Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1861-08-15
F..O.A F1RTRESS M0lE0..
Hampton Burned by the
eecessiouists.
Five Hundred IlDaSes laid in ashes
b. u Force under command
OF Gen. MtgrUaer.

The steamer Grurgiana, which a =
rived at 81. tin.ore ON the lOLh inst
from GA Point Comfort. brings iutcili
tence of the entire destruction OF the
village of Hampton by fire This az,
of vandalism was prrfor ed hy the e
cession troops under Gen. Magrudrr,
tue object being. as it is asserted, to
prevent the re-occupption Of tho town
by the Federal troops. who, it will be
remembered evacuated it u week or two
ago, The following particu lars are
Communicated by the correspondent OF
the Assocat, Press:
FORTRESS MONROE. August 8, 1861,
The town Of Hampton has been de-
stroycd by the Confrdcrates. Scouts
and fugitrvcs brought word yesterday
morning of the approach IF IA large
Confederate force FROM Yorktown. These
rumors were confirmed at > p. NJ 10y
the arrival OF an Intelligent dr,ericr
from the secrs,l"uists, namei L A
Mayhem, n native rt Maine. iut resi-
dent of Georgia until impressed into
the service, who has furnished an ace.
count of the -xpe,liti m Mr. Mayhem
has been stationed at Yorktown since
the 1t of June
On Friday last Gen. Maerrdcr left
Yorktown with force of seven thousand
men, nclnliLg two hundred cavalry aud
eight pieces OF arti'l-ry. three Parrot
.uns, four howiIzcrs and one rihed can
non. Part of these troops were from
Williamsburg On Monday night the
Gree encamped at Great Bethel, which
had been completely deserted On
Tuesday night they advanced toward
Hampt,n. and at noon yesterday took
up position on Back River, scarce three
miles from the town. where Mayhem
managed TO escape through corn field,
aud by swimming couple of streams
finally reached the Fortress He says
the Object of the expedition was to ira
cut our forces, attack Camp Hamilton
or Newport News, if practicable. aud at
least destroy Hampton. so US to prevent
the Fedora troops using it for wiutri
quarters
Gen Butlcc at once repaired to this
end of Hampton bridge, where h, re
,,aired uulil eleven clock Coooc.
Weber erected II barricaIe near the
Hampton end of the bridge. aud pIa 'e',
strong guard at varlous points this side
Of the creek.
A few minutes past midnight G,u.
Magrudrr. with about five hundred Con
federates. some of them belonging in
Hampton. entered the town and imme-
din ely .frrd Mr huHhngs 1oM I rrhes
Thr gre"trr parf IF hr tire h ndrrd
hnnses (beng built of WOO! and very
dry, there having been no rain iateIyJ
'cr"e soon m fm's, Hdfhe strung so",h
nind qaithty famed them to terrible
co.F g"tio".
There were perhaps twenty white
people and double that number of ne
groes remaining in the town from ina.
bilty to move away. Some of the houses
OF t.esr poor crea.ures were fired with
out wakln. hem. The iuceud,ary sol.
Iiers gave Cary jones an / his wife, both
of tncm aged AMI inir,n. bat iieen
minutes to remove { W articles of fur.
niture TO the garden. Several Of the
whites aud also OF the nero : were
hurried away To be pressed into the Con-
f derate service WIN. Scoffi tt. mcr-
.hant. took refuge in the swamp apovr
the town, d lhns escaped Two M
groes were drHwued while attem ptins to
cross the creek.
a company Of rebels attempted to
force til" pass ge of the Dridg re. but were
repu>ed with loss of three killed ani
six wounded
The fire RACED Al night with tcrrii
aspect he greater art OF the Coufci-
crates Withdrew towards mnrnlng. aud
at noon to-day. when visited the p, nee,
but seven or eight bull iings were lief
Standing. The destruction of the town
WIS waut)n act of cruelty to the
resident Unionists. and moreover EN-
lirely useless, as Gen Butler intends to
winter his army many miles beyond
Hampton, An attempt will be made
10 fasten this act of Vandalism upon the
General, but after ten o'clock on We'd
nesday night there was not Federal
soldier in Hampton.
A flag of truce just sent in from
Norfolk with Miss Mavo, niece Of
zen Scott. on her way from Richmond
to New York. states that the Couftde
-ates attribute the act to Gen. Butler
Grn. Magru1er has encamped near
New Market Bridge. He will hardly
venture to attack Newport News.
Mr. Mayhem says there have been
about 1000 Cantederates stationed at
Yorktown Some ten days ago bat
.alion came down to the outskirts Of
Hampton and carried away 7S0 ne
yroes. Provisions are abundant at York.