The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1861-05-03
Important from virginia.

fro, and every one anxious to know
what was to be done, bnt unable to
obtain the desired information. The
rumor was that the Cumberland was
about to sail from the navy yard,
aud preparations were made to pre-
vent her
At twelve o'clock an officer came
lrom the yard bearing llag of truce
md was conducted TO General Tai
iaferro's head quarters at the AT.
laniic Hotel, where II consultation
vas held which resulted in promise
from the Conlnandant Of the yard
Comnoloro Macauly, that none OF
the vessels should be removed nor a
shot fired except in defense.
This quieted the excitement; but il
was renewed at late hour. when 1t
WAS nscertained that the German
town ana Merrimac hal been scut-
tied, and that the heavy shears on
! the wharf at which the Germantown
WAS lying had been cut away and
allowed to iall uidships across her
decks, carrying away the main top.
masts and yards.
1t was also perceived that the
men were busiIy engaged in destroy.
, ing and throwing over boarl sllu
aud snall arms, e., and oihcr pro
perty, and boats were constantly
passing between the Pennsylvania,
Cnmbsilanl, and other vessels. go
Tine suranco ol the Commodore,
given by his officer at the truce in.
ftcrview, however, tended to aIlny
the apprehension of an immediate
collision. But the continued stirrIu j.,
movements ut the yard soon rem
dcrcd il certain that il was the in
tcntion OF Macauly to destroy all The
buildings and other p op.rty there
and 1t Was therefore with not lrnch
surprise that, about midni .ht, after
tNo or three slight. explosions. the
light OF IL serious coni .gration WAS
observed at the yard.
This continued to increase. and
before daylight the demon work OF
destruction was extended to the i'm
mense ship houses known as A and
b, Che former containing the entire
fcamc of the New, York, II, which
ha! been on the stocks, unfinished,
for some thirty eight years and also
to the long ranges OF two story Of
iicps and stores on each side o. the
main gate of the y.rl. The h.nrs
and hclt from this tremendous mass
IF burning material wa9 set hy a
south West wind directly toward
the l.ne o! vessels moorei on he
cl,c ot the channel orpp.ito tn
yari, aTi rcnrly all OF III ,sr, too.
were sp4ol.ly euvclopel in naue..
Tie t, Ne at ,h,l time vas g,nal
alit'rri; beyond description. Tia,
roar ut rh' crulla.tatjon was llul
cuon.h to b. heard at three or four
miles distance; and to this were aid
cl occasional discharges from the
heavy guns o! the oil PuHSylranii'
ship Of rhc-liuc, as they bccam
successivcly heated. The guns, il
is asserted, wern doub,e-shOotcd AMI
directed at different parts OF the
yard, for tho purpose of in'uring ts
complete destruction. This, how
ever, ia certain-thas ifali her gun.
ha been thus prepared and directed
til, burnt district" could not hav,
been more completely cleared q! il
appnrtcnances.
AS soon as the torch hal beer
successfully applied to The shi!
houses, the Pa,cHee which had bee
, kept under steam from the mDmeu
OF her arrival about midnight ol
Saturday, WAS pnt in motion, an
taking the CVmIsrlan3 iE tow, re-
treated down the harbor out OF reac
Of dlngCr-frcighted with a grea
portion of valuable munitions, &c.
from the yard, and the Commodpr
and other officers who had won 10
Themselves the inglorious distinction
of destroying devils in accompli,hin.
, such a vandal work. TIE ship
proceeded as far down as the bar
ricadcs at the narrows, where tn
: Cumberland was left at anchor, an
=, the PdlCnee continued on to Foi
! Monroe.
AS far rs we could in 'ge from
- cnrsory observation, the propcrt
. destroyed embraced besides the shi
houscs and contents, the range (uS
cept the Co.nmodorc's and Con
>, mander's residences, which wcr
J unhurt,) } the old marine barracks an
- one or two workshops, the immen'
! lifting shears, the ships Pennsylvl
- - MIA, Merrimac, Raritan, Colunhit
= and brig Dolphin-burnt to the WI
: = ter's edge; the sloop Germantowr
=. broken and sunk; the Plymouth
= scuitled and snnk even with h.
;, ; deck; and a vast amount Of sma
>, arms, chronometers, and valuab
~ engines and machinery in the Ord
"a - nance and other shops, broken ,
y, and rendered utterly useless.
- Appearances indicated that it W
!. y. intended to cripple this admiral
" and useful work by blowing up I
gates, but from some cause this W
not done, and the dock was found
A be altogether unhurt,
It's We cannot bring ourselves to b
AT licvc that any officer OF a navy, dj
on tinguished hitherto by high sen
k, OF honor and chivalrous courag
ed could willingly condescend 10 sn
Nv an inglorious mode OF warfare
ire this. We rather regard it as
j. emanation from the wretched cal
as at W ashington, and a practical CT
ho rying out OF the tactics laid down