Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-05-15

be necessary. And while it is the desire of these authorizes, to exercise this government mildly and after the usages of the past, it must not be 1 supposed that it will not be vigorously and hrmi} I administered as occasion calls.
 By command of
 MAJOR OR-GENERAL BUTL FIR. i Gno C. STRONG, A. A. c., Chief of Staff. -----s-<azz--tA------------ From the New Orleans Delta, lst. The Surrender Of the Forts. | The circumstances which led to the surrender of Fort Jackson, after it's gallant defense, are most melancholy and mortfyiug. We can well appfe- ciate and sympathize with the feeling ot ndlg;t- ton and disgust with which tue senior officers re fer .O those circumstances The first ol th csc causes of our defeat was the want of command, orgalzation and energy in our squadron The com handlers refused or failed to watch and defend tine chains and other Instructions below he forts; they would not, even under the protection ot the guns of the fort, perform this duty, and the enemy ac tlaly succeeded in cutting away these obStruc- tons, which they could not have done if the gun boats had taken the places they were directed to take in order to guard the chains. The Louisiana, with its powerful battery, was rendered oi no use by the refusal of the commander ill charge 0f her 10 place her in a position where she might have been effective and where she would have mater ally aided the forts, and, in the opinion of exper enced officers in the forts, would have prevented the passage of the United States ships. The next delinquency of the gunb0ats was in failing to keep the river lighted. As long as this duty was con fded to the fort il was promptly and regularly done, bu' when the ships undertook ii, il was gross ly neglect.
 On the night (Thursday) when the enemy el- fected this passage, it entirely omitted, thongh it was perceived by the commandant of Fort Jack son that the enemy were preparing to force q pas sage. There was light by which the ships could he seen until they were near the fort, and the smoke from the first discharge of the guns of the fort obscured the view that little time was allowed to play upon them. There was from the beginning lamentable want of system, organlzd ton and discipline in the squadron, which, under proper command, it is believed might have been arrested by our squadron alone. nner these CIT cumStanceS C are not otast0ui-hed that the men in the fort became disprited. But there Was nothing to justify their open and violent mutiny For this they merit universal denuncaton and exccration. It was true some of the enemys ships had pissed the fort, but it still in good fighting condition, and if the men had stood by their officers. the re mainder of the squadron would have been kept from passing, and the ships which had passed would have been left in an isolated and periious condition.
 Tine enemy had already offered honorable terms of surrender, which Col. Higgins declined. Capt. Porter, commanding the mortar fleet, had written q letter, acknowledging the heioism and stubbor ness of the defense, and soliciting termination oi | conflict, the result 0l which wa, only a question of time. This demand, the second made by him, showed the eHemy's anxiety 10 bring the fight to q close. There no difficulty ill Interpreting its meaning and motive It was rejected. and the commander of the fort set 10 work to repair Gama- ges for renewal of the combat. In expectation Of such renewal, Gen. Duncan issued au address conplimentlng the garrison tor its heroic perSeyc- rance, thanking them for their patience, iorttude and resolution, ana urging them to further efforts and sacrifices, and the result would be glorious victory. By some tiaitor0us means it had been onmunicated to the men that the city had smren- dered, that further resistance would be unJvailng. and that if the conflict was continued, and the garrison captured, they would all be put to the sword.
 Under these influences the men arose at mid night, spiked some of the guns, dsmounfed others, and openly resisted and deted the authority of the officers There was one honorable exception to this dsgracou and shameful conduct. The St. Mary'~ oannoneers, country volunteer comF,- ny, took no part n these mutnous proceed Iing7, anu We're faithful to the la-t Ercr, officer Q! tha garrison stood brIycy to Li, post. They were all filled with modification at the conduct o the men, who, dnine a bombarimeni ol r.ght aals ant uiguI- up.f ,ttttrVrfy.-- \ most noble anl heroic defense was thus suliIe1l by the mos, shameful ahandonment of duty on the part of the men. Then conduct, however, only serves tO brighten bv contrast the lr5tct Of the courageous devotion of the gallant commander and his officers. All honor. then, 10 fife heroic Duncan, Higgins. and their associates, in one ot the most brilliant actions of this war.
 
 BRUTAL OurRAcfs AND UNPARALLELED ATnoc TIES. The w lining on N. G. Journal, of the ssh contains tie following
 We are enabled 10 lay the following facts, not rumors, before the pubiic. They ought to be suti cent to open the eve. of all to Inc nature o the enc my 10 whom we opposed, and tie Chantcr Of the contest in which are engaged. Ii these facts do not show the Yllne Of the profession contained ill the hypocrtical proclamation of Burnside and G0idsb0r0ugh; if they do not convince all that there are but two alternatives, victory absolute ruin if they do nor make the blood of every man in the State jingle through his veins, and every heart swell with the desire for revenge, then nOth ing can. These arc the mild hammered saints, the pet lambs that came to revive the UnioH feeling n North Carolina, and make proselytes to the sway of Abe Lincoln.
 The enemy in their late visit 10 Onsiow county brought over one regiment, one piece of artillery and one baggage wupOn---such at least seems to b. the most correct account. In the neghbofhood through which they passed they committed the most unheart of depredatuns- carried of all the most prominent citizens iu irons and ropes, and went so far as to paddle Mr. Henderson, very respectable man, for having free negroes bound 10 him MT ftiIeueI tieY co"i"ucu, "'7o " 'il bi|h. l"'H took off everything of value they could get hold of they broke open trunks, took jewelry, blankets, carpets tow els, everything. ln fact they ransack ed every house they came to, csing the most abu sive language to ali and tie most insulting to the women. They melted the negroes to fight against their masters, telling them that in few days they would have line of lickets from Ne~bern and Swansboro o'-tlat they would he back in seven or eight days with renforcemens.
 The robDprieS committed it the house Ol Mrs Sanders are fully confirmed They even stole all her gold and silver gold and silver plate, jewclry, gold watch notes, title deeds etc. In fact, the half of these olurages has not been told. They took every thing they could carry of. Their only excuse we hear o( was that Mrs. Sanders had given entertainment to a body of Confederate cavalry some time before
 Gcares in Nashuillp