The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-08-30
A Rebel View OF Norfolk and the
Navy Yard.


The correspondent of the Charleston
Courier gives the following interesting ac-
count of the defense of Norfolk:
The able General who commands the
Confederate forces has placed Norfolk and
the Navy Yard in thorough state of de-
tense. The approaches to the city by the
Elizabeth river are guarded by numerous
heavy batteries. Craney Island, at the
mouth of the harbor, bristles with canon.
The flying Hessians left behind them at the
Navy Yard the most extensive collection of
heavy ordnance in America. Much of it
has been used in fortifying the river. Two
regiments are stationed in the immediate
vicinity of Sewell's Point. The rear of
the city is surrounded by an admirably
constructed intrenched camp. In case the
enemy should land at Lynhaven Bay, or at
the inlet on the Atlantic shore, be will be
obliged to traverse country cut up by the
innumerable small creeks, bitches and
swamps, under cover of which our rihemen
can play terrible havoc among his ranks.
1t will be useless for him to attempt to
advance without field artillery, and the fel.
ling of heavy trees across the roads will re-
tard bis progress so much that ere be could
reached the entrenched camp he would
stand fair chance of defamation from our
infantry. Batteries are also erected around
the Navy Yard. and enough of our brave
troops are stationed there to protect it sue.
cesstully against hundred thousand of the
assailants.
There is the utmost confidence placed in
the commanding officer, Brigadier General
Huger. His acknowledged position in the
old United States army as the best officer
of ordnance in that service, is sufficient to
warranty this confidence. l find that the
General is exceedingly popular with the
soldiers and citizens.
A hurried call at the Navy Yard devel-
Oped great deal of interest to the visitor
The splendid works at this place are but
slightly injured. The barracks near the
entrance, 1t is true, now exhibit only the
blackened walls and chimneys. Two of the
dry dock sheds are level with the surface,
ana the grounds are in some places strewn
with the fragments of attempted destruc-
tons. Nothing remains of the huge ship
of the line Pennsylvania but the charred
uufi ~ 100 OuluCO W lDC WdtCI CUSCs
The Germantown lies at one of the wharves;
the spars and rigging were burned off but
the hull is good. AT another wharf is the
Plymouth, upon which the work is rapidly
going forward the masts are in and the
rigging is being repaired. She was the
least injured of any OF the vessels.
In the magnificent Baldwin dry dock,
which the vandals attempted destroy with
twenty kegs of powder, rests the hull of the
forty qua steam frigate Merrimac. The
deck, with the exception of the red smoke
stack, was swept clean by the fire. The
hull being OF iron is not materially injured,
and all the machinery which was below the
d OK leeds but little repairing. The Mer-
rimac could be put in fighting trim in less
thar six months. At present there is ap-
parently no work being done on her. With
the exception of the two old hulks of the
Delaware and Columbus, and that of the
State ship, the remains of none of the other
vessels at the navy yard when the vandals
began the work of devastation, are now
visible above water.
Commodore French Forrest is in COM
mand OF the navy yard. Work is going on
in the machine shops. | was gratifed to
observe the northern wall of the yard lined
with several hundred pieces of heavy ord
nance. In addition to these the navy yard
has contributed its rich treasures to d i parts
of the State and ConIederacy. 1t Was only
few days ago that Beauregard got num-
Der OF long pieces from this locality, and
have met here gentleman from East Ten
nessee, who comes as the agent of the State
rights men with the same object 10 view.