Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1862-04-24
Evacuation of Jacksonville, Florida,
by the Federals.


Several gentlemen arrived in this city
yesterday, who left Lake City on Wedues.
day last. They state that the Federal
troops evacuated Jacksonville on Tuesday
night, at 10 o'clock, taking all their guns,
ammunition and provisions with them
They had commenced to throw up entrench-
ments on the North side Of the town, but
an express arrived, and shortly afterwards
all their tents were struck and their troops
embarked on three of their gunboats and
sailed down the river Previous to leav.
ing, the Federal troops reported that they
had been ordered to reinforce their army at
rTybee, to which point they had been or
dered. 1t is estimated that the Federals
had 10 Jacksonville from 1,500 to 1000
men. '.s
The Confederates, our informant says,
had a. camp Of troops some ten miles from
Jacksonville, commanded by Col. Davis,
and that an express train had arrived at
that point on Wednesday, bringing the in.
formation that the Federals had evacuated
Jacksonville AS soon as this was known,
the Jacksonville Light Infantry aud a Flor
ida cavalry corps occupied the town.
The Federals, upon their departure from
Jacksonville, took with them one hundred
aud twenty. five loyal Union men from the
town, and also number of negroes. A.
moug the whites who left with the enemy
we're Joseph Remington, Philip Fraser, G..
s Emery, j. " Price, G. L: Robert.
SON, and NJ. L. Keen. The latter was the
keeper Of the Judson House, and had been
loyal to the South until that building was
destroyed by the southerners, when he
went over to the Federals.
COL Titus, we'll known as having been
connected with the Lopez expedition at the
capture of Cardeuas, and latterly connect
ed with the unfortunate Gen. Walker, in
his South American expedition, our infor-
uant says, had gone over to the Federals,
and had made an effort to recruit COM
pany in Jacksonville for the Lincoluites.-
Col. Titus is native of New York, but
has long resided in the South, and some
years ago married lady Of Florida con.
nected with one of the best and most in.
huential families Of that State
While the Federals occupied Jackson
vile, their officers gave themselves up to
the grossest licentiousness and dissipation.
Our informant says there was no meanness
to which they did not resort, and no smoke
house or hen-roost within their reach that
they did not rob. They INDUCED in every
species of vice, and visited the negro how
els, where they nightly held their disgust
ing orgies -,
For ten days previous to the departure
of the Federals, number of the owners
of escaped slaves went into the town under
flag of truce and claimed them In ev-
cry instance they were given up and resto'
red to their masters A Mr.. Branning
went in and demanded his negroes. tie
was told that he must take the oath of alle'
glance to the Union, but he sternly refused
to do so, when, after parley, his negroes
we're delivered up, and assistance rendered
him to take them.
Two Yankees were captured, few days
since, short distance from Jacksonville
They pretended to be deserters, but thel1
story was not believed, and they were sent
to Tallahassee. They report that the male
slaves we're set to work on the Notifications
North of the town, and that the females
had all been placed in Jail.
A widow lady named Haddock, residing
some few miles from JACKSONVILLE, had all
of her property destroyed and all her ne
groes stolen. The Federals ascertained
that she had two sons in the Confederate
army, and went to her house hoping to cap
ture them. They failed in the object, anc
while in her residence destroyed all bel
furniture Some drunken Federal soldiers
with their knives killed horse that was at
tached to buggy which was standing be
fore her door. We are informed that many
other similar outrages were committed oy
the Federal troops.
Sauannah Republican, l4"