The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-06-06


BURNED.
The correspondent of the Boston Journal
writing from Pensacola on to 18th instant,
furnishes complete account of the surren-
der of that city to our forces, and the des.
truction of Fort McRae, the Marine Hos
pital and the Navy Yard. According to
their usual custom the rebels signalized their
departure by destroying all that they could
lay hands upon
A GENERAL CONFLAaRATI0N.
About half past eleven o'clock on the
night of the 9th, the garrison of Pickens
and the troops encamped on the island were
startled by the report of two hundred mus.
kets which the rebel picket guard on the
opposite shore fred in rapid succession.
These were followed by two voleys of mus
kerry, when signal lights were sent up from
McRae to Pensacola, and the work of des-
truction commenced. The rebels set fire to
the conbustible material in the water bat.
terry below McRae, and Immediately after
flames burst out from that fort, the light
house, the marine hospital and the navy
yard; the villages of Warrenton and Wool.
sey, all the buildings between McRae and
the yard, and from an extensive oil factory
in the outskirts of Pensacola. The vandals
had made every preparation for the execu.
ton of their Infamous design, intending to
make clean sweep of everything that had
the stamp U. s. upon it, as we'll as the town
of Pensacola itself, and the Confederate
steamers which they could not remove be-.
| You'd our reach.
When the sentinels discharged their pieces
the officers at Santa Rosa thought the Con-
federates had gained victory, and took
this method to manifest their joy. But
when the flames leaped up at all the well
known points, within radius of ten miles,
their doubts were quickly dspeIled, and the
truth flashed upon their minds as the guns
left loaded and spiked in the forts and
batteries, heated by the flames, went off
one after another, keeping up brisk can.
nonade along the entire line of defence. By
the light of the conaagration the rebels
were seen running along the beach, carry
ing torches, with which they were firing
everything that fell in their way-barracks,
officers quarters, wharves, the buildings 10
the navy yard, and the frame of the ship
Fulton, on the stocks.
FORT PICKENs OPENS FIRE.
The facts being reported to General Ar.
mold, the commander of Fort Pickens, he
Immediately ordered the beat of the long
ROLL" and opened tremendous cannonade
from the barbette guns and the water bat
teries above the fort, for the purpose of
compelling the rebels to abandon their work
of destruction and hasten the evacuation of
the place. The firing was kept up five hours
with the desired effect The enemy were
driven from the Notifications, and in their
haste to escape abandoned and left stand
ing their camp, near the house of General
Chase, between the Lighthouse and Barran--
cas-. Their tents and large amount of
equipments were secured. By this prompt
and decisive action of General Arnold the
designs OF the traitors were ia measure
frustrated, and the result of the confagra--
tion was not so disastrous as from its mag
nitude was at first apprehended.
Soon as the rebe's had been dispersed
General Arnold sent an officer to the block
aiding schooner Maria j. Wood, then lying
off Fort PIckens, requesting the commander
to come into the bay, which he did-being
the first uesseI that has passed wnder the guns
| of McRae and Bar ancGS for ta0eJve months.
The schooner proceeded up to the city of
Pensacola, taking Captain r. II. jackson,
Abide Camp to General Arnold, and Act.
ing Assistant Adjatant General, who was
charged with o demand for the unconditional
! surrender of the place He landed and was
| met by about one hundred and fifty people,
and who with one single exception, mani
| tested unbounded JOY at the arrival of a
representative of the United States author
| ity. He found the wharves in flames, and
directed the people to extinguish them.
| They promptly responded to his request ;
the negroes emulatiDg the example of the
whit people, and chanting -"Dey have
come at last, dey have come at lastw
THE SURRENDER OF PENSACOLA.
| Captain Jackson proceeded to the house
of Mayor Booze, discovering as he went,
that the town appeared deserted; grass
| growing in the streets, and everything
wearing sad and forsaken appearance.
Upon the appearance Of the Mayor he made
the demand for an unconditional surrender
of the town and its defences. To which
demand the Mayor said he complied to the
extent OF bis au hosity, and added, 1" the
Confederates had SO long held sway there,
and usurped the power which rightlully bes
longed to the municipal authorities, that be
did not know really how much power be
had left" On returning to his vessel
Captain Jackson was told that the Con-
federates had attempted to excite the fears
of the people by telling them "as soon as
the Yankees came they would be let loose
upon them to outrage their women, pil,age
their houses and destroy their property
The people, however, were not at all ap.
prehensive after having seen the invaders,
who received assurances from all sides that
their presence was acceptable to the mas
ses.
Captain jackson was informed that three
or four companies of cavalry were picketed
some three or four miles from Pensacola, on
the road to Mobile, and subsequently learn.
| ed that there were one Thousand drapOOns