The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1861-05-08
Graphic Description of the DaStruc.
ton at Norfolk.

The following graphic account of the
destruction of the Navy Yard at Norfolk
Is from a correspondent of the n. Y.
Times:
The Pawnee made fast to the dock,
aud Col. WArdrup matched out his .regi-
ment, and stationed thsm at the several
gates of the Navy Yard to oppose, the
entrance Of any forces from without, in
case any attempt to enter should be made
Having adopted this precaution, the Com
modore Sc, the marines on the Pennsyl.
vania, the Cumberland, the Pawnee, and
ia the Yard, to work All the books and
papers. the archives of the establishment,
were transferred to the Pawnee.
Everything of interest to che Govern
ment to preserve on the Pennsy ivahis,
was transferred TO the Cumberland o.
this latter. it was also said, q large amount
of gold from the Custom house at Nor.
folk, had been in good time placed. Hav
ing made safe everything that was 10 be
brought away, the marines were next set
to work to destroy everything on the
PENNSYLVANIA, on the Cumberland and i'll
the yard that might be of immediate use
in waging war upon the GovernNsnt.
Many thousand stard of arms were de
stroyed Carbnes bad their stocks bro
ken by blow from the barrels, and eere
thrown overheard A large lot Of re
volvers shared the like fate. Shot and
shell by thousands went with hurried
plunge to the bottom. Most of the can
non had been spiked the day and night
before There were at least 800 pieces
in the yard some elegant Dahlgren guns,
and Coium umbiads of sll sizes.
1t is Impossible to describe the scene
Of destruction that was exhibited. Un-
weariedly it was continued from 8 O'Clock
until about -, during which time the
moon gave light to direct the operations.
Blu, when the moon sank behind the wes.
tern horizon, the barracks near the cen.
ire of the yard were set on fire, that by
its illumination the work might be con.
tiuued. The cracking flames and the
glare of ligh. inspired with new energies
the destroying marines, and havoc was
carried every where, wi hin tbs limits of
orders. But tiGe was not left to COM
plete the work. Four o'clock on Sunday
morning came, and the PawHee was pas
sing down from Gosport harbor with the
Cumberland, the coveted prize of the Se-
cessionists, in tow-evey soul from the
other slips aed the yard being aboard of
them, save two Just as they left their
moorirgs, o rocket was sent up from the
deck of the Pawnee. 1t sped high in air,
paused second, and burst in shivers of
many colored lights And as it did so,
the well.set trains at the ship-houses. and
on decks of the fated vessels left behind
went off as if lit simultaneously by the
rocket One of the ship houses contained
the old New York. ship thirty years on
the stocks, and yet unfinished. The 9TH
er was vacant; but bosh houses and the
New York burnt like tiDder. The vessels
fred were the Pernsylvsnis, the Merri-
mac, the Germantown, the Plymouth, the
Raritan, the Columbia and the Dolphin
The old Delaware and Columbus, worn
out aud dismantled seventy -four, we're
scuttled aud sunk at the upper docks on
Friday.
l need not try to picture the scene of
the grand conaagralion that now burst,
like the day of Judgment, on the startled
citizens of the Norfolk Portsmouth, and
all the surrounding country. Any one
who has seen ship burn, and knows how,
like fey serpent, the fame leaps from
pitchy deck to smoking shrouds, and
writhcs to the very top. around the masts
that stand like martyrs doomed. can form
some idea of the wonderful display that
followed. 1t was not thirty minutes from
the time the trains were fred, till the con.