The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1864-01-07
Destruction Sf GeOs Ssa0wn. Sowth Gar
lOliRn


Huron HEAD, s. c., Dec. 14-Authentic
news has reached this place of the destruction
of Georgetown, S. G.
When the intelligence of Bragg's discom
future reached the place, panic seized OF
the town, and all the merchandise it contain.
ed.
Georgetown was depot for naval stores
such az turpentine pitch, tar, rosin, etc These
highly combustible materials added to the
fiercencss of the conhagration.
On Saturday night last, December 9th, the
incendiary fires were lighted, and the greater
part Of the town was consumed.
The Confederate uSurpation sometimes call
ed Government had laid ali embargs on all
the naval stores in Georgetown, and it was
generally understood that the turpentine was
siezed to become material i'll the liquid ''greek
fire." now being prepared by order of Jetfsr-
son Davis.
Specimens of this compound were not long
ago found buried i'll a magazine in Fort Strong
Formerly Wagner on Morris Island 1t burn
ed with fierce fame, unquenched by water.
Torpedoes were unearthed, in which were
thin glass bottles filled with this indamable
article. The bottles were imbedded in cotton,
A bursting charge of powder was added, to
be ignited by a percussion cap. The ''plun-
ger was adjusted SO as to produce the explo-
sion when the torpedo was lifted, Or when a
direct pressure was applied to it. The cotton,
saturated by the burning fluid by the burst
ing of the Internal machine was to scatter
death and destruction all around. Had they
answered the purpose of their inventor, it is
possible that the abandoned rebel magazine
would have exploded, and destroyed the fort
and its garrison. Great care and much skill
were exercised III examining the torpedoes,
and no damage resulted.
Georgetown, S. c., was station for block
ade runners. Among the property destroyed
were two hundred bales of cotton, III one par
| GEL about to be shipped on account of the
| Confederate Government" to Nassau, to be
there converted into the ''sinews of war"
1t is strongly suspected that the alleged
panic was not the leading motive of the incen
diaries in firing the city. The tyranny of the
Davis usurpation is keenly felt and secretly
resented, by the pIundered and oppressed PEG
pie of the Southern States. Those, especially
who are still striving to produce or accumu
late property are especial objects of pursecu
ton to the swindling Mississippi Repudiato
and his colleagues, despoticaIly enthroned il
Richmond. These quasi rulers Sieze the cot
ton and other merchandise of the people, ar
bitrarily appraise them at fictitious value, ant
pretend to pay for them in the bonds Of a spu
rious Government, which they know to b.
worthless But property thus sliced and Solc
abroad for gold becomes means for carryins
Oh the rsbellious contest against the rightfu
Government of the people SO plundered, ant
enables the tyrranical usurpers to prolons
the sutterings Of their victims. Seeing ant
feeling these truths, who can wonder if the,
should seek to embarrass their oppressors b,
destroying the wealth which has been seize
and is about to be used for their detri
ment.
Georgetown was place of some antiquity
1t was built during the reign of George
the first of the Hanoverian line of succession
to the throne Of Great Britain. AS the frs
landing place of Lafayette, with a French
force, in the war of the Revolution, George
town had a peculiar historical interest. 1t hat
population of about five thousand inhabit
itants, andswas place of export for nava
stores. The port is accessible only to vessel
of light draught, and is situated about sixt,
miles north from Charleston hsrbor.-N Y
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