Andrew's sound, from the East Pass of Santa Rosa's sound, with the stern-wheel steamer Bloomer and her tender, the sloop Caroline, having heard of the expedition to Lake Ocola, and placed his command at the disposal of Acting Master Browne, for more extensive operations near St. Andrew's. Accordingly, three officers and forty-eight men were sent from the Restless to the Bloomer, and she proceeded to "West bay, where the rebel government's salt-works were first de stroyed, which produced 400 bushels daily. At this place there were twenty- seven buildings, twenty-two large boilers, and some 200 kettles, averaging 200 gallons each, all of which were destroyed, together with 2,000 bushels of salt, and some storehouses containing three months' provisions. The whole was esti mated at half a million dollars. From this point the expedition proceeded down the bay, destroying private salt-works, which lined each side for a distance of seven miles, to the number of one hundred and ninety-eight different establish ments, averaging two boilers and two kettles each, together with large quanti ties of salt. Five hundred and seven kettles were dug up and rendered useless, and over three hundred buildings were destroyed, together with twenty-seven wagons and five large flat-boats. The entire damage to the enemy is estimated by Acting Master Browne at $3,000,000. Thirty-one contrabands, employed at these works, gladly availed themselves of this opportunity to escape, and were of great service in pointing out the places where the kettles were buried for con- •'-.j — ir„atpr Browne greai service u, i t£