The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-21
(Our War Correspondence
Letter from Florida.
L ERSASDIN

| TERNASDlNA, rla., ApTl II, loo-.
The boat which recently came down, brought
orders from General Hunter to General
| Wright Tor him to evacuate Jacksonville, reen-
force st. Augustine and Fernandina, and return
TO Hilton Head with the balance of the troops.
The General and staff were indignant at the
idea of leaving the people Of jacksonville to the
mercies of the saressionists. hut of course we
had - obey orders from superior Uticels. Gems.
Sherman and Wright had gwen the people as
surances that the U. S. troops would protect
them. They had called a State Convention to
elect d Governor. Members of Congress, &c.
All the people in the vicinity were returning
to their homes, and we should have had all East
eTn Florida, and u loyal Governor and Members
OF Congress, in a short time. A City Election
vas to be held Monday, the -th, and that morn
ing the General sent for some Of the prominent
c!Jlz9ns lad informed them OF his orders 0 eyac-
uate the place. | never saw such CONSERVATION
IS there was among them. About 1870 had
signed the call for the State Convention. and
not one OF them dared to stop after our troops
Fad orders TO leave, as they would surely be
Killed by the secesh | was really in hopes we
we're to stop n jacksonville Tor some time. The
people were the best citizens have met with in
the South, most OF them originally from the
North. went to church with Mr. Fri.ser's
family On Sunday. met his daughter the next
beautiful young lady. She said,
. is TINS the protection the u. S. Government
promised us? We must now leave or De muir
uered could not say anything, felt so
mortified, only that Gen. Wright had impera-
i've orders to evacnate the place and 20 to Hill
ton Head. She sale, if we had not come to jack
sonvlle at all the city would not have been
burned, and they would have had some chan G
Tor their lives, but they must now leave. An
oihcer of the gunboat Ottawa was with me. and
he promised her that her family should be taken
away, and everything that they could get ready
:" carry with them, by Tuesday morning. We
we're short of Transportation for our own troops
md Others, but Gen. " hit and Capt. Stevens,
IT the Ottawa, told all those who wanted to
cave TO collect their most valuable effects and
hey should go with to Fernandina and al
on Head. Monday, and Monday night, and all
lay tuesday every one was packing up ard rush.
nS thnEs down TO the wharves Two steamers.
our gunboats, and five schooners were freighted
iown with ali they could float under The Gen.
md stan We're on the " Steamer Cosn0poitan.''
v had 100 troops and about 200 men, women.
hldren and negroes Oh board. We apprehend-
d thai we IN ght have trouble in gong DOWN
he river. The gunboats shelled two places ia
oinins down bat we saw no enemy. We ar
wed here lasc evening, and shall leave most of
ne citizens here, until we can learn when a
tTamer leaves 70" New York. as there are no
ccomnodatlonsa at Hil,on Head for 50 manv.-
-he most OF the n. Il. Regiment is now at St
Augustine. Three companies n H., with the
aa'ne 9th. we shall leave here, and 90 to Hill
on Head wiki the 9th Pa. do no, know
here we shall 20 rom there perhaps remain,
= 60 to some OF the Islands IN the vicinity of
ayannah. Mr. Robinson aud family have zone
New York. saw them on Sunday Mrs. r.
niece OF Mr. Barnes of Montpelier, believe.
hey went on the guuboat Seneca 10 Hi on |
lead.