Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-05-16

mates, and finished in fne style any works ofsimar
Kind have ever seen. sill mrhcr ON, upon The same
side, 10 still smother battery, while on the opposite s1oro
stands Fort Norfolk All these works toeoher eon.t-
tutr gauntlet which Il certainly would not be prudent
in any but the most powerful vessel Of war 70 attempt TO
run. Then, too just below these batteries, directly
across the channel has been driven line Of piles, an
opening being lef in tho middle for the passage Of
vessels intended however to be closed in emery nncy
by sinking the immense hulk Of the old United STATES,
which lies close by for preparation. Upon these piles,
the San Jaciuto As she vas going ia 10 day stuck lat
Tor couple of hours, but finally cxtcated herself With
| out injury.
The rebels succeeded in almost completely destroying
the Navy -yard last night Hundreds Of them busy
In setting FIRE to all the buildings and all the vessels and
this morning little remained but smoking ruins and a
dismal desolalion. The great Eastern and Wcs'crn
ship houses, the marine barracks, officers quarters,
smiths shops engine houses, sc All consumed.
The rebel. had built aud launched two iron vessels,
mounting four guns each aud bull in Vatcf-tight COM
partmens, 50 as 20 be raised aunk 81 pleasure These
were not intended 10 be propelled brt to De used az
uonary batteries Tor harbot defence else 20 be- owcd
out Ia ope ate gtnst our wooden vessels They wore
burned but not so seriously injured a. 10 be entirely USE
less number n small vessels and schooners were also
burned Great Efforts were made to destroy the dry
dock, but they were uusucccssful.
The magnificent Naval Hospital remains untouched -
Even the vandalism which has mukod 30 many ~ ihr
acts of tho rebels during this shrank from the
orogc uf firing this splendid structure.
good deal has been sld IN conversation here Of the
feeling II the citizens " Norfolk All the public ind-
cations Of sentiment BOO the city thus r have certainly
been the side 81 secession Scarcely half a-d1ztn
men have ven'urod % come out boldly Union men -
Dc uera tone NJ cont rr1font where you succeed iu
getting any, s dull dmclutcntcd and sour. dl not re-
gard this, however infalbIe indication N settled
political sentiment The people unquesionably feel
that they have been abandoned by their friends and
Quercd by the North This rs pleasant feeling
nd must be padoncd for not being able TO qucr
II on the instant nothing, during my stay n HE
city, which u is true short 20 indicate that
'pitcll hatred " the Union and its friends which has
been manifested IN Other quarters.
The negroes ont Ia fan forcc-and were all IN
their mos, milling holiday attire. Whether e. wa hc
military show always 50 fascinating 20 the negro mind
or ihc equally strong passion 1r something new, ~
sanguinc ptuu that all this conquest for their Ne
hooi DO not pretend say but they certainly seemed
90 be the PARTIES most deeply interested 10 the pageant {
to-day. Quite number " Irshmen were u the streets
and they mainly quite free 70 proclaim their salts
faction A. The changed aspect Of affairs had quite
political taik with dozen Of plain respectable
people collected the wharf They deplored the exist
ing state OF things bot thought the Ab0uonsts aiuy
20 blame for q, and said they glad more blood
had been shed because BE- would only oxasperate he feel
ngs Of The people and seemed after all that we should
hc Ob4 ed t1 live together ain Teuds bf -aud-Hye
From what they could learn they thought The state NJ
thing. very critical At Richmond. The uudcr.f audit r.
when Gen Hueer withdtew the troops fiom NJrflk
hat hey so direct by railroad 10 Petcr,hutgh
and thence ~ ri hmoud with view 90 = Ecucra. con
ccutrlDn " all the Southern troops fnr The defence Of
that city Ru they expressed good ded II appr,hen-
SION lest Mcclellan should reach Richmond in advance
N such concentration and there either u'trae BE- 30
once, or form Junction with Banks and NJ cDnwe ftu
the other side They had ad'ccs from Richmond GO f
g9Y h3hhH nut luef u'N'Ainel o'nlhB Neil my
The wing ot me gh continues 10 express The utmost
ronhdencein thoir ability 90 repfl he invaders I'D
believe have thus given you all ha' is " special
interest land more perhaps than you will taroadl
concerning the capture n No6 k,-incudns the Cos
port Navy yard Fort Norfolk, Cuney Island and AL he
batteries along 'he shore hy which The apfr1a hos Co
the City % De dcfeudod-Iud last. but not least.
the detrucou ~ iho dreaded monster Mcrtinao II
bIoodess victory, but a The precious that
count Nor any doubt that it is direct and boo
evifablc result of the surrender Of Yorktown and he
etrcat Of the great rebel army Afcr that cvcut the
fal or Norfolk simply question Of time n could
have been speedily sud clmpetss isolated and is sup
plies already running low lhc business % the place
is evidently runfd Grass j. literally growing iu what
were N her busiest and most blstiing
mcfcal streets The presence of thc army has given
stimulus certain limited kinds NJ business but nothing
upon which the prosperity VI great community can be-
based Everybody seemed 20 have bis pockets full Of
Confederate scrip and declared their belief that
every dollar Of 10 would be- redeemed But ths rafh
attempt bolster mp their faith in The only
Kind u money they had. than indication Of conf
dcnce Ia its substantial value