, 1861-07-10
Destruction OF tho Norfolk Navy Yard

DeAGf0c11on OF ktao N0E10lR Navy H0E0x
The following, from Secretary Welles's Re
port, Is the official account Of the destruction
and abandonment Of the Norfolk Navy Yard:
The sloop-of.war Cumberland, the flagahip
Of Commodore rendetEraet, arrived oppor-
tunely in the Chesapeake On the 23d Of March
and as thls Was the only vessel Of any consiae.
detained her at Norfolk to await eyeats that
were gradually developing in Virginia aud the
The Navy Yard at Norfolk, protected by no
fortress or garrison, has always beea favored
depot with the Government, It was filed
were in the ha1bor, dismantled and In ozai.
nary, and in no condition to be moved, had
there been men to move them. There were,
however no seamen there or on home stations
to man these vessels, or eyen one Of them Of
the larger class, and any attempt to withdraw
them, or either Of them, without q crew,
would, in the then sensitive and disturbed
condition Of the publ mind, have betrayed
alarm and distrust, aud been likely to cause
difficulty.
Apprehensive, however, that action might
be Necessary, the commandant Of the yard Waa
early in April advised Of this feeling, aud eau
toned to extreme vigilance and clrcumspec.
ter, repeated to Commodore McCauly. This
ccmmandant, whose patriotism and fidelity
we're not doubted, WAS surrounded by officers
in whom be placed confidence, but most of
them, as events soon proved, were faithless to
the flag and the country.
On the 10th OF April Commodore McCauley
was ordered to put the shlpping and public
property in condition to be moved and placed
heyord danger, should it become necessary
but in doing this he was warned to take no
steps that could give needless alarm. The
steam frigate Merrimack could, IT was be1iev-
ed, ~e1e her machinery in order, be made
available n this emergency, rot only to e7trl-
Dor. Not knowing, however, who could be
condded in to take charge Of her, q csmman-
der and two engineers were detailed to pro-
coed to Norfolk for that purpose. Two days
alter, on the 18th of April, the department
directed that the Merimack should be pro-
utmost dispatch. It WIS stated that to repair
the engine and put 1t in working condition
wonld require four weeks. Discfcditing this
report, the engineer.in-chiet Wns ordered to
proceed forthwith in person, and attend to the
nee eseary preparations.
rected to lose no time In placing armament On
bo,1d the Me1rimack to get the Plymouth
and Dolphin beyond danger; to havo the
Germantown in q condition to be toWed ont,
ana to put the more valuable public property,
ordnance, stores, ETC., on shipboard, SO that
tley could at any moment be moved beyond
darger.
Such Eas the energy and despatch Of tho en-
ginee1-in-chief, that On fhe 18th the depart
ment was advised by the conmandaut of the
gard that On the 18th the Merrimack would be
ready for temporary service ; but when, On
the afternoon OF that dag the engineer :n-chlet
reported her ready for steam, Commodore
were, however built early the next morning,
and at nine O'Clock the engines were working,
engineers, firemeD, etc., On board, but the
commandant still refused to permit her to be
moved, and IN the afternoon gave directions
to draw the fires. The cause q this refusal to
than that Of misplaced conadeneein hla junior
As soon as this fatal error was reported
to the department, orders were instantly Is.
sued to Commodore Panlding to proceed forth
with to Norfolk, with such officers and mar.
ines - could be obtained, and take coMmand
of .all the vessels afost on that station; to
tepel force by force, and prevent the ships
and public property, at all hazards, from pase.
ing into the hands of the insuuectionists.
But when that officer reached Norfolk, on the
evening Of Saturday, the 10th, he found that
| and that an armed force had commenced
throwing up batteries In the vicinity. The
commanda1t Of the gard. after refusing
to permit the vessels to be moved Oh
IhutRdsy, and omitung II On Friday, ordered
them to be scuttled on Saturday evening, and
they were sinking when Commodore Panld-
Ing with the force under bis command arrived
at Norfolk. This officer, knowing that to sink
the ships would be only = Temporary depriya'
tl9n 70 the insaIgsnts, who Fenld, when II
afoat, ordered the torch to be applied to the
sinking ships. Pursuant to inst uctions, he
also destroyed, - far as he was able With biz
limited force, the public property in the yard
before abandoning the place., =,
| The Cumberland was toWed down the river
AID passed, after some little delay, over the
distractions that had been sunk In the char
mel to prevent her removal.
This unfortunate calamity at Norfolk no,
only deprived the Government Of several YES
sells, but Of large amount Of ordnance and
stores which bad been there accumulated II
preTenting shipping and property from pass
Ing into tie hands of the Insurgents who had
gathered IN considerable force IN that vicinity
nnder Sen TallIaferro, Commodore Psuldingg
The officers and those under them, performed
their duty. and carried cut, so far a. was IL
their power, the Fithoa Of the Goyernmen,
| and the instructions of the Department.