Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-03-05
THE EVACUATION AND BURNING OF
COLUMBUS.

n
COLUMBUS.
The Rebel FortifcatioHs-Tae Guns Disnantled
and Throtca unto the Rirsr-Dsstruetion and
Poisoning of ProriSioHs-MiniHgo of Fortifca-
tioaS-Niastsen Thousand Rebels under Bishop
Polk ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Not TAus-TRe
Railroad Tracks and Bridges Desfroyed-Ds-
noraltz alton and Alarm of the Rebels -Tas
Seizure of Uatos Msn-Priuats Property to be
Respected.
The special correspondent Of the Philadelphia
Inquirer sends to that paper the following inter-
esting particulars Of the evacuation Of Columbus:
COLUMBUS, KY March 4, 1861, via Cairo Co.
lumbus, which Is the strongest Rebel position In
the Valley of the Mississippi has been evacuated,
burned and otherwise destroyed. So incensed
were the Rebels, that they spared nothing in their
work Of destruction except portion Of private
property.
The evacuation commenced on Thursday last
but all the Rebels did not leave until late hour
yesterday afternoon.
The torch of the incendiary was first applied on
Friday, and the confagration ragged with great
fury until Sunday Even now large portions of
the enemy's barracks, magazines and other quar-
tiers are still burning, sending up heavy clouds Of
The Rebels did not destroy the Notifications
which have cost them so much labor, but left
them unmoested.
Everything which they could not carry away
with them they either burned or threw into the
river.
great many cannon Of the most effective range
one place saw five heavy guns, and in another
seven, which had been thrown from a high bluff
on the bank Of river. But in their descent they
had been stopped by the trees which overhang
the stream below.
Ii is as yet impossible to ascertain how many
cannon the Rebels have thrown into tn Missis-
siPpi, supposing that in so doing they would
render them useless TO us.
Lieut.. Col Hogg, of the I'd Illinois cavelIy
from Paducah, in company with $50 men, was
the first to enter the enemys works, at S O'Clock
yesterday afternoon.
Our sunboats and transports reached this place
at eight O'Clock to-day; but the officers not know
ing that the position had been evacuated and &C.
cupied by our troops the gunboats were cleared
for action, and moved down the river in line of
battle. They roon however deserted the glorious
Stars and stripes which were proudly waving
over the bluff where they had been planted by
Lieut.. Col Hogg. Although there were no guns
in the water batteries, still the gun carriages
which remained presented similar appearance
The rebels entirely destroyed their barracks,
commissary and Quartermas'er's stores, and In
one lot burned six thousand bushels of corn One
building, containing a large quantity Of bacon
being very much soaked with water would not
burn, and lady told me that when the rebels
found they could not destroy this bacon by ire
they sprinkled poison over IT,
man protesting the strongest Union 'senti-
ments says that the rebels have mined portions Of
the Notifications, and he believes that they NAV
blow up at any time.
stretched across the Mississippi still remains al.
though the Missouri end Is In the bottom OF the
river. The shore Is strewn with the greatest
quantity of torpedoes and anchors.
The large magazine is still on fire. but whether
or not all the powdc. has been removed is not
known.
But few persons remain in the town, and those
only who have not heretofore taken sides In
or against secession. The remainder, from three
to five hundred In number, have fed leaving
their houses and stores, where not destroyed,
open.
There were, at the time Of the evacuation, 10 COO
troops In and around the place-the entire force
commanded by General bishop Polk Generals
Cheatham and Pillow we're in command of brio
AIDES: General Beasrs9efA was not here, but was
hourly xpected-hiss arrival having been DELAYED
by his attack Of sickness.
not only went by ,silreae. out also availed thsm
! selves of the taen.es1 % red by twenty trans
ports.
The railroad t.s.k Nas torn up for six miles.
and the bridges burnt. Where the railroad
crosses the Ohio river, the bridge was burnt but
vet known.
A lady resident informs me that the troops w no
left by the river were destined for Island No TO-
thirty miles below, and for New Madrid, forty
miles distant.
The capture Of Fort Donelson and occupation
OF Nashville had dlsheartened them; and the
men, becoming demoraliZed and reckless, said
they would soon be surrounded and starved out,
and they would no longer obey the commands OF
their supPriors.
Gen. Polk and the officers generally had he.
come unpopular, because, as the troops remark ed
they bad done nothing but fortify. The town had
been hred several times, and was only saved by
the untiTng exertions and the constant vigilance
OF the officers, who feared that their demoTaized
condition would thus be made known to the
Union troops.
Ex-MayOr Sharpe was suspected Of treason Ia
the so-called Southern Confectionery and wa
seized before they left, and carried of prisoner
without being allowed even to address a parting
word to his wife.
Yesterday morning force Of Rebel cavalry re-.
turned and captured twenty Union men, who had
come to town, knowing II to have been evacuated
by the Rebels, and expecting TO find our troops
In possession.
The fortified works are very extensive IA thew
reach from the iron banks above the town around
to the chalk bluffs below, probably four miles I'm
extent. Every prominent bluff on the river nm
around the town Is fortified
Secessonists, living near Wheeling have been
since The evacuation, carrying of I'm wagons
valuable stores not already DESTROYED and were
| drlestea win tnelr teams, as soon our troops
arrived.
As soon as the "Stars and Stripes, were dis
| covered on the Rebel works. the crews of the dif
| ferent gunboats gave hearty cheers which Were
| answered with a will from the Notifications The
| transports were then signslled to come down the
| rlyer, and our troops Were soon In the works
| strong guards have been detailed and private
Property-under which head may be mentioned
| large Quantities OF sugar, molasses, -four and
grain, DC will be protected. 1t Is suspected
this property belongs to the rebel army and II n
proves true, will be seized by the Government.
lag-Othcer Foote and Gems Cullum and sher
man were with the forces which left for the pur.
pose of attacking the place.