The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1862-05-23

The CAPTURE OF NoRFoLK.-From a gen.
teman who but recently left Norfolk, and
who witnessed the occupation of that ia
nous city, we gather many items of inter
est, and which, we doubt not, are strictly
true .
1t appears that President Lincoln plan
ned the movement and selected the point at
which to land the troops. When he pro-
posed the taking of Norfolk, General Wool
''poohed," and remarked that the Presi-
dent did not understand military move
ments. Nevertheless, the President deter
termined the work should go on, and its
success is now a matter of history.
The Merrimac. in her encounter with the
Monitor, as is now ascertained, suffered
very much, the shot fired at her though not
penetrating the plating, shivered the tim
bers, sending the spliuters in all directions,
whilst those shot which struck below the
water line caused a leaking that rendered
immediate retreat necessary. This retreat
was fastened by the Monitors crushing
portion of the steering tackle of the Mer-
rimsc "A panic ensued on board the Mer-
rimac, and preparations were made to scut-
tie her, when she ran aground. The Moni-
tor not following they made great exer-
tons and got of, and proceeded at once to
Norfolk and placed her in the dock, where
she remained for FIVE weeks, keeping the
city excited by tho runlor that the little
Monitor was coming up.
When our treeps occupied the city boat
was at once dispatched to the Merrimac,
then lying at anchor off Craney Island, to
give them notice. One of two things were
60 be done at once Commodore TatnalPs
orders were to go up the James river if
possible, if not, to blow the vessel up
The Galena and other gunboats had al
ready entered that river and they drawing
but twelve feet water, could lay off, out of
reach of the monster of 81 feet draft, effect
ualy blockading the river above and pre-
venting supplies from coming down, while
the Monitor cut off all retreat down the
river. Besides all this the Merrimac was
leaking so badly that dry dock was abso-
lutely necessary to her safety. None being
comatable, there was left the only alterna-
tive to blow the beast up, which was ac-
cordingly done at o'clock next morning
Commodore Tatnall was SO feeble that
he had to be carried ashore in a hammock
The crew of the Merrimac were panic
stricken and strewed the road with their
arms, clothing and blankets for miles in
their fight. Many of the crew had been
E pressed, ard these at once come to Norfolk,
delivering themselves into our hands
When the news of the blowing up Of the
Merrimac reached Norfolk the people swore
it was not SO, and boosted that she was
great institution and would yet save the
Confederacy. GAa s
But when part Of. the Merrimac's crew
reached Norfolk, and the people were con-
WINGED that their pet destroyer was nc
more, the elongalion of faces aud the drop
ping Of under jaws were painful to be-
hold.
About IL o'clock the Monitor and Nam
gatuck came up. The Monitor tied up to
the herrimac's buoy, where she lay the
wonder and admiration of the rebels, who
stood aghast at the bare idea Of yielding
to the power of the hated Yankees. other
vessels arrived during the day, and the
Monitor aud NaDgatuck followed the Ga
lena up the James River. The Federal
soldiers invested largely in Confederate
shinpiasters, of which many rare specimens
were found sat ra1
The Navy Yard was burnt by the rebel
soldiers against the earnest protestations Of
the citizens, who bad sent -deputation 10
Richmond to beseech JEFF Davis to have il
saved. The value Of The property destroy
ed here is estimated at not less than So
100000. The last thing the rebel army
did before leaving Portsmouth was TO COL
lect all the tobacco in the town, and after
distributing iberallyl to the niggers, they
heaved the balance in the river, then burn-
ing what little cotton was to be found,
they skedaddled.