Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-03-04

The steamship Ftptoyt, from Fort Isoyat anu
CnaIlesto4 bar thetlss1y hasarrved
OhaflespR. was eyae1hted on the night OF
the 18th. leaving the several Notifications
uniriured, 2besides - two bundled. guns,
iwhicA they spiked The evacuation was sirst
discovered at Fort Moultrie in the morning
at 10 O'clock. Part of the troops. stationed
| at james Island crossed over IN bpars and
TOOK possession of the city without opposi
ton. The upper portion ofithe city isaon
fiire. Ftltfntr sf5 soi bssisiafrH = A5Sf
Previous to the enemy's .eyacuating. they
| fred the upper part of the city, by which q
600 bales of cotton were bnrned, and it is
supposed that before the fire could be sub
dued two thirds Of the city will be destroyed.
A fearful explosion oceuIsetl at the Will
miugton, !depot, cause unknown, by which
several hundred citizens lost their lives =
| The building was used for coInmissary pur-
poses and situated il theIuPper part OF the
city.
Admiral DahIgren was'the first to run up
to the city, where he arrived at about 2 o.
clock Gen. Gilmore followed soon after,
and had an interview with Gen. Schumacher
ming, he being the first general officer in the
city, and for the present in command. ~
= The remains of two iron cads'were found,
which the enemy DESTROYED bg blowing them
up. Previous to the evscus tioa, the blockade
runner Cyresa just arrived fron Nassau, fell
into our hands, and others we're, expected TO
run in on the night of the 18Th.
Tha Hrsf asss nvar Saater vas raised by
Henry NJ. Bragg A. ID. @. on Cen aGilmOre's
staH. sst.lT ST. ah 3aul h-t ft.T.. = p
The houses,gi the, lower part of the city
were completely ,riddled by our shot aud
she'll. The wealthy part of the population
have. deserted the CITY, and now lFtlIat re-
maius'are the poorer classes, who are sntfer
ing fi0m want of food. ,s--, eds d st,F..--
A movement had been made by our forces
under Gen. Hatch which resulted in the cap
tortsof 5ipiecps Of artillery. , al" f'15
The 1i4bpoaes correspondent, who arrived
| by tue F'ato'. gives the following secoupts
Z CHARLESTON HARBpR, Feb .1Sth--E Fly
| last evening Brig. Gen. SchlmnlilfeuniVg,
commanding the Northern District of the D.
parthient of the South, discovered some indi-
c,stmIs which led him TO believe that the
rebels were about to evacutte Charleston and