, 1861-04-26
DETAILS FRO7I N0EsF0Ln..


DETAILS FRom NoRFoLn..
Destruction of the Favy Yard PraIA?sty
.--Tjufred States Vessels *cutt!e11-A
StpIxirx OF the Pennsylvania ia II.
tau, cnlumbNa aud DcfaEa arF-"eI@at
Excitement anon. the Cftizehs.
From The Baltimore papers we ge! the 1os-
lowing interesting detail Of events at Norfolk,
antecedent to the burning Of the Navy Yard
and sinking Of tho Government vessels, CT
which we have been advised by telegrapS-
TRBl
From, Captain Russell a1d Major A:ico, cf
the steamer Louisiana, and passengers. Ns
have the following matters Of Interest "ntEa
tranepIred since She left Oh Friday evening".
The steamer passed down the Chesapeake with
sixty.iTe passengers. nearly oil OF HON Tsrs
rel turning from tile North to the Soplb:
The United States frigate Merr'mae, Captain
Pendergast, of Kentucky, ir COMMAND. teck
position in the barber hetHcc1 the cities OF
Norfolk and Portsmouth, Simultaneous to
which, the forces in the Navy Yard cGmu3enc-
ed The tearing down Of all the bu:'liS gs ED
the sp;kiug Of al the cannon in the Yard, ard
general destruction Of all the Government
property. ihe ship-tOoses were beiFg tnrn
down, and the factories leve1ed With ihe
ground, with the intention, it YVES said, o' fir
ing them and abandoning them on Saturday
nl4ht.
4 17g Of truce was sent By the Msyors Of
Norfolk and Portsmouth to Captafn Pen5er-
CAST to know what was the purpose Of his bel
1igerent ati1nde in the ha1Eor, and whether he
intended to fire npon the town. He replied
that he would act a1teg.ther on the defensive.
If fiEEd Epon, or the Navy yard attacked, he
would feel 1t his duty, in self defence, to ire
mon the Two cities. .
IL addition 70 the destruction OF property
IL the Ya:i, all the vessels in the Nary Yard,
including tAe ships Pennsylvania, the Cel:rl-
bus, the D9la~are, the R3risar, and the Merri-
mac, we're scu(tlsd and sulk, preElct:s 10
which their gurs were spiked, and a! the arms
retained, with which it was intended to cafrJ
away the forces when the work Ct destruction
wss complete, were the steamer Poclhoatas
and the II 4g ship Cumberland.
As Capt. Russell came cut ct tic port ne
met the United States ship Pawnse, crowd2d
with troops, and the enquiry Was mada rs to
the depth Of water at the mouth Of the barber.
They were told that no vessel drawing over
eleven feet could erter. 1t is uct known
whether she attempted to euter.the harbor, Or
whether she returned TO Old Point.
The steamer Spauldi.g, i. ID said, ATTEMPTED
to return TO Boston with b. trooHe, but tEt
| mntiuled against the Captain ard compelled
| him to take them to Fortress Monroe. sac
| Landed hertroops there, as did also the Empire
| Guy, from New York, carrying in all nearly
| tEo Thousand men. 1t seems, however, that
the Spaulding left Fortress Monroe without
| troops f3r Fort McHenry, in tie harbor Of Bal
finn re- where she took In coal anu lett for the
| North.
IAe excitement at Norfolk and Portsmouth,
last evening, Is represented to have been 1ncst
Intense, the women and children were flying
| from the cities, and the whole mal5 population
rallying to arms. It Was expected that the
shops and the ship Of the line New Ypsk, On
! fhe 1tncks, would be fred before abandoning
the yard.
| 1no leveIling Of the buildings, By being
| blown up BY powder vas going on, but it way
| thought to be an effort to destroy I'LL without
| fire, for fear the cordAgration might extend to
the two cities.-
The people ct Norfolk had seized the pow
| der house at Craney Island, and removed all
| the powder it contained to the ci5s, aId we're
| maki1g arrangements tcr vigorous defence,
There had been 70 fire applied to tie build
inga at the Navy Yard when the L3alsiana leftt,
al s1x o'clcck last evening. No attempt was
| made to interfere with the boats Of the Nor
folk line, either by the Government or by Vir-
giniA
The citizens of Norfolk hive held public
meeting, and adopted measures looking tc the
| public safety, until a military leader shall be
| appointed by the Governor, ard MEASURES G.
. offence taken by the state authorities.
Commander Page, United States Navy, be-
: ing present, responded to cali Of the meet
! and strict compliance with The direction C.
those who might be appointed to lead. HI
said war vas upon us, and We should consider
the meaning Of that word.
The Mayor has also Issued the following:
To the peopleo of Portsmouth: Is your Chic
Magistrate, deem it my duty te urgs upon
you the necessity Of avoiding, as far ~ posi-
BILE, any excited discussion At this partieula:
time. Remember, thet Ii :erty with Iaw is TIL
greatest blessing on carth-Wit lo1t law it il
chaos and confusion.
It IL MI important at this time that ever:
one should conduct himself quietly and witt
that true dignity characteristic Of us as psn
pie. Our interests are In common a4d Gu
J destiny one, and 1t behooyes Us quietly u
await the tlual action OF our old mother, h1'
, to be prepared to obey her bebests, and to 4
| lurce the orders Of the constituted authorities
In the meantime, while msklng preparation
5 for defence, commis no improper act, and rs
| member that the Law: must end will be el
4 fcrcsd. GEO. ". GR1cE, Mayor.
. We iudt the following in the Norfolk paps1
The bridges at The for. Rave been taken u
end all communication between tie fort ~
citizens cut of. Tha garrison numbers sc
men, rank and tiie, all the officers, except thrs
Viginians, being Black Republicans.
Dr.. Banks's son was ordered from the fer
where be held the post Of sntler's clerk, b
q cause, like true Vlrgi1ian, he dared to rese1
insulting language shout his people and Sc
ton.
The Mayo: Of Portsmouth has called upe
the citizens to unite for common protectio
+, and form themselves into q local police.
y The following paragraphs are from the No
folk papers Of Saturday:
y THE CUSTOM HOUSE LAID UNDER INJUSCTlo
= An order was issued yesterday by the Coz
i mauding General, prohibiting the Collector
q the Port, DR.. J. j. Simkirs, from accepti1
II any draft IRON the United States GovcrnmeE
j or allowing the removal Of deposits O. AT
ot thing else from the Custom-House. The Ct
=. lector being Informed that, on his refusal
D obey the order, dla Of men would be sc
:; + down to occupy the premises, acquiesced-
ce matter Of course.
e =; | TIE sUNKEN WRECKS NEAR THE EARROws
ID sEwEIL's POINT.
o7 Boats frcm the Navy Yard have been bus
Of engaged in taking the sourdings and bearir
q of these distinctions, under the guidance
a Il is thought, Of some persons along shore "
q Witnessed the operation Of placing tn
o. u there
Id TIE NAVY OF VIRGINIA.
h. The following gentlemen, Eho had form6
ny served With distinction in The late Unil
H. STATES Navy, yesterday received their com u
o1c AZ tn ha N.uv vnfE EirrfrfS 1,