Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1861-05-03
THE BURNING OF THE aospoRr FAvy
vApn

THE BURNING OF THE aosfoRT NAVY
YARD.
The Petersburg Enpress has the follow
ing favorable account of tho condition OF
things at the Gosport Navy Yard after the
fire:
1t gives US much pleasure to say that the
damage TO the Navy Yard is much less
than was at first anticipated. The large
brick building which occupies the front of
the yard, and is used as a sail loft, riggers
and gunnet's shop. was fred and all the
wood work destroyed, but the walls are
standing AND still good. Both of the ship
houses in tho yard are burned. In one Of
them was the seven'y,four New York,
which has been on stocks forty years.
'lhe ship house at the dry dock was not
touched.
All the ships in tho harbor, excepting
the old United Sites, were set fire to and
scutt'ed. They were the Pennsylvania,
seventy-fours Columbus and Delaware
steam frigate Merrimac, sloops Germantown
and Plymouth, higates Raritan and Cou,n-
bia, and brig Dolphin. The Germanto own
was lying at the wha,f under large pair
OF sheers, which were thrown across her
decks by cutting loose the guys. The ship
was hearty cut in two, and sunk at the
wharf Many of the cannon, besides being
spiked, had their truncheons knocked of,
thus rendering them useless. But there
are yet more than five hundred heavy
ordnance still in shooting order. The
brass guns taken 10 the Meiitsn war arc
uninjured.
The dry dock has suffered no damage,
except to the gates, which can be repaired
at very little cost. This is most important
acquisition, as its construction cost over 81 :.
100000.
All of the timber sheds, eight in number
and filled with the best timber. are vet
standing. These houses are about six hun.
dred feet long, and the material contain
cd in them is not worth less than g.
10000.
1t is peculiarly gratifying to us to have it
IN our power 10 say that the several stores
filed with pork. beef, bread, beans, whiskey
tobacco, cordage, canvass, spades, shovels,
and every other conceivable article, which
is most needed by US at this time. escaped
the incendiary's torch, and is now in our
possession. The value of the stores at this
crisis cannot be estimated.
The mancbine shops, smithing, steam
saw mill, officers quarters, and all other
buildings, are left untouched. AT St. Hele
ma, opposite the yard, whers the coal and
cannon were kept, a number of houses and
sheds Of little value were destroyed.
The damage done to Gosport amounts to.
the burning Of eight houses. All those
situated on Lincoln street, between Water
and Seconds and on Water to Henry, we're
consumed. These were not of very great
vsiue, and 100000 probably pay the dam.
age.
Two young men, Degrandl and Richard.
son, who were in boat, rowing, about the
barbor, were taken prisoners. One of the
officers, in attempting to shoot at them
killed seaman attached to bis own sbins.
These two, young men we're taken to the
yard, andkept in front of the guard at the
-gste, 60 that in case of an attack from the
citizens, they might be the first to fail.
They were kept 10 this position for four
hours Sunday nordiDg, while the work Of
destruction was. going on, and then sent
aboard The ship aapd taken to Old Point.
'wi'srs they were discharged. I'D f
- The best spirit prevails 10 Portsmouth
Everybody hassgons TO ~oFk' to do wLas
gan be done for 4opr country. 1t matters
aakhow they have been divided before. they
are nov all united in the glorious cause of
8ontbsrh smaDcipatiop from Black. .Rspubs