Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1861-08-23

TIE destruction Of the entire village O
Hampton the night of the Ttli inst, was al
act of rebel Vandalism scarcely. paralleIed ii
the history of their outrages. The ancien
Virginia village is beautifully situated on al
arm of the sea, and was settled from James
( town ia 1910. The aggregate white ard blacl
population was two thousand, AID the build
ings numbered about FIVE hundred. Some o
/ the residences were brick, erected at heavy
cost, and belonged TO opuIent farmers anC
tradesmen. The Episcopal Church, built o
| imported brick, and the old landmark of thu
town, from its insulated position escaped the
I general eonhagration. The rebels attacked
our forces near Hampton the. evening of the
TIh, but the German pickets returned their
fire with such spirit and precision that they
soon dispersed. A Fortress Monroe CORES,
lpondent Of the World thus describes the greai
eonhagratiou which then followed '
A half hour Subsequent to the firing. build
ing in the south side Of thevilIage was observ-
ed to be burning, aud bat few moments
elapsed before the whole village was lighted
up along the bank Of the river on the opposite
side. House after house, in rapid succession,
was touched within BY the fatal touch, and
THE flames btgan to burst from the windows.
The brillianey and terrible impressiveness Of
the awful scene increased until the country for
miles around was Illuminated by the light of
the burning village y 1ss 1A' G'o3i
There has not drop Of rain fallen here for
weeks, and uhderA scorching sun every com.
bustible substance has been, as it were pre-
pared for this event a furious wind from the
south, like tempest, drove the maddering
flames before it to their work of deso!ation.-
For nearly half a mile along the bank Of the
river one grand panorama of blazing buildings
mirrored itself in the stream. The river look
ed like great sheet of silver in the midnight
glare, and the flames, as far back as the eye
could see, leaPed and danced in sheets toward
the sky. Now and then building on the
very banlksof the river would tilt its reeling
side, ehveloped IN blaze, over into the water
with a splashing, Kissing, 'seething sound that
woke echoes on the opposite shore. The long,
low arched bridge terminating, dismantIed, on
y about rod from the other bank, was light
er than mid day, and7 reflected in the water
with the perfection of "a picture. Now and
then l could catch d glimpse Of one or tive of
the re bel ineeHdidFies running from one build,
ing to another with lighted torches No sound
was heard save the rear of the winds aud the
flames, the cracking of the blazing mass and
the frequent crash Of falling houses as they
melted into ruins before the devastating ele-
ment a-
A f,rest of chimncys, blighted and bleared
by the fire, of standing brick walls Of some Of
the h DaseS, AMI of seorched aud wilted trees,
with columns OF sluggish smoke rising h 're
and there from the smouldering ruins, marks
the site where yesterday stood one Of the most
Villages In the whole country,
The robcls have done their work Of arson
we'll Only about half dozen little houses
rem, lin uNbarned. together with the old church
that saw our evolutionary struggles, and still
stands to witness those Of one more terrible
than even that that tried our fathers souls
The destruction of Hampton by the rebels
was probably intended to prevent the occupa.
ton of that place by large body of the forces
under Gen. Butler for an advance on York
town. The rebels doubtless supposed Hamp-
ton would be conEeIient camp for an advance
movement Of our troops. ;-if- III e4