Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-07-03

Seward, who has already refused the lntorma ton with brutal and contemptuous insult. Ht did not care for the opinion of Kentucky! He meant to h0}d Ter in the Union by the strong arm of power! Let her complain of the out rages upon her people if she choose-her pro tests and appeals moved him so little that hf was constrained to borrow word from the pot house to express his contempt for them.
 - ..-sSe>---
 Why the Virginia" was Thrown Away
 Under date of Richmond May IA, Josiaf Tatnall, who ordered the destruction of the late Confederate steamer Tirginia, has addressed the following letter to Secretary Mallory:
 SIR: In detailing to you the circumstances which caused the destruction of the C. S Stea' mer Tirgtnia and her movements a few days previous to that event, l begin with your tele graphic dispatches to me of the 4th and 5tE inst, directing me to take such position Ill the James river as would entirely prevent the enc nys ascending It.
 Gen. Huger, commanding at Norfolk, on learn ing that 1 had received this order, called on me and declared that its execution would oblige biIe to abandon, immediately, his forts on "Cra- nev Island" and "Sewell's Point and theiI guns to the enemy. informed him, that as the order was imperative, l must execute 1t, but sugg ssted that he should telegraph you and state the consequences. He did so, and, on the 9th inst. you telegra phed me to endeaVor to afford protect ion to Norfolk well as the James river, which replaced me in my original position. l then arranged with the General that he should notify me when his preparations for the eVacua- ton of Norfolk were sufficiently advanced to enable loe to act independently
 On the 7th inst, Commo dore Hollins reached orCa and such officers as I might se.' 'ect in regard to the best disposition to be made O. the |"gt"t@ under the present aspect of things.
 We had arranged the conference for ihe next day, the 8th, but on that day, before tl>e hour appointed, the enemy attacked the Sewelfs "ont battery, and left immediately with the Th'Ql- nio to defend 1t.
 We found six of the enemy's vessels, includ ing the iron-clad steamers Monitor and Adnga luck, shelling the battery. We passed the bat tery and stood directly for the enemy for the purpose of engaging him, and thought an action certain, particularly, as the Minnesota and Tdnder6W, which were anchored below Fortress Monroe, got under way and stood up to that point, apparently with the intention of join ing their squadron in the Roads. Before, how ever, we got within gun>shot the enemy ceased firing and retired with all speed under the pro lection of the guns of the Fortress, followed by the TiYYiaju until the shells from the Rip Raps'' passed over her.
 The Vuginia was then placed at her moor ings near Sewell's Point, and returned to Nor folk 10 hold the conference referred to.
 It was held on the 9th, and the officers pre- sent were Col. Anderson and Capt. -, of the army. selected by Gen. Huger, who was too unwell to attend himself, and of the navy, my self, Commodore Rollins, Captains Sterrett and Lee Commander Richard l.. Page and Lieuts. Ap Catesby Joses and J. Pembroke Jonss.
 The opinion was unanimous that the ITgi' nia vas then employed too the best advantage, and. she should continue for the present, to protect Norfolk, and thus afford time to remove the public property.
 On the next day at 10 o'clock 9. m., we ob- served from the Tirginjd that the flag was not flying on the Sewell's Point battery, ana. that t appeared to have been abandoned dispatched Lieut. J. ?. Jones, the flag Heutenant to Ora ney Island, where the Confederate flag was still flying, and he there learned that Q large force of the enemy had landed on the Bay shore, and were marching rapidly yon Norfolk, that the Sew ell's Point battery was abandoned, and our troops were retreatng. l then despatched the same officer to Norfolk, to confer with Gen. Huger and Capt. Lee. He found the Navy Yard in flames. and that all its officers had left by rail- road. On reaching Norfolk he found that Gen. Huger and all the other officers of the army had also left that the enemy were within half mile of the city and that the Mayor was treating for its surrender.
 On returning to the ship, he found that Cra> ney Island and all the other batteries on the river had been abandoned.
 It was now seven o'clock in the evening, and this unexpected information rendered prompt measures necessary for the safety of the IT- gtaia.
 The pilots had assured me that they could take the ship, with draft of eighteen feet, to within forty miles of Richmond.
 This, the chief pilot MT. Parrish, and his chief assistant, MT. Wright, had asserted, again and again; and on the afternoon of the 7th, in my cabin, in the presence of Commodore Hol~ lins and Capt. Sterrett, in reply to question of mine, they both emphatically declared their ability to do so.
 Confding in these assurances, and, after con sultng with the first and flag leutenants, and learning that the officers, generally, thought 1t the most iudicious course, determined to tighten the ship, at once, and run up the river for the protection of Richmond.
 All hands, having been calledon deck, sta ted to them the condition of things, and my hope that, by geltng up me rlNer pelore the enemy could be made aware of our design we might capture his vessels which had ascended it. and render efficient aid in the defence of Richmond, but that. to effect this, would require all their energy in Tightening the ship. They replied with three cheers, and went to work at once.
 The pilots were on deck and heard this ad dress to the crew.
 Being quite unwell, had retired to bed Between one and two c o'clocll in the morning the first lieutenant reported to me that, after the crew had worked for ise CT six hours and lifted the ship, so as to render her unfit for action, the pilots had declared their inability to carry eigh- teen feet above the Jamestown Flats, up to which point the shore, on each side, was occupied by tbo