Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-05-13
From Fortress Monroe.

O'CLOCK Rus morning, pdgub lignt vi
observed from Porl Nouroe, 10 the dtrec'
ton Of Crany Island, which mas suPpOIes
At fret TO be = signal Of some description
from the steamer NerTimAe, Precisely 4
! hAll past iOur o'clock, an explosion tooi
place which made ths earth aud Watel
trembie for miles around,
( 10 the midst Of the bright aamps which
shot up through The distant blaze the lin
bcEs ADD iroR Of the monster steamer could
be seen aylag through the air and 10 aoubl
! vas entertained that tho VtFitable hltrri'
mac had ceased 70 exist
Z Flag officer GoIdsboIough on receiving
this report ordered IWo armed naval tugs,
the Zonorn and Dragon, to proceed to-
wards CrAnsy leland TO make recounOis-
sauee and ascertain the truth q the TumOr.
Immediately amer they had turned the
poiBt the Monitor and 4 A, SIcvenI steam-
ed up in The same direction followed BY
the San Jasinlo, susquehsns, Mount
Vernon, Seminole and DAeolah. II Was .
most beautiful sight and attracted thrOngs
Of spectators along the whOle line Of Old
Point.
Some were disposed to diSsrrdit the an
nouuesment that the SlertimAc had been
destroyed, and As they passed up towards
CrAnty Island the excitement became in
tense.
10 the meantime two tug boats we're seen
coming on towards Fortress Monroe at full
speed, each apparently sndeavoriUg to out-
vie the other, and when reaching the wharf
the radiant CountenAnee Of Capt, Case, Of
the Minnesota, gave assurance that the
news they brought was Of the most gra'I-
flying character
The report was true. He had met parts
Of the hoAting wreck, and all the eArth-
works Of the enemy appeared to be A6an.
dOued, though the rebel dag was still Hy.
ing, @
Lieut., Stlffldee, from the Dragon, had
landed With an armed crew, and taken
down the rebel dag, substituting the
slArs and stripes, amid tue cheering ofthe
crew.
Capt. Case Immediately reported the fact
to the President aud the Secretary Of War,
who received the confirmation Of the re-
port Of the picket boals with great salts.
faction. At the request OF the President,
Capt. Case Immediately proceeded to Graz
nCy Island, 10 ascertain II the works were
evacuated, inCODPnny with the tieet, which
VNs then advancing. sE8
Your cores p6ndeGt, with Mr.. Farrel, Of
tho n. Y. Herald, and the paymasler Of
the gallant little Zoulve, Captain PhllipU,
which figured 30 nobly Ia The 6ght With
the Merrlmac on her frat appearance, were
cOnrleously iGyited to accompany her on
the expedition.
We we're soon on the way and In . short
time overlook aud passed all the vessels Of
war which had started In advance Of us,,I
except the Monitor and Naugatuek, which
were moving ahead on their way TO Nor.
folk, having passed by SeWell's POintand
Granny Island. ifehls lati
aa We reared CEaaty Islabd We found
this immense fortress apparently abandon
ed, though three rebel Tags were floating
from very tall llAg.statIs, at different parts
Of the works.
Capt. Case, when within bali. a mile Of
shore ordered shot 10 be 6Eed to test the
fact Of the evacuation. The oply signs Of
life that the she'll produced was The appear
aHce Of Two negro men on the shore. A
boat was Immediately ordered oil, aud
through the courtesy Of the commander ]
participated 10 the honor Of lowering the
rebel emblem, substituting tue pride Of
America in It's place.
Com, Case was the first loyal man that
pressed bis foot on the soil Of this treRsOna-
BILE stronghold without thought Of tOrpe.
do or internal machine. The command.
ant rushed TO The flag staff and the hall
lizards being in good order the old aag was
soon given TO the breeze.
Tie forts on the Island are 10 four or
ave ssparats sections, constructed with
the best engineering skill, and Of most adj
mirable workmanship. They were len In
admirable condition, and great haste, as
were also the extensive barracks which had
accommodated during the winter a garrl-
son Of over 400.
There were supplies Of ammunition IN
sheds near each ofthe heavy guns mounted
in different parts Of the works. On the
maln point OF the Island commanding the
approaches to the river channel the works
was casemated.
Many Of the classmates were finished, in
EACH Of which were 8 OF 10 inch guns,
DahIgreehs, and the work Of
erecting ave more were 10 prOgresa At the
time Of the evacuation, in one Of which a
gun Was mounted.
Tho fort a the head Of tile Island, called
the Citadel, was not caSemate,l, but mona
ted.With 5 heavy gnns. zti1-
The whole number Of guns mounted was
30, Of which two were Parrots and num-.
Der Of riElsd DahlgFeeus; alGo about sig
guns Ia tho works that had not jet been
mounted. None Of them bad been re.
moved.
After spending ~ honF on the Island, we
proceeded towards Norfolk, Immediately
At the upper point Of the Island was found
4 mass Of blackened wreck floating on The
water, some Of it proceeding from the
suuken portions Of vessels We had also
papsed large quantities Of floating timber
on our way up, all Of which have been
torn and rendered Into 1pliuters.
From the men found on the Island, We
aScsrtained that the NeFrimAe had laid
during Saturday at q point nearly 8 mile
below the position Of which the fragments
we're observed, During The night, how.
ever, she had been brought back and run
ashore. Her entire officers and crew we're
landed on the Island, and q Glow match Rp.
piled to her magazine. She was rendered
10 fragments By the time the crew were ont
Of reach Of the failing fragments.
The negroes state that the officers and
crew passed through The adjoining country
on the mainland, about 8 o'clock 10 tho
morning. 10 the number Of over 800