, 1862-03-14
DUP0NT'S OPERATIONS.
His Official Report Of the Taking Of
Fernandina, Fla.
IMPORTANCE OF THE SITUATION.

VAAQAN4AeR4 4&s
IMPORTANCE OF THE SITUATION.
Captain Davis, late Flcet-Captain of the
North Atlantic Squadron, arrived at Wash
ington on last Monday night, bringing al off,
cial dispatch from Commodore Dupont, Of
which the following is copy:
FLAGSHIP MoHIcAS, uAnBoR OIL
FEKHANprNA, Fla, March 4, 1862.
SIR: had the honor to inform You in my
Last dispatch that the expedition for Fernando
ma was equipped and waiting only for suitable
weather to sail from Port Royal. I have now
possession OF. Cumberland Island and the Sound
Fc1nandina, and Amelia Island, and the river
and town Of st. Mary'e.
i sailed from Port Royal on the last day Of
February, in the Wabash, and Oh the I'd inst,
entered Cumberland Sound by St. Andrews
Inlet, in the Mohican, Commander S. ". Cor
don, on board Of which ship have hoisted NV
flag. The feet comprised the following YES
sc1s, sailing in the order in which they are
named: Ottawa, Mohican, accompanied BY the
Ellen, Seminole, Pawnec. PocaAontas, Flag,
Florida, James Adger, Bien7ilie. Alabama,
Keystone State, Seneca, Huron, Pcmbina,
Isaac Smith, Penguin, Potonsla, the armed
cutter Henrietta, the armed transport MeCel-
Ian, the latter having Oh board the battalion of
marines, under the command Of Major Rey-
9olds, and tue transports Empire City, Marion,
Georges Creek, containing q brigade under
the command Of Brig. .-Geu. Wright.
We CAME to anchor in Cumberland Sound,
at 1O15 on the morning Of the I'd, to make an
examination Of the channel, and wait for the
tide. Here learned from contraband, who
had been picked up at sea by Commander Le-
nier, and from the ncig:1boring residents on
Cumberland Island, that the rebels had aban-
doned in haste the whole Of the defensc5 Of
Fernandina, and were even st that moment re-
treating from Amelia Island, carrying with
tatt: flight would allow.
The object in carrying the whole fleet
through Cumberland Sound was to burn the
heavy works on the south end Of the Cumber-
land, and tic north end OF Amelia Island. But
ON receiving this intelligence, I detached the
guuboats and ARMED steamers Of light draft
from the main line, and placing them under
the command of Commander P. Drayton, Of
the steam -sloop Paw-nee, ordered them to
push through the Sound at the utmost speed
TO save public and private property from
threatened destruction to prevent poisoning
wells, and to put stop to all those outrlgrs,
by the preparation Of which, the leaders oil
this netarious Wait hope to drive and exaspc-
rate the Southern people.
In the meantime I went out Of the Sound
and came By the sea to the main entrance OF
this harbor- In consequence Of bad weather,
was unable to cross the bar till this morn
ing: Commander Drayton, accompanied
ty q. R. P. Rogers, with the armed launches
from the Wabash, had arrived several hours
before me: Immediately on his entering the
ll;lrbor, Commander Drayton sent Lieut..
White, of the Ottawa, to hoist the tlag
OH Fort C1inch, the first Of the National
forts, Oh which TIC ensign of the Union has
nr1r, 4i,oF
lanlation Of tho President Of the United States
Was issued. a few scattering muskct shots
were fired from the town By the flying cuemv,
when it was discovered that a r,ilroad train
Was about to start. Commander Dayton, on
l,oar'i the Ottawa, and Lieut. Commanding
Stevens, chased this train for two miles, and
fired several shells at il, aiming at the loeomo.
tive, some Of which took effect. It was r.
ported that the Hon. David Yulee, late n
Senator Of the United States from the State Of
Florida, escaped from this train and took to
the bush.
Commander c. R. P. Rodgers, pushing
ahead with the launches, captured tic rebel
steamer Darlington, containing military stores,
army wagons, mules, forage, &c, and fortu-
natc1y secured the draWbridge, which was
held during tho night By the second launch Of
tho Wabash. There were passengers, women
aud Children, in the Darlington, and tic brutal
Captain suffered her to be fred upon, and re-
fused to hoist q white lag, notwithstanding
the entrcatles Of tie women. No one WAS ill-
jnred. send the Captain Of the steamer home
prisoner His name is Jacob Brock. He is
& native Of Vermont, but he has been resi-
dent Of Florida for twenty tlirce wears.
