The national Republican., 1861-08-02

would determine in the courss Of the day.SS
About P. NJ, Mr.. again called on the Com
modore, when he was informed by him that he
had determined to retain the vessel, aAd di.
rscted Mr.. /. to "draw the 6res.n Mr.. I. once
more urged on Commodors McCauley's atten.
ton that the orden Of he DspartmentS we're
persmptory," and sxpressed conviction that
the vessel could be taken out with perfect safety
" earnestly volunteering his advice that the at.
tempt should be made, with the Germantoscn
"a sloop-ofwar Of forty guns, completely equip.
ped for sea) in tow" Commodore McCsuley
replied, reiterating his previous declaration,
that he should retain the vessel" l. . 1 Z
Commodore Paulding here takes up the sto-
ry. He had been ordered, on the 18th Of April,
to Norfolk "to take command Of all the naval
forces there aAoat, and do all IN his power to
protect and place beyond danger the vessels
and property belonging TO the United States" !"
He embarked on the steamer Pdsonee, at Wash.
ington, on the 10th, and, on the evening Of the
Goth, reached Fortress Monroe, and took on
board Colonel Waldrup's Massachusetts, regi.
ment Of volunteers, and, at P. H., same day,
was at Gosport navy yard. He found there
aHoaf the steam frigste Murimac, fifty guns !;
Plymouth, 30 guns brig Dolphin, 20 guns.
ordnance Of all calibres," about 800 being Ia.
test patterns of Dahlgren guns, and "there
was no effectual mode Of rendering these guns
unserviceable." Commodore Paulding says
"In carrying out the orders Of the Depart
ment, it was my intention to have placed the
vessels named in the channel to protect it from
further obstruction, and, ct my convenience,
take them under the guns Of Fortress Monroe,
or send them to sea, a. might be most expedi.
ent. Greatly to my regret, however, l found
that these vessels had all been scuttled about
two or three hours before my arrival, and were
sinking 90 fast that they could not be saved"
Commodore Paulding thsreupon took meas.
ures to burn and destroy what property he
he could, and left the harbor, towing away with
him the man of war Cumberland, which was
easily passed over the obstuctions placed be-
low BY the rebels. Commodore Paulding says
that, soon after he reached the navy yard, .
lsR of truce came from General Tslisferro,
Virginia general thereabouts, proposing to
permit him, (Commodors Paulding) to take
out the Cumberland, If he would stop the de-
struction of public property" which message
was defed. 0..'....,.....
Capt. Wilkes, of the steamer Pa,onee, makes
an official report to Commodore Psulding Of
his part in the transaction, which is much the
same in substance as Commodore Psulding's
report to the Navy Department.. Bot it devel-
opes little of Commodore McCauley's conduct
about these times. After it was found that the
vessels were sinking, and that the property at
the yard would have to be destroyed, all efforts
were turned towards this end. Mines were
fixed and trains laid. At IL o'clock in the
morning all was ready, and every soul, but the
few that we're to FIRE the trains, were. ordered
A. II cd - HTho
troops and marines we're rapidly embarked, !"
YOU by the youngest son Of Commodore McCau.
lev, tears streaming down bis cheeks, that his
father refused to vacate his post, lin the yard, J
and declined ell inducements TO do 90. Commo.
dore Alden ives sslectsd by you to make the
endesyor to induce him to yield, and to state
that il was your intention speedily to 6rs the
buildings, and his liS nuss BE- lqst This last
effort succeeded, and he was induced, with great
reluctance, to remove to the Ctlpsberland.'
This ends the story of the loss as told By Ish.
erwood, Paulding, and Wilkes, On the 18th of
April, Commodore Mccauley, having reached
Washington, makes his report Of the trsnssc-
ton, which Is published in this correspondence.
The points are these: On Thursday Zone day
after he had refused To let the Merrimac sail)
he (McCsuley) heard that obstructions had
been placed in the channel below the harbor.
On Friday he understood that Virginia
State troops we're arriving at Portsmouth and
Norfolk in numbers, from Richmond, Peters.
burg, and the neighborhood, and "not having
the means at my disposal to get the Asrimac,
Germanto,Vn, and Plymouth to Q place Of safe.
ty," (sll falss, for the Aerrimac was ready to
sail Wednesday, 18th, a. proved by Mr.. Isher.
woody ~ determined on destroying them" T"
(that is, sinking them, 50 that they might b.
raised again. u
Having discovered about this time that the
Virginians were "beginning to throw up bat.
teries Immediately 10 front Of the yard" J" Com
modore McCsuley "sent word TO Gen, Talis
ferro that, If they continued such Q menace, be
would fire upon them" Gen. Taliaferro re-
Piled, promptly disclsiming all knowledge ot
such batteries. As no one else ever saw them
it is presumed that they never existed to men
ace the navy yard. Altar having scuttled the
ships, and destroyed what other property he
could, Commodore McCauley says, and when
it was quite dark, "sll his officers having de-
serted him." he determinsd on "retiring or
board of the Cumberland, and in the morning
act as circumstances might require" We hays
Just read what difficulty Commodore Pauldine
had in getting him out of the navy yard and OF
to the Cumberland, at the hour Of haEpast ont
| o'clock in the morning. 1t was only then don'
by threatening his life, in the general work o.
| destruction.
The maize remark of Commodore McCauley
in chronicling his embarkment on the Cumber
land, (which he never made in the manner o
he ststes,) will arrest the nations attention. l
is the sentence of condemnation, deep and ire
versible, on this terrible shame and crime
| q With tho I,,mherl1ndu aava Commodor
and Ssd
upon the ship, these cities would have been a
my mercy ...J
SOUTHERN ITEMS.
Ex.Presidsnt Tyler has been i'll, but is re