WASHINGTON,
January 5, 1861.
JOSEPH FINEGAN, Esq., or
Col. GEO. W. CALL [Tallahassee, Fla.]:
MY DEAR SIR: The immediately important thing to be done is the occupation of the forts and arsenal in Florida. The naval station and forts at Pensacola are first in consequence. For this a force is necessary. I have conversed with Mr. Toombs upon the subject. He will start this week for Georgia, and says if the convention of sov’y [sovereignty] will ask Governor Brown, of Georgia, for a force he will immediately send on sufficient force and take the navy-yard and forts. The occupation of the navy-yard will give us a good supply of ordnance and make the capture of the forts easier. Major Chase built the forts and will know all about them. Lose no time, for, my opinion is, troops will be very soon dispatched to re-enforce and strengthen the forts in Florida. The arsenal at Chattahoochee should be looked to, and that at once, to prevent removal of arms.
I think that by 4th March all the Southern States will be out, except perhaps Kentucky and Missouri, and they will soon have to follow.
What is advisable is the earliest possible organization of a Southern Confederacy and of a Southern Army. The North is rapidly consolidating against us upon the plan of force. A strong Government, as eight States will make, promptly organized, and a strong Army, with Jeff. Davis for General-in-Chief, will bring them to a reasonable sense of the gravity of the crisis.
Have a Southern Government as soon as possible, adopting the present Federal Constitution for the time, and a Southern Army. I repeat this because it is the important policy.
Virginia, Maryland, and Tennessee are rapidly coming up to the work.
God speed you.
I shall give the enemy a shot next week before retiring. I say enemy! Yes, I am theirs, and they are mine. I am willing to be their masters, but not their brothers.
Yours, in haste,
D. L. YULEE.
Lose no time about the navy-yard and forts at Pensacola.