The same night Commander G. R. P.
Rogers asccndcd the st. hiary's with the Or
tawa, and took possession Of the town, driv-
ing out picket Of the cnemy's cavalry. Early
III the morning the town of Fernandina was
also occupied by party OF seanlen aud ma
rines from Commander Drayton's command.
In bot1i place the inhabitants had fed, by Or
der, it is said, Of the rebel authorities. 4 COM
pany OF seamen and marines, under Lieut.
Miller, was sent from tue Mohican to hold Fort
Chnch. 1t is reported to NE by Lieutenant
Commanding DoWncr, Of the Huron. that the
whole structure Of the railroad on the Ecrnan-
dina side, including the swinging Grawbridgc,
Is quite urinjured.
The rebels have done some damage by fire
to the tTcss1e work on tllo other side of the
| river, but am not yet informed of its extent.
| Several locomotives, baggage cars, tenders,
| freight cars, and some other property besides
| that was found in tho steamer Darlington,
| laye been r. emoycd.
| The whole number of guns discovered up to
| Ills time Is thirteen, embracing heavy 81
| Founders, S-inch guns and one SU and one leo
ponndcr rifl. d guns The towns OF st. Mary
and Fcrnandina arc uuinjurcd- I visited the
town, Fort Cliach, and the eartl,works on the
| sea face OF the island. It is impossible to
look ut these preparations fora vigorous dc.
| tense without being surprised that they should
| have been voluntarily deserted. The battc-
| rios on the north and northeast shores arc as
| complete as art can make them. Six are well
conccaicd and protected BY ranges Of sand
hills in front, contain a perfect shelter for the
nicn, and are SO small and thoroughly covered
by thc natural growth and by the yaried
| contours Of the land, that to strike them
from the water would be the mere result
Of chance. & battery Of six guns, though
.I | md n1fsr haiti Il
| is equally well sheltered and masked. Tic
batteries and the heavy guns mounted on Fort
Clinch command all the turnings Of the main
slip channel, and rake IN approaching enemy.
Beside them, there was another battery o
four guns on the south end Of Cumberland
Island, the fire Of which would cross tue chan
rcl inside the bar. The difficulties arising
from the indirectncss Of the channel aud from
the sloaIness Of the bar would have added tc
the defcnscs by keeping the approaching yes
.sels long time exposed to ire, under grea'
disadvantages, and when the ships Of au enc
my had passed oil these defcnses, they would
have to encounter a well constructed ant
naturally masked battery st the town, whicl
commands the access to the inner anchorage
We are told that Gen. Lee pronounced th'
priscd at This. il true. We captured Por
Royal, but Fern;r1dina ana Fort Clincla liar,
been given to us.
We had, in the expedition, Mr.. II. q. Den
his, an assistant i'll the Coast Survey, who pos
scssed accurate local knowledge Of q part 0
the ground We passed over, Of which inice.
he had made the Typographical map under til
direction OF the superintendent. He va
zcalous and active, and it gives me pleasure Il
mention him: The Empire City, on board Q
which was Gen. Wright, grounded on til
har: AS soon as he arrived, in another steam
CT, immediate steps were taken to transfer t
him the forts and all authority and possession
| On the land.
1 desire to speak here of the harmoniou
counsels, and candid cooperation, which hay
marked throughout my intercourse with thu
able tlicer. Our plans Of action have bee
Nlaturcd by mutual consultation, and hav
been carried into execution by mutual hclp.
t take great pleasure in reminding the De
pa1tnlcnt that one principal and Ultimate oil
Jcrt Of the Naval Expedition, which lave th
honor to command, was, in the first conccI
tlon, to take and keep under control the Who'll
line OF seacoast Of Georgia, knowing to us
the language Of the original paper, that til
naval power that commands the seacoast {
Georgia, controls the State of Georgia.
The report that the Notifications at 81
,, Slmons aI1hed with heavy columbiads ha
= Port Royal, is confirmed. This being the cast
) the entire coast Of Georgia is now either act1
+ ally in my possession or under my contro
,, and thus the views of the Government hay
: been accomplished
Very respectfully,
S. F. DUPONT. Flag officer
Commanding South Atlantic Blockading Squa
f To Aon: Gideon Wellea, Secretary Of the Nav:
Washington. D. C.