The national Republican., 1862-03-20
The Tahins and Occupation Of
~ -. Assustins.
INTERESTING PARTICULARS.

fFs -N Si, 5.'
The United States supply steamer Rhode
Islsnd, with malls and dispatches from the
Gull, arrived al Hampton Roads on The 18th
instant. During her trip she supplied ninety.
eight vessels with fresh provisions II e,
Among the interesting documents received
at the Navy Departments is the following from
Commander c. R. P. Rogers, addre ssed TO Flag
Otacer Dupont ' ." .' "..,.'.
US. FLAGSHIP. W ABAsH,
or st, Augustine, Florida,
March Is, 1862.
Sin Having crossed the bar with some dini.
Guilty, In obedience To your order approached
ST. Augustine under flag Of truce and as !
drew near the city, white dag was hosted
upon one of the bastiops Of Fort Marion.
Landing al the wharf and cnquiring for the
chief authority, I was soon Joined by the Mayor
and conducted TO the City Hall, where the mu
nicipal authorities were as,embled informed
them that, having como 10 restore the authority
Of the United Statea. you bad deemed |! more
KIDD 10 send an uuarmed boat TO inform The
citizens OF your determination, than 10 occupy
the town at once by force Of arms; that you
were desirous to calm any apprehension Of
harsh treatment that might exist 10 their minds,
and that you sh oud carefully respect The per-
sons and properly Of all citizens who submitted
TO tn, authority Of the United States; thai you
had single purpos! 10 restore The state OF
affairs which existed before the rebellion. J
informed the municipal authorities that so long
as they respected the authority Of the Govern
| lneni We serve, and acted in good faith munici
pal affairs would be left in their hands, ~ far
"a might be consistent with the exigcncics OF
the times. The mayor and council then in
formed me that the place had been evacuated the
preceding nigh, by two companies Of Florida
troops, and ba, they gladly received the assl,r.
ance gave them, aud placed the city in my
hands 1 recommended them To hoist The d "
Of The Union al once, and In prompt accord
aucs with the advice, by order of the mayor,
the national ensign wss displayed from The
flag .a,af Of the fort.
The mayor proposed TO turn over to me the
fine canon mounted at the fort, which are 10
good condition aud not spiked; aud also the
few munitions ri war left by the rciresiing
eueny.
desired him to take charge OF them ior Ibc
present, 10 mike careful inventories, and es-
tsbli4h patrol aud guard, Informing him that
be would he held responsible for the place I'M
| I'll our force should enter The ha,bor.
| called upon the clergymeu oi the city, re-
| ques,ing them To rc,ssnrs their people and 10
coniide in our hind intentions toward them.
About fifteen hundred persons remain in 81.
Augustine about one itth Of the inhabitants .
having He'd. | believe that there arc many
citizens who are earnestly attached 10 the
Union; large number who arc silently op.
posed 10 IL, and a still larger number who caro-
very little about tho matter. | think that
nearly all he men acquiesce In the condition oi
affairs we are now establishing
There 10 much violent and pcstient feeling
among the women; they seem 10 mistake rea
son for courage. and have theatrical desire 10
figure as heroiues. Their minds have doubt,
less ben filled With the falsehoods 80 Indus
triously circulated in regard 10 The lual and
hatred Of our troops.
On the night bpfors our arrival, u party Of
women assembled in front ol The barracks, and
cut down The Hsg-staN, in order that it nigh,
not be li'ed to support ID" old nag.
The lncn seemed anxious IN coDcliia'e ~ Ia
every way.
There is great scarcity Of proviaou3 10 the
place. There scehls TO he no money, cxcep,
the wrctched paper currency of the rebellion,
and much poverty exists.
10 the water battery AT the fort are three
tine army thirty.two pouudcrs, of seven thou
sand pounds, aud tw1 six scawash howizers oi
fifty ak hnudred pound', with shot and some
powder. There are number Of very old guns
10 the fort, useless and not mounted Sey"ra
good guns were taken away some mouths ago
to arm batteries at other hsrbers.
The gHrrison Of The place went from St. Au
guetine al midnight, on the 10th, Tor Smyrna
where are said 10 be about eight hundred
troops, q battery, the steamer Carolina, and .
considerable quantity of arms and ammunition
1t is positively stated that The Governor has
ordered the abandonment Of East Florida. ant
proposes TO make a stand near Apslac
Mr.. Dennis, Of the Coast Survey, who accompa
MED ma. rendered me much valuable aid.