The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1861-05-07
NO. 75S.
The Destruction of the Gospon Navy Yard

I A"S VI tue uOspCft navy
A correspondent Of the Times writing from
Portsmouth, Va, gives graphic description
Of the destruction of the u. s. property at
the Gosport Navy Yard. We quote as fol-
lows:
The Pawnee made fast, to the dock, and
Col. Wardrup marched out bis regiment, and
stationed them at the several gates of the ma
w yard 10 oppose the entrance Of any forces
from without, in case any attempt to enter
should be n ade. Having adopted this pre-
caution, the Commodore set the marines or
the Pennsylvania, the Cumberland, the Paw
nee, and i'll the yard, to work. All the
books and papers, the archives of the estab-
ment, were transferred TO the Pawnee.
Everything of interest 10 tho government
to preserve on the Pennsylvania, WAS trans
ferred to the Cumberland. On this latter, it
was also said, large amount Of gold from
the Custom-House at Norfolk, had been in
good time placed. Having made safe every
thing that WAS TO be brought away, the mar
ines were next set to work to destroy every
thing on tho Pennsylvania, on the Cumber.
land and in the yard, at might be Of imne.
diate use in waging war upon the govern
ment. Many thousand stand Of arms wero
destroyed. Carbines bad their stocks broken
by blow from the barrels, and were thrown
overheard. A large lot Of revovers shared a
! like fate. Shot and shell by thousands went
with hurried plunge to the bottom Most Of
The cannon had hcen spiked the day and night
before. There were at least 1900 pieces in
the yard-some elegant Dahigren guns, and
Columbiads Of all sizes.
1t is impossible 20 describe the scene Of d,.
struction that wa, exhibited. Unweariedly it
was continued from o'clock until about IL,
during Which time the moon gsvo light to di.
rect tho operations. But when the moon sank
/ behind the western horizon, the barracks near
the centre Of the yard were set on fire, that
by its illumination the work might be con-
tinued. The cracking flames and the glare of
light inspired with new energies the destroy
ing marines, and havoc was carried every
whore, within the limits Of orders. But time
was not left to complete the work. -Four
o'cl ck Of Saturday morning came, and the
Pawnee was passing down from Gosport har-
Dor with the Cumberland, the coveted prize
Of the secessonists, in tow--every soul from
tho other ships and the yard being aboard Of
them save two. Just as they left their moor
ings, rocket was sent up from the deck OF
the Pawnee. 1t sped high in the air, paused
second, ,and burst IN shvers OF many colored
lights. And as it did so, the well set trains
at the ship houses, ond on decks of the fated
vessels left behind, went of as if lit simultaue.
ouslv by the rocket.
l need not try to picture the scene Of the
grand confagration that now burst, like the
day Of Judgment, on the startled citizens Of
Norfolk, Portsmouth ard all the surrounding
country. 1t wa, not 90 minutes from the
time the trains were fired till the conflagra-
tion roGred like hurricane, and the flames
from land and water swayed and met, and
mingled together and dsrtcd high and fell,
aud leaphd up again, and by their very mo.
tion showed their sympathy with the crack
ling crashing roar of destruction beneath.
But in all this magnificent scene, the old ship
Pennsylvania was the centrc-piece, She was
II very giant in death, as she had been in life.
She WAS a sea of flames, and when "lLe iron
had entered into her soul and her bowels
cry port hole of every deck, torrents and cat.
aracts of fro that to the mind of Milton would
have represented her frigato of he'll pouring
out uuremitting broadsidcs Of Internal fire.
Several OF her gurs were left loaded, but not
shotted and as tho fire reached them, they
sent out on the startled and morning air,min-
ute guns Of fearful peal, that added greatly
10 the alarm that the light Of The copflagra.
ton had spread through the surrounding
country. The Pennsylyania burnt like a vol
cano for five hours and half befo her main.
mast fell. AT precisely 0 o'clock, by my
watch, the tall tr that stood in her cenire
tottcrel aud fell, and crushed deep into her
burning sides, whilst storm of 81 arks flood
the sky.
As soon as the Pawnee and Cun,Jerland
had fnirly left the waters and were known 20
bo gone, the gathering crowds of Portsmouth,
and Norfolk burst open the gates of the navy
yard aud rushed in. They could do nothing,
howevever, but gaze upon the ruin wrought.
The Commoore's residence, left locked but
was burst open, aud pllage
commenced, which was summary stopped.
AS carly as six o'clock, a volunteer company
had taken formal possession in tic name Of
Virginia, and run up her flag from the flag
staff. In another hour, several companies
were on hand, and men at work unspiking
cannon, and by 0 o'clock they were moving
them to the dock, whence they were begun
TO be transferred, on keels, to points below,
where sand batteries were to he built.
The secessionsis are excessively chagrined
by this movement. The vessels were sunk in
the entrance expressly to catch the Gambler
land and other valuable ships of war. The
act was done by Gov. Lelcher's order; and
tho dispatch 10 Richmond, announcing the
execution Of the scheme cxultingly proclaim
ed: Thus have we secured for Virginia three
Of the best ships of the Navy'-alluding TO
she Cumberland, Merrimae and Pennsyiva.
oid.