The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-02-22

but not so with the brave and intrepid
Rowan, whose motto is to charge bayo-
nets on the enemy whenever and wher-
ever he may be found. In action the
position of the commanders ship is in
center of the squadron. The Delaware,
Captain Rowan's flag ship, was at the
head of the advancing column, and led
the van. No attention was paid to the
fort or armed schooner, as they dashed
by them through perfect torrent of
shells and grape, boarded the Rebel
steamers, and engaged them at the point
of the bayonet, as the panic stricken
Rebels leaped into the water in every
direction. Many were killed by the
bayonet and revolver IN this hand-.o-
hand fight, and sank below the water.-
Their real loss will doubtless never be
known to lis i; the slaughter, however,
was fearful, and the struggle short and
dcsperatc-not more than fifteen minutes
in duration.
The fort ard armed schooner were
deserted quite as soon as were the Re bel
s Gamers, for it was made quite as hot
work for those behind the guns as it
was for their confcderaes on the gun
boats. Our loss is two killed and about
a dozen wounded-all seamen. The
death-struggle was brief. In less time
than 1T would take to write telegrsphic
dispatch, the victory was ours.
The Commodore Perry was in the
advance, and made for the Rebel steamer
Sea Bird, the flagship of the Rebel Navy,
on which was Commodore Lynch, and
run her down, cutting her through
The Ceres run straight into the Rebel
steamer Ellis, and run her down in like
manner, boarding her at the same time.
The Underwater took the Forrest in
the same style, while the Delaware took
the Fanny in fine shape, she having
received ten shots from our squadron,
which made daylight through her in as
many places. The Morse, Shawshccn,
Lockwood, HctzeI, Valley City, Putnam,
Whitehead, Blinker, and Seymour also
covered themselves with glory. Every
officer and man in our entire squadron
behaved like hero, one as brave as the
other, all through this desperate charge.
The terrified Rebels, as they forsook
their gunboats, fired them, and thus all
but the Ellis were burned, including
new one on the stocks. Four were
burned, one captured, and two made
their escapc-the Raleigh and Beaufort.
They arc in the canal which leads to
Norfolk, but are not able to go through,
on account Of the locks having been des-
troyed consequently they will be cap
turcd before this reaches you, as they
can 60 only some few miles toward
Norfolk:
The log-books of the steamers,
together with the signal-book of the
Rebel navy, and all their navy signal
colors, fell into our hands, with many
other records and papers, which places
us in possession of much that is val
liable.
This great naval victory gives us full
and complete possession of the inland
waters of North Carolina. We have
learned where the rest of the Rebel
s'eamers, now few iii number, are to be
found, and rest assured they are all
destined to fall into our hands in short
order, perhaps before this reaches you.
When it became evident that nothing
but disaster awaited them, the Rebels,
after firing their gunboats, fled to the
village, and commenced firing the princi-
pal buildings. 1t is said that Colonel
Martin of Hatteras memory, fired con-
siderable of his own property before
fleeing. An officer Of the Wise Legion
was caught mounted, riding through the
village, pointing out buildings to be
burss. The village had been deserted
by most of the population. Those who
remained, were in great fright, and under
the delusion that the object of our Wis
itation was to burn the town, and that
they would be cruelty treated. Captain
Rowan availed himself of the first
moment to disabuse them of this idea,
and assured them he came to give them
protection, and besought them to cease
iuhicting injury on themselves by set
ting fire to their beautiful village. A
prominent physician came to the dock
and sought a converse ion with Captain
Rowan, who repeated these assurances,
which had the effect to cause them to
stay the further application of the torch.
But several of the best buildings were
already in flames, among them the court
house. An application was made to
Captain Worden to assist in putting out
the flames, but as his feet embraced but
limited number of men, and as his own
boa's might in their absence be fred
and in addition to this, there being but
little prospect, since the insane Rebels
had rendered worthless the hose by cut
ting it, of accomplishing more than
drawing upon him the lie that he had
fired the village, he properly declined to
allow his men to 60 ashore: He was
visited by several Union men, one of
whom assured him that there were three
thousand others in the county, but who
dared not avow themselves as SUCH
Negroes flock in large numbers to the
landing place, and INDUCED in demon
strations of welcome, and brought poul-
try, eggs, and other things, to sell, and
received greater price than they asked.
The news Of the capture of Roanoke
Island was not generally known and
the assurance that it was feally so, and
that nearly three thousand had been
taken prisoners, created great surprise,