, 1863-12-29

The Destruction Of Georgetown, 8. C.
| Correspondence N. 7. Tribune
+ Hn.7os head, 8. C., Dec. 14th, 1858
Authentic news has reached this place o,
lina.
When the Intelligence of Bragg's discom.
htnre reached this place, panic seized On
| TIE Inhabitants, and it was resolved to fire
the town, and an the merchandise it contain
! ed.
Georgetown WAS depot for naval stores,
such IS turpentine, pitch, tar, rosin, etc.
These highly combustible matcrial5 added
greatly to the flerceness Of the flames.
:. Ou Saturday night last, Dec. 5th, the incen-
diary fires were lighted, and the greater part
oi the town was consumed.
The Confederate" usuEpaion {someti1nes
mlscalled Goverument) had laid an embar-
60 on Ill the naval stores in Georgeto wn,
and it WINS generally Understood that tie tur-
pentiae was seized to become material in
Tue liquid "Grcek Fire," now beng p1epar-
cd by order Of Jefferson Davis
Specimens Of this compound we're not long
Ego found buried In magazine in Fort
Strong formerly Wagner}, on Morris Island.
1t burned with fierce fame, unquenchnble
By water. Torpc9ocs we're unearthed, In
which were thin glass bottles Aned with this
1ntiammab1c article. The bottles were i'm
6eddcd in cotton. 4 bursting charge Of pow
-~~
cap. The "plunger" was adjusted so rs to
produce the explosion when the torpedo was
lifted or when any direct pressure was ap-
Piled to it. The cotton, saturated with tho
burning fluid By the bursting of the internal
machine, was to scatter death and destruc-
ton all around. Had they answered the pnr-
pose OF their inventor, 1t Is possible that the
abandoned rebel magazines would have ex-
plodcd, and destroyed tho fort and Its sgarri-
son. Great care and much skill were excr-
cised in exhuming the torpedoes, and no
DANGER resulted
Georgetown, g. c., was station for block
ade-runners. Among the property destroy
cd were 200 bales Of cotton, ii one parcel,
about to be shipped on account Of the 'Con-
scderate Government to Nassau, to be there
converted into the stsinews Of War.''
1t is strongly suspected that the alleged
panic WIS not the leading motive Of the in
cendiaries in firing the city. The tyranny Of
the Davis Usurpation is keen1y felt and &C.
c1etly resented by the plundc1ed md oppress-
especially, who arc still striving to produce
or accumulate property are especial objects
Of persecution to the swindling mississippi
Repudfator and bis colleagues, despoiica11y
enthroncd in Richmond. These quasi-rulers
seize the cotton and other merchandise Of
the people, arbitrarily appraise them ut ftc-
titious value, and pretend to pay for them in
LIZ ue'AAo VA NNfElNI41Aht nA4EA
they know to be worthless. But property
thus seized, and sold abroad for gold becomes
o mems for carrying on the rebellious contest
against the righfful government Of the people
Eo plundered, and enables the tyrannical
usnrpcrs to prolong the sufferings Of their
victims. Seeing and feeling these truths,
who can wonder if they should seek to en-.
barross their oppressors By destroying the
wealth which has been seized and is about to
be used for their detfimeut?
Georgetown was place ofsome antiquity
It was built during the reign Of George l.;
tho first Of the Hanover1an line Of fsuccess1on
to the throne Of Great Britain. As the first
landing place Of Lafayette, with French
force, In the War Of the Revolution, George
town had peculiar historical interest. It
had population Of about 5000 Inhabitants,
and was a place of export for nara1 stores,
The port is accessible only to vessels Of light
draft, and is situated about 60 miles north Of
Charleston harbor. c.B