The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-04-14
This xvseaasisn sf rsrHacdiaa-Csl Nd
ward H,pkiss's Report.
H1AroUARrnss 4TH Rnar FLA VoLs


SIR: Your order TO tv.caa,e n, Isan, OF
Amelia was receivsh on Tnssds y, he 1S.h day
OF February, 1861 La ace ,sda, &c. with that
order L c-csal ed fuliy wi ID Colonel Nc Blair,
mathod Of fleeing the important duiy spsct-
ally ss,ignsi him l furnished him with
such details OF men rs were deeUad n<cSs.
sary, and in abort all things which our po-
sition would aimit o..
On Saturday, March list, i ordered Captain
! Martin, "nlarion Art,ilery,' TO place his
battalion two miles bsyoi the railroad
bridge, on the main land leaving s.ioug
guard to protect the same, ard 10 Is.urn with
The rest OF his comm and to the isls nd, which
b . did, and rendered me import mt service TO
the end. I also directed Captain owens, com
III anding "Marion DTaSoons" to axe his
horses TO the position assigned ths ar rlillsry,
End returned, the necessary guard excepted
to the island. This dismountsd corps, under
Its efficient commander, was ussfui to me
throughout.
had previously caused she citizens Of Fer
nandina to be notified that ampi" transt or
tat.on would be furnfshe all who desired to
leave the city, sha: orderl had bsen issusd for
that purpose. Finding shat the citizens paid
attsn Il IN to this notice les ued, SSatnr-
day, March lst, a written notice. to Wit That
on Sunday, March I'd, at 10 O'Clock M a
special sr6in would leave the city expressly
for the transportation Of all vomeR and
children dssirOus OF leaving; but little heed
seems TO have been given this second admo
EttiOn.
ads was made by the enemy until Su rday, I'd
OF March. Abont o'clock A. IL. q Dark,
bearing French colors, appeared In the offing,
and hoisted signals for pilot, whersupon
Lieut.Co Holland, of the heavy artillery
went opt to her with q white II is &, taking With
him six soldiers of the 4th Florida regi n ent
She proved to be Fsdsral vessel, and they
were captured by the per fidious crait and
.nksn OFF. have the happiness 30 state thai t
they have since been released, anu are again
ut their posts.
Abou. ten O'Clock the same day several ships
hove In sight, bore down near ths bar and az !.
ehored. 1t becsma svidsnt that an attack
would be made on Mesday, the Sd. Our posi-
ton was critical AS the enemy had fuiI view
OF my quarters, Is wss uscss .ayy that he
u.ual camp quist sho ALI prevail 1t was not
unril half past six O'clock 2. I'd thal issued
tn order to break camp and transport every
thing to the railroad depot This was efr,c,sd
by two O'Clock the next morniuK. At III early
hour in the night resolved a disp ltch from
Colonel styles, saying that from nnatsen to
twenty-one OF the enemy's gUnboats wsre in
st. Andrews Soul d, Of which fact Colonel
&c Blair was duly no;ifie0. In consequence
Of this informa.ion he very properly placed
his command an route Tor the city, Wher e
tney arrived about halfpast one O'Clock
A. ii
IT one in the morning Of Monday, re-
paired to town, ami a. haif-p pas; O'clock A.
n ordered all the troops, thr.e mpantes
Of the 4th Florida regimen: excepted, 10
take up the line Of march 70 the mainland
lection of the citi2sns. For tho mora speedy
removal OF our eqapaxe, no trains Ware psr-
mttted 70 90 beyond two miles OF the rail-
road bridge. The rush for succor and aid
! v as perpiex;ng, Duty on the one side and
commiseratiCn for he sn ferers en the other,
reu dered my position very distressing. 81 IL
o'ellck ~, was informed that four of tia
en4my's gunboats had C mo :oupd the north
end OF Cumberland Island and entered the
Sound. 81 o'clock, IL was reported TO ne
that thsY were moving across whereupon /
ordered the companies to file across the
bridge, and at 2 O'Clock p. y in company
with Col. McBlair, / lsft Farnandina 1t
was now eli traias should have be- n removed
70 u place OF safaty, AID no difficulty would
have occurred.
The thTss companies behaved well. There
was no contasiun-not ths slightest. The
train drsd inso vas not Injured. On TUaa-
day Mt 1 o'clock 4. M., ordered Cd Lieut..
Cecsle, Company 4tb kIorida volunteers.
TO burn the tTestis work or the si6s rext the
III m,iniand, which he ccOn plisnsd under lire
OF thosnemy q gunboas without ioss.
TDu Fre swiT3, Sir, my orders rsstfictad ma
entirely 20 my inms3iata command, Col. NC
Eis!r having full charge Of the batteries --
LII conclusion, l would sdd, that nothiog
a. lost belonging 10 my c3m'nand. ny III
hoaIth prevented al S@Tlter rapport, as we'll rs
one uiors fail and c0Dpte,a II dctaii
Very respectfully, ycur ob't socv't.
EDw D HOPKINS,
Dol Com. 4th Fla. Vols.