The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-05-28
The Evacuation of H'enssocO
Commander Portcr's Official Rcpori---
AhniTs at Mobile.

Special Dispatch to the y. Y. Tribune
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, May u, 1862
The following report concerning the
evacuation Of Pensacola, and the condition
ol affairs at Mobile, has been received at
the Navy Department from Com. Porter of
the mortar fleet:
L. : STEAMER lIRRuT LANE,
PENSACOLA. MAY II, 1863?
SIN: On the 7th inst, left Ship Island,
with the sieamcrs belonging 10 the mortar
iotilla and the SNchcm, for Mobile Bar, for
the purpose of fixing on place for the
mortar vessels to lie and to plant huuvS
for the shipa To- run in by when thcy should
arrive. Great excitement seemed 10 exist
within the forts on the appearance of our
steamers. have reason to think that For;
Gancs was cyacnatcd, and some were Of
opinion that the troops were leaving Fort
Morgan, hut think that they wcro rc-en-
| forcing ii from Fort Gaines.
One of our steamers. the Clifton, rot
ashore under the guns of Fort Morgan.
which opened fire on her, and when they
! had got her range beautifully, and were
! throwing the shot over, they stopped fin
! ing. Lieutenant Commanding Baldwin,
! went to work coolly, and got his vessel
! off Just as sent him assistance, and while
| had TO cover him from Commander Ran
! lolph's gmhoats, which were contcm-
! plating an attack ON him. Thinking
better of it, the Commodore went up TO
/ Mobile.
The weather being had | sent the stcrm-
crs back to Ship Isll'l and staid myself To-
relieve Lieutenant Commanding FehigHr
while he went to ship Island to coal. |
cruiscd that night in shore 20 the eastward
in hopes of picking mp some vessel trying
to run the blockade.
! At "a. m. "a brilliant lighf illuminated
/ the sky. and | discovered that the Navy
| Yard at Pensacola, Fort NcRca, the Naval
! Hospital, Warrington and somc parts Of
| Pensacola, were in flames Fort Pickrus
! homharding with shell, we stood for and
when light would permit. entered the llar-
Dor of Pensacola. | found all the above
mentioned places burning licrcclv, and
mostly in ashes. Without communicating
with the fort, proceeded To the town of
| Pensacola where found that Gen, Arnold
| had already sent Capt. Jackson, of the army,
in the schooner Wood to call upon the
town TO surrender. / sent for the Mayor
ou board the Harriet Lane, who promised
! that the citizens would behave themselves
lpcaccahly.
/ found that the rebels evacuated tho
place ON hearing that our steamers the day
, before, were going 10 run into Mobile Bay,
and the squadron and mortar hotila would
soon follow them. \ thousand rebels were
Icncnnpcd five miles outside of Mobile.
They had destroyed everything that time
would permit. Fort BawauCas, the Marine
Barracks, Muster Office in the yard, one
new stone hnidmg, the smithcry, believe
and the shears are s'ill in fair state OF
preservation. The yard was SO hot that
did not go into il
General Arnold having no steamer at
lcom"aud and no means of transportation
II placed the Harriet Lane AZ his service
land at O'clock had 100 man, two pieces OF
artillery, aud horses aud somc luggage
carts on the other side, when the troop,
took possession and hoistcd once moro ,h,
United States Flag ON the forts and Navy
Yard so long occupied by thorohels,
We land 90Gmorc men ON the other sid,
Tonight when shalt proceed to hunt NJ
some steamers for General Arnold TO kecl
open communication between tho Unite,
Statcs troops and 10 cover them # attack
, ed. lie is without any support of thi,
kind, 50 necessary to General in his posi-
ton
DAVID d. PORTER.
Commanding Flot.lla
Hon, GrnroN WELLEs, Secretary Of tn,
Navy,