St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1862-06-05

A liberal dc iuction made to those who
advertise by the year
From tie Riichmo"d Dismtch Nay go.
The Destruction of the Virginia"
LETTER FROM CON TArxALL.
The following is a copy of II letter ad-
dr.. ssed by Commodore Tainall to Sccre-
tary Mallory.
RICHMOND. May. 14lh 1sG2.
In detailing TO you the circumstances
which caused the destruction of the c. S.
,.eamer Virginia. and her movements n
lew days previous to that event, begin
will your tclrgraIhic d, d,spatchcs to me Of
the .ith and 9th insiants. directing me to
take such position i'll the Jnmes river as
would entirely prcycnt the eucmy 5 ascend
ing it.
General IIug'r commanding at Nor
folk. on learning that had received the
order. called on Inc and declared that It's
execution would ohligc him to abandon
Immediately his forts on Crancy Island
and SowslIs Point. anj their guns to the
enemy. Informed him that. rs the or
der was imperative. must execute it, bu.
suggested that he should telegraph you
and state the consequences. He did So.
aud Oh the 9Th instant you telcsraphed TO
nlc to cnlcav"r to afford protection to Nor
folk az well as The James river. which re-
placed me in my original position. then
arranged with the General that he should
notify me when his preparations for the
evacuation of Norfolk were sufficiently
advanced to enable lie to act injepeu-
IDENTIFY.
On the 9Th instant Commodore IIoliins
reached Norfolk with orders from you to
consult with me aud such officers as
might select in regard to the best diaposi
tion to be made Of the Virginia, under the
present ASPECT of things.
We had arranged the conference for the
next day. the Sth but on that day, be-
f"re the hour appointed. the enemy at
tackled the Scwcll's Point battery. and
] left immediately with the Virginia To
defend it.
We found six Of the enemy's vessels, ill.,
Guiding the iron clad steamers Monitor
aud Naugatuck. shelling the battery. We
passed the battery, aud stood directly for
the enemy. for the purpose of engaging
him. and Thought an action certain, par
ticularly as the Minnesota and Wander
bilt, which were anchored below Fortress
Monroe. got under way and stood up to
that point. apparently with the intention
Of joining their squadron in the Roads. Be-
fore, however. we got within gun-shot.
the enemy ceased firing and retired with
all speed under the protection of the guns
Of the Fortress. followed by the Virginia
until the shells from the Rip Raps passed
over her.
The Virginia was then placed at her
moorings near Scwall's Point, and I re.
turned to Norfolk to hold the conference
referred 10.
It Was held on the 9th, and the Off
csrs present were Colonel Anderson and
Captain. of the army, selected by
General Huger, who was too unwcll L
attend himself. and. Of the navy. my
self, Commodore Hollins, and Captains
Sterritt and Lee, Commander Richard
J.. Jones, and Lieutenants, Ap. Catesby
Jones and j. Pembroke Jones
Virgins was then employed to the best
advantage. and that she should continue,
for the present. to protsct Norflk and
and thus afford time to remove the pub
lie property.
On the next day. at 10 o'clock. A,
NJ, we observed from the Virginia that
the flag was not flying on the Sewall's
Point Battery. and that it appeared to
have been abandoned | despatched
Lieutenant J. p. Jones, the Flag Lieu
tenant. to Craney Island. where the
Confederate flag was still flying, and he
there learned that large force of the
enemy had landed Oh the bay shore, and
were marching rapidly on Norfolk. that
the Sewail's Point Battery was abandon
oil and oar troops were retreas;ng.
then despatched the same officer TO Nor
folk. to coafcr with General Hugcr and
Captain Lee. He found the Navy Yard
In flames, and that al its officers had
left Ly railroad. On reaching Norfolk
he found that General IIuger and all the
other officers OF the army bad also left,
that the enemy were within half mile OF
the city, anl that the Mayor was treating
e.. ;s, Surrapdor