Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-03-13

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South Atlantic squadron arrived here tonight
bringing an official dispatch from Com. Du-
pont, of which the following is a copy,
FLAG SHIP MoHIcAs. Harbor Of Fer.p
nandina, Fla, March 4, 1852. (
SIR had the honor to inform you in
my last dispatch that the expedition for Fer
nandina was equipped and waiting only for
suitable weather to sail from Port Royal
l have now the pleasure to inform you that
l am in full possession of Cumberland Island
and the Sound of Fernandina, and Amelia 8
Island and the river and town of St. Marys.
l sailed from Port Royal on the last day of
February in the Wabash, and on the I'd in
slant entered Cumberland Sound by St. An
drew's Inlet in the Mohican, Commander s
w Godon, on board of which ship have
hoisted my flag.
The fleet comprized the following vessels,
sailing i'll the order named: Ottawa,
Mohican, accompanied by the Etna, Semin-
ole, Pawnee, Pocahontas, Flag, Florida,
James Adger, Bienville, Alabams, Keystone
State, Seneca, Huron, Pembine, Isaac Smith,
Penguin, Patoniska, the armed cutter Heun-
itta, the armed transport Mcclellan, the lat
ter having on board the battalion of marines
under the command of Major Reynolds, and
the transports Empire City, Marion, Star of
the South, Belvidere, Boston and Georges
Creek containing brigade under the com.
mand of Brgadler Gen. Wright.
| We came to anchor in Cumberland S und
at half past ten on the morning of the second,
TO make an examination of the channel and
wait for the tide.
Here l learned from a contraband who
had been picked up at sea by Commander
Lanler, and from the neighboriug residents
on Cumberland Island, that the rebels had
abandoned in haste the whole of the detences
OF Fernandina, and were even at that mo-
ment retreating from Amelia Island, carry
ing with them such OF their munitions as their
precipitate flight would allow. The object
OF carrying the whole fleet through Cumber.
| land Soun DIS was to burn the heavy works on
| the South end of the Cumberland and the
North Of Amelia Island but on receiving
this intelligence detached the gunboats and
armed steamers OF light drausht from the
main line, and placing them under the COM
mand of Commander P. Drayton of the
steam sloop Pawnee. l ordered him to
push through the Sound at the utmost speed
to save public and private property from
threatened destruction, to prevent poisoning
wells, and to put stop to all those outrages,
by the preparation of which the leaders of
this nefarious war hope to drive and exas-
perate the Southern people.
In the meantime | went out of the So nd
and came by the sea to the main entrance of
this harbor. In consequence of bad weather,
| was unable to cross the bar till this morning
Commander Drayton accompanied by C. R.
Z. Rodgers, with the armed launches and
cutters and the small armed companies from
the Wabash, had arrived several hours Be-
fore me. Immediately on entering the harbor,
Commander Drayton sent Lieut.. White of
the Ottawa, to hoist the flag on Fort Clinch,
the first OF the national Forts on which the
ensign of the Union has resumed its proper
place since the first proclamation of the
President of the United States wss issued.
few scattering musket shots were fred
from the town by the flying enemy, when it
was discovered that a railroad train was
about TO start, Commodore Drayton on board
the Ottawa and Lieut.. Commanding Stevens
chased this train for two miles and fred sew
eral shots at it, aiming at the locomotive, some
OF which took effect.
TWAS reported that the Hon. David Guile
late Senator ofthe United States from the,
State of Florida, escaped from this train and
took to the bush.
Commander C. R. P. Rodgers Ipushing
ahead with the launches captured the rebel
steamer Darlington containing military stores,
army wagons, mules, forage, &C., and fortu-
nately secured the draw bridge which was
held during the night by the second launch
OF the Wabash. There were passengers,
women and children in the Darlington, and |
the brutal Captain suffered her to be fired |
upon, and refused to hoist a white flag not
outstanding the entreaties of the women.
No one was injured. | sent the Captain
of the steamer home prisoner. His name
is Jacob Brock. He is native of Vermont,
but he has been resident of Florida for |
twenty-three yeas. rs
The same night Commander C. R. p.
Rodgers assembled the St. Mary's win the
Ottawa and took possession of the town, driv-
ing out picket of the enemy's cavalry. |
Early in the morning, the town of Fernan-
dina was also occupied by party of scanned |
and marines from Commander Drayton's |
command. In both places the inhabitants |
had fed by order it is said ofsthe rebel au-
thorities. A company OF seamen and marines |
under Lieut.. Muller, was sent from the |
Mohican to hold Fort Clinch.
1t reported to me by Lieut.. Commanding
Downer of the Huron, that lthe whole struc- |
ture of the railroad on the Fernandina side, |
including the swinging draw bridge, is quite
unipjured. The rebels have done some dam
age by fire to the trestle work on the other |
side OF the river, but am not yet informed |
OF Its extent Several locomotives, baggage |
cars, tenders, freight cars and some other
property besides that found in the ste amer
Darlington, have been recovered.
The whole number of guns discovered up
to this time is l3, embracing heavy s2-pound-
ers, inch, and one 80, and one 1901 pound
er, rihed guns.
The towns of St Marys and Fernandina
are uninJured | have visited the town, fort,
church, and the earth works on the sea face |
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