Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-04-02
nRuNswroK. GA. ooour1En.

WASHINGTON, April 1.-The navy depart
ment has received reports from Commodore
Dupont, narrating the particulars of the TAX
ing possession of Brunswick, Ga, by Com.
Gordon of the Mohican, accompanied by the
PocahOntas and Potomska, without opposition.
The town was entirely deserted, and nearly
all the movable property was taken away.
The railroad depot and wharf were burned by
the retiring rebels, and the lighthouse on ST.
Simons was destroyed. Procamations were
posted on several public buildings, urging the
inhabitants to return to their homes and prom
Using protection to the property of all good cit.
liens The forts at st. Simon's Island CON
sisted OF strong earthwOrks of considerable
extent, having had eleven guns mounted,
some of them OF l0inch bore The fort on
Jekyl Island was a much stronger position
with five casemates finished and covered with
railroad iron, and very well built, and two I'M
finished casemates, with the iron ready to be
put up.
The navy department has received the fol.
lowing -
FLAG SHIP WABASH, OFF ST. JOINS, FLA,
March 81, 1S62-ST:-S my last dis
patch of the 18th inst. have received anoth-
er Interesting report from commander Cor
don, giving the details of a reconnaissance by
the inland passage from Brunswick to Daren,
a copy of which | enclose. Commander Cor
don, with the PocahOntas, and lieutenant COM
mandng Balch, and the Potomska acting
lieutenant commanding Watnough, with the
launch and howitzer of the Mohican in charge
of Lieut. Miller, proceeded to open the interi-
or communication between st Simons sound
and the Atamlha river. He soon encounter.
ed an obstruction consisting of a double row
of heavy piles, with their tops just above wa
ter at low tide
In Il lew hours a sufficient number were re.
moved, and the Pocahontas and Potomska
passed through, but had advanced only five
miles further when another obstruction of the
same kind was met with. After an unavoida.
BILE delay, owing to the rising of the tide, this
also was removed and both vessels entered
the Altamaha. AS they turned into the river.
two rebel steamers were seen moving off from
the wharf at Darien with a full head of steam
rendering pursuit useless, particularly as the
braces Of the POtOmskas shaft bearing had
broken, in measure disabling that vessel.
Commander Gordon learned from some con-
p trabandS who came off from the shore that
Darien like Brunswick, was deserted, a com.
pany OF horsemen only remaining in the town,
with the intention of firing the place, should
the steamers approach. Owing to the crippled
condition of the Potomska, Commander Cor
don did not deem it advisable to push his
reconnaissance further, and accordingly re.
turned through the passage he had cleared to
Brunswick. He visited a number of planta-
tions on St. Smon's Island, but with one
exception all were deserted, though some time
previously 1900 troops were quartered there.
Commander Gordon speaks in warm terms
of lieuent commanding Balch and acting lieu
tenant commanding Watnougl, as well as the
officers ard crews of all the vessels under his
command, in which heartily concur, deBir.
ing, however, to add my commentator of the
zeal and ability of commander Gordon himself
in carrying out my views in reference to our
occupation OF this important section of the
coast Of Georgia. Very respectfully, &C.,
S. L. DUPoNT, alag Officer.
Extract from Commander Gordon's Report.
II have been from one end OF St. Simon's
Island to the other; but one white man is left
on il. l saw him. lie is with his aged mother
and little child. He had never been in the
army, refused to leave his house, and was in
mortal dread OF our coming, as the military
had informed him that we came for the pur.
pose Of destroying even the women and chill.
dren We procured beet for the vessels at his
plantation, tor which we paid the price he
asked. aud furnished the family with some
articles, such as coffee, salt, &c, which articles
they had not even seen for months. We
stopped at one or two other plantations on our
way back All were deserted, but had been
tenanted BY the military at various times.
Some 1900 men we're, quartered on st. 81
mons. We found some Of the places to con-