Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-12-17
THE FIRE AN lNCENDIARY ACT, "OR
TRkoteH THE NEGLIGENCE OF
NEGROES
BEN MeCULLoeH IN RICHMOND.
FORT PULASKI EVACUATED BY THE
REBELS, AND OCCUPIED BY THE
FEDERAL TROOPS!
TIE YANKEES UPON THE MAINLAND
OF SOUTH CAROLINA -
fBY TELEGRAPH

BY TELEGRAPH
BALTIMORE, Dec 1.-THE Old Point boat hal
arrived here, and brings the following news:
FosTsRss MONROE, Dec. 16 Capt. Millward
went to Craney Island to-day with Gag Of truce
and was met by Lieut.. Smith, OF the island. Nc
passengers went down. The Norfolk and Rich
mond papers give full particulars Of the extensive
conaagration in Charleston, South Carolina.
The FIRE broke out at about 9 p. m. Of the 18th
In Russell & Olds' sash and blind factory, at the
foot OF HAZEL street; crossing HAZEL street and
extending to the machine shop Of Cameron & Co.
Before midnight the FIRE had assumed an appal.
ling magnitude, and Meeting street, from Marke,
to Queen, was one mass Of flames, az tenement
after tenement was enveloped in flames. The
panic was awful, and thousands Of families evac-
uated their houses and nlled the streets The
buildings in the lower part Of the city, where the
fire broke out, were principally Of wood, and
extremely inrsmmable, which accounts for the
remarkably rapid progress Of the FIRE.
At midnight the Circular Church and Institute
Hall were burning, and the proximity Of the
fame to the Charleston Hotel and the Mills House
caused them to be evacuated by their inmates.
AT O'Clock the IRE tended more southwark, to.
wards the corner Of Archdale and Queen street.
TO The end Of Hayne street. its range crossing Mar
ket street. 1t then spread down East Bay, to
Cumberland street, and across to the Mills House.
including in Its destruction the Circular Church.
Institute Hall and the Charleston Hotel. All
buildings on King street TO Clifford, nearly to
Broad, were destroyed before O'Clock Gen.
Ripley, who superintended The movements Of the
troops, who had arrived on the ground at about
this time, ordered several buildings In the route
OF the conhagration to be blown up; and after
some delay the order wa, executed, but not be-
fore the theater. Loyd's coach factory, composite
the express otace,) the old executive building.
and the houses from this point to Queen street
had caught fire and been destroyed.
At about four O'Clock the wind changed the
direction Of the flames towards Beard street.
Soon afterwards, st. Andrews Hall took FIRE.
and, subsequently, the Cathedral, the spire of
which fell shortly after O'Clock
The Are made clean sweep through the city
making Its track from East Bay to King street.
The Charleston CoHris- Of the 18th, gives a list
Of between 400 and 300 sufferers, and s.v. tba.
the less is estimated at from Ave to seven mil
lions Of dollars
Mr.. Russell, at whose factory the Are broke
out, thinks It must have been occasioned by an
incendiary, or by the negligence Of negroes EN-.
ployed there.
A despatch from Charleston on the 18th, saws
that the Mills Hou,e, although threatened, and
several times on ere, eventually escaped, and is
only slightly damaged.
A message was sent to the Confederate Congress
on Friday, by President Davis, in relation to the
CONGREGATION in Charleston, recommending an
appropriation in aid Of the sufferers A resolution
was accordingly unanimously adopted appropri.
ating s250, 900, a. an advance on account of the
claims Of South Carolina upon the Confederate
States.
Five churches were destroyed by the Charleston
FIRE. The Cathedral, St. Peters, (Episcopai )
Cumberland street, the Methodist, and Circular
churches, The Charleston Mercury says that five
hundred and seventy-six buildings were burned /.
Ben Mccullough has arrived at Richmond.
Col. r. n. Smith has relinquished the command
Of craney Island, and viii return to the charge of
the Virginia Military Institute.
The 8. r. sPslding had not yet arrived, lat
Old Point.)
Passengers by the steamer report the arrival of
the stea mer Connecticut at Old Point WITH IN.
fELLIsEscE THAT FoRr PULASKI HAS pxEr
EVACUATED BIT THE REBELS AND OCCUPIED BY
THE FEDERAL TROOPS.
The Lynchburg virginian, Of Friday, says that
Maryland regiment had deserted from Lin.
coins army with their arms and equipments. II
was sent out on picket duty from Alexandria,
and when It reached the front Of our tsecesb)
lines IT hoisted the Confederate flag and marched
into Centreville, accom- panied by the colonel and
all the other ofncen"C!!)
The Charleston Courier, Of Friday last, pub
fishes report from Beaufort, stating tina, the
Yankees had advanced their position to near Port
Royal Ferry, under cover Of artillery, to the main
land, and had destroyed several Confederate rife
pits
The Richmond Examiner says tina. the Court
Of Commissioners TO determine claims for in.
demnity for losses by the war 10 to be organized
al once. Geo. p. Scarborough. Of Va; Thos. C.
Reynolds, Of Missouri, and WALKER Brooke, Of
Mississippi, form the said court
The Richmond Esqxvr of the 18th scinowl.
edges the receipt Of the balance Of clothing from
Massachusetts, for the prisoners Of war. II 10 con-
signed to General C. winder, and win be dis
sibuted BY Lieut.. Pierson, Of the 10th Msssachu
setts regiment, who WA taken prisoner at Lees.
burg
The Norfolk Day Book was printed on small
half sheet II IL TO be raised In price to Eve cents
on Thursdsy.
In Richmond, on the i4th, Il was alleged that
ofacial information had been received that the
Federals, 5000 strong, attached Col. Edward
J shnson's command at Valley Mountain, ON the
lsth, but were rspulsed with great loss, after an
engagement Of several boursC!n