina one—we came out at high water
yesterday, with Mark Twain—how we got over drawing 13 f. I know not.
Four contraband hoisted a white flag and were sent for—they
represent an entire abandonment all over the country, pretend to say the
Governor has ordered everything to be left except Pensacola and Appalachicola.
I have sent Huron that cannot possibly cross this bar with her foot more of draft
than her predecessors to St. Augustine to send up Keystone to P. Royal for my
mail and to ask Lardner if all is quiet there, for Sherman had a long face the
day I left him. I want to finish off this coast—and possibly the Theodoro and
Casslin are stowed away in some of the inlets—also see about the Live Oak in
Mosquito inlet. You can get as much as you want on Cumberland island. Regards
to Mr. Welles.
Faithfully Yrs
S. F. DuPost
I hope Davis is with you today.
Please hurry Flag and send me some light draft Tug or ferry
boat for Edisto. Ellen is nearly used up and the tugs must be repaired
or break down altogether.
Don't say I never gave you any thing for I enclose you a
thousand dollars—but I am rich I have some half million more.
SOURCE: Robert Means Thompson & Richard Wainwright,
Editors, Publications of the Naval Historical Society, Volume 9: Confidential
Correspondence of Gustavus Vasa Fox, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, 1861-1865,
Volume 1, p. 111-2