Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-06-26
The ST. Virginia and rTissssfpisl.
Finding Of the Courts Of lnqryG he Destruction Of The
!rgniG Declared UnreceSsaTY-Ihe Burning q The
PiuLmGnb. Va. ,jnrn II 1862.

RllmaGd, Va, Jane II, 1862
The following IS official copy Of the report ot the
Court Ct Inquiry which investigated the destruction OF
the steamer Virginia, formerly the Me,rimac:)
g The Courr OF Inquiry, convcked by the ord5r OF
this Department OIL The 20th utimo, whereof French
Forrest, Captain IL tie Navy of the Confederate
States President, ard which Court convened The
city of Richmond the 22d cay of Nay, 1862, to IL
vestgaie and inquire into the destruction OF the steam
Virginia. and report the se, together with their
opinion to the necessity Of destroying her, ard par
tlcularIy whether any aud what other spostou could
have been made of me vessel have found follows :
The CoQrt having heard the sta emeDt read, sub
United by Flag Officer 1atnall, cleared to1 de.b
GRAFTON, ans after natnre consideration, adopted the
following report:
The Court, after Il tuil and careful examination and
investigation OF the evidence connected with the dcs-
truc0n by fire of the T.. S. steamer Virginia. the
m0ruirg OF April l lth. 1862, Crapey Island, re-
specially report that it was Effected by the order and
under the supervision Of Flag Officer Iatna after her
draft bad been reduced TO 20 feet inches aud the
representations OF the Pilots that in consequence OF
cent prevalent westerly GiS. she could not be taken
with Draft Of 9 feet "a high as Westover near Har-
rIsOns Bar, in james River, (whithtr lie designed to
take Ee which they previously stated they could do.
]. The destruction OF the Virginia was in the opi0-
ion OF The court unnecessary at the time and place it was
Elected
II. 1t being clearly in evidence that Norfolk being
evacuated ard Flag Officer Iatna having been instrac-
ted 70 prevent the enemy from ascending James River
the Virginia with very little more, if any, lessenng Of
draft after tightening her twenty feet six inches aft
with her iron sheahUg still extending three feet under
water, could have been taken up TO Hog Island, in
James River, (where the channel is narow) and could
there have prevented the larger vessels and
of the enemy from ascending the court is Of opinion
that such disposition ought to have been made of her.
and it should be ascrtaned that her provisions could
not be rpenshed when those board we're exhausted
then the proper time would have arrived to take into
consideration the expediency practicabiy of stri-
king last blow at the enemy or destroying her.
IL conclusion the court is Ct opinion that the evacu-
aticn Of Norfolk, the destruction of the Navy Yard
aud other public property, added TO the hasty retreat
OF the military under General Hugor, leaving the bat
teres unnamed ard unprotected no doubt, c1nspred
to produce in the minds of the officers of the Virginia
the necessity of her destruction at the time in their
opinion, the only left of preventing her from fall
ling into the bands Of the enemy, and seems to have
pecuded the consideration OF the possibility Of getting
her up James River to the point points indicated
The court of Inquiry, of which Captain F. Forrest
is President, is hereby dissolved
$. R. MALLORY, Secretary of Navy.