The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1861-05-11
Burning of the Gosport Navy Ta-d.

Burning of the Gosport Navy Ta-d.
ELEVEN VESSELS sCuTrIE ED A.D BrRNED--TnE
STEAM TUG YANKEE Tows TIE CUMBERLAND
TO SEA.
On Saturday evening, April 2lst, at
oclock, the Pawnee arrived from Wash
ington with 300 volunteers and 100 ma
rnes, besides her own crew, aud at once
TIE officers and crew Of the Pawnee aDu
Cumberland went TO the Navy Yard and
spiked and disabled the guns, and threw
the shot aud small ~ m, into the river =
10 o clock, the mallues, WHO had been
uaartered in the ban racks, Ered them and
came on board the Pawnee. This move
rnent was premature, for it was the inten
ton to fire ail the buildings simultaneous
ly A party Of officers, meantime, were
going through the different buildings and
ships, distributing waste and turpentine
and LAYING train so a. to blow mp the dry
dock. They were engaged in this work
until two o clock, when the train was fired
At three clock, the Yankee, TO the cap
Ia of which, Charles Gernlain, much
credit is due, came along and took the
Cumberland in tow, tho Pawree taking
the lead All the vesses beat 10 quarters
T
was in readiness To- carry out the threat of
Commodore McAuley, thai If a gun was
fired from either shore, he would level
7 both Portsmouth and Norfolk At this
Time the scere we, indisc.t..blv ma2Iiti-
cent ali the bIiidingS being in = blaze, and
epin-iOns Lcre and there, scattering the
. clBdass ~ all directions
The government vessels had been scut-
tied IN ti.e afternoon before the Pawnee
arrived, ;U prevent their being seized hy
the :Sece-S>:ou:sts, who had heen III arms
In both Norirls: and Port-fa outh, under
the command OF General I.tilierio. Their
number Is estimated at .oul- .iJJ rnen -
. The -cuttling was d0ue between II and .
clock on SoiuIday. Lest This mode o.
destruction should not DC complete, how
ever. trains were laid on them aH1 the
vessels were fired nith the buildings.
The ioi.o,"iu. are the names OF tne yes
sol. which were destroy ed .-p-nusyivanIa
~ gun snip; steam i!lgate AcrrlGnac, ~
guns; Sloapo. var Ge.tlautowu, u guns
siJop Plymouth. - guns; irisa;e Isrltam,
- ..Hs: tr.gato Columbia, D gnns; DelA
ware, Il gun ship; Columbus, loO gun
ship; United States, IN ordinary big
p.I.iI, guns: a.!.d powder boat.
Ui these ti.e .N-r5,a.Gc Ptyp,9u:h and Ger
r,rs'91rs. we're ready Tor sea, but the Paw
nee made he- appearance al the yard toe
late to save :ue..l. I!4e AcriAlrc, IN fact
usi had steG.L o!l oU.s ie7 hours IIeFi
oG,iv.
lac Yankee. as we have already said
ieil the yaId "..H tie Cumberland ia to-
auyu. > o clock. Tie Acct proceeded down
tAs r.ysg ua;.i. . clock. when i came /,
anchor w.i..u mile of t.e point wAe!,
Z. .-.-.f- b..
tho purpose OF obstyucliug the nav. gallon
boats were seat ont TO tase .ouud.ns~ II
order l. ascertain whether some o:hel
i,.,,-a - than TIE regular channel coall
not l.. found. All efforts proved un,uc
forced :Lsir way directly through Ia,
wrecks Tine Cumberland csu.!t one o
the suukeu vessels aLd carrie it alou:
with her, and aprreAen-ions were at FIR
4 entertained tia She might OF Carried on
sS...yel.s PoiuJ, where II was supp std til,
rebels had erected ba,ie.Ies. ieautin,
tie kcyitoue State came up from u ASH
iggton with Marines, and tsy her ueiD aEC
. that ot the Yankee, tae Cunloc! .aud wa
tuwed into deep water and dl>eutan-ird
She then went ZIP under protection @. th'
GUNS of Fort Monroe and came 10 anchor
While the vessels lazy there. four men. wi,
= had been employed III tho Navy Yard
succeeded in making their way down IL
r river. and reported that they lett EVEN
: thing IN flames. and the smoke and fame
. could easily be seen from the Cumter.an
p The rebels too. they reported, Were :earf,
= OF attempting TO arrest the flames, bt
I cause they Gppre ehend~d that . plan ".
p laid 10 bio. up the buildings.
: Ia- Yankee left on Tuesday morn;u
. for NsY York She reports that the Paw
+ nee aud keystone State had got the ere
oil th- penH-y lgau;;i. and tie maritrs vi.
= occupied the barracks, or boaid. 10 carr
{ them TO Washington. Both lcit for L.
= CID.tyl 1t . 0 clock