, 1862-05-31
CHICAGO, SATURDAY. MAY 31,:1862.
THE DESTRUCTION 0P: TIE
/ MRRRIMAu.. : .
An Explanation Of the Reason Why
5. it was Done.
Official Report of Com. TatnaIt.

Official Report Of Com. TatnaIl. t
Following is the report of Commodore Tat :
nall to the rebel Secretary Of the Navy: 9
RIcHNnHD, Msy II, 1861 | ]
SIR: In detailing to You the circumstances
which caused the destruction of the Confeaer- | {
ate States steamer Virginia, and her move
gin with your teleg1aphic dispatches to me Of
the 9Th and 5th instant, directing me to take |
guch position In the James River as would |
| entirely prevent the enemy IS ascending it.
Gen. Huger, commanding at Norfolk, on |
! learning that had received this order, called |
on me and declared that its. execution would T
oblige him to abandon immediately his forts
On Craney Island, at sewa1rs Point, and their
| guns to the enemy. ! informed him that, as
| the order Was imperative, 1-must execute it.
but stated that he should telegraph you aud
state the consequences ae did so, aud on The
9Th instant Joq telegraphed @ me to @ sndeasoT d a5
as the james River, which replaced me in my
original position. then arranged with the
general that he should notify me when his
! preparations for the evacuation Of Norfolk
t were sufficiently advanced to enable me to act
Independently.
On the 7th inst, Commodore Hollins ar
rived at Norfolk, with orders to communicate
with me and such officers as might select in
regard to the disposition to be made Of the
Virginia, under the present aspect Of things.
We had arranged the conference for the |
next day, the 8th; but, on that day, befora
Sewalls Point battery; and left immedi- |
ately with the Virginia to defend it.
We found SIX OF the enemy's vessels, In.
;. Guiding the iron-clad steamers Monitor and
Naugatuck, 6helling the battery. We passed
the battery, and stood directly for the enemy.
{ for the purpose of engaging him, and I
: thought an action certain, particularly as the
Minnesota and Vanderbilt, which were anchor
! al 1o1r Enr Monroe rHf nnHHr
: stood up to that point apparently with the
: intention Of joining their squadrons in the
!, Roads. Before, however, We got within gun:
E shot, the enemy ceased firing, and retired
) with all speed under the protection Of the
e guns Of the Fortress, followed by the Vir
$ ginia, until the shells from the Rip. Rap
passed over her.
: The Virginia was then placed at her moor
? ings near sewall's Point, and returned to
It Norfolk to hold the conference referred to.
y 1t WIS held on the 9th, and the officers pres
o ent were Col. Anderson and Capt -, OF tue
= army, selected by Gen. Huger,, who was too
:, unwel to attend himself; and OF the navy,
i. myself, Commodore Hollins, and Capts. stsr
rett and Lee, Commander Richard l. Jones,
t. and Lieuts. Ap. Catesby Jones and ]. Penn
r. broke Jones.
= The opinion was unanimous that the Vir-
ginia was then employed to the best adyan-
" fage, and that she should continue, for the
t. present, to protect Norfolk, and thus afford
Il, lime to remove the public property.
th served from the Virginia that the flag was not
,s- flying on the sewalrs Point Battery, and that b
be it appeared to 6aTe been abanaoned; Do l dis
ant, to C1aney Island, where the ConfedernteG
>. tit ttR e la1ge force fs' of the enemy hai
Landed on Bay Mana sho5e and thsf %fro sas1
troops We're retreating: I then despatched
p. the same Officer, te Norfolk, t2 cenler vii I'll
Navy Navy Ya4d in flames, and that al its officer
had left by railroad. On reaching Norfolk b
found that Gen. Huger and all the other off
bel GERS Of the army had also leftethat the enc
that the Mayor was treating for its surrender
On returning to the ship he found tha
Craney Island and al the other batteries O.
rss the river had been abandoned.
It Was now seven o'clock In the evening
and this unexpected confirmation rendere
prompt measures necessary for the safety
AR The Pilots had assured me that they coul
take the ship, with draft Of eighteen feet, t
within forty miles Of Richmond
This the the chief pilot, Mr. Parrish, an
his chief assistant, MI. Wright, had asserte
a was again and again; and On the afternoon Of IL
modore Holllns and Capt sterrctt, in reply I
ION; a question Of mine, they both emphatical]
aaa :sl31 declared their ability to do So
1es- consulting with tie First md Flag Lieute,
lHe ants, and learning that the officers, general
IN Thought it the most judicious course, I dete
e & is mined to tighten the ship at once, and run q
~ the river for the protection Of Richmond.
tne Ali hands having been called on deck,
@ 3sea stated to them the condition Of things, al
~ my hope that, By getting up the riSer befo
on The enemy could be made aware of our d
| ne ne had ascended it, and render efficient aid
mus the defense Of Richmond; but that to ede
e eaa this would require all their energy. in hgt
.nEe NJ ching the ship: They, replied With thr
yhe cheers, and went to work at once, hepilo
as we're On deck and heard this address to t
- crew.
nen' Being quite unwen, I had retired to be
= - Between and 2 O'Clock in the morning, t
It Of first lieutenant reported to me that, after
It OF crew had worked for five or six hours, a
m lifted the ship so as to render her unfit for
ng ton, the pilots declared their inability to G
ned: ~ 2eighteen feet above the jamestown Fla
ough Occupied BY tie enemy.
e3- On demanding from the chief pilot,
t the cention' he reriied lit eiebteen faet co,
near he carried after the nrey9Ience Of easte
winds, and that the 4fnd for the last two df
had been westerly.
DE. I had no time to lose, The ship Was not
condition for battle, even with an enemy
!. equal force, aud their force was overwhel
ing therefore determined, with the c.
cu11ence Of the Firstand Flag -Lentenants
;+o1 save the crew for future service by land
A'+@Aa tnem az CraneI lslauo, I1t only lOaa lOt
treat open to 1s, and to destroy. the ship
prevent her falling into the hands Of the e
Law my. I may add that, although not forms
consulted, the course was approved by ev
commissioned officer In the ship.
ain. There is no dissenting. opinion. The s
WIS accordingly put on shore as near the M
land in the vicinity Of Craney ISL
lrcc as possible, and the crew landed. She
ZOO then fired, and after burning fore and aft
upward Of IN hour, blew up a little before
on the morning Of the 18th.
,a, - Te marched for suffolE, twenty mi
,ef oi and reached it in the evening" aud from the
NJ u came by railroad to this city.
Mt by cor1d hare had to deceiye me The d
J. ~ imaginable one is that they wished to az
,, said eHa eHaa he sh;n not have heen 1fffed an as
isn !Gn - render her unfit for action, desperate
ed BY ton .rraa+ ~ ;nstifv mncf hnne ~ ancc
j saSn and as battle is not their occupation, t
; War n.m5n+ imoa;ne nnnfher motive. for had
WHICH, no reason to distrust Their goou 1a1sA w
them Confede1acy.
stss1y az ooes for 70 thG Els
graft tfring exertions, and for the aid he rendt
1sed ne sh;n N ana "a ian9;np the crew Tere left 10
o1 al and everything Was conducted with the Il
perfect order,
Lodged To the other officers Of the ship, gener
st the M o1eo thankfnl fnY the g1eat zeal theT
1s1tlVe played throughout.
before The virginia no longer exists, but t
$. hundred brave and skilful officers and sea
cent!y are saved to the Confederacy:
lilitary + nresnme that court of iquiry viii b.
lgaanst dered to examine into all the ciFcum6ta
o. tAe I hare narrated, and earnestly sol1ci
Public opinion viii never be put right 7
o Will out it.
IlrreSS ,1nSI T4TNAIL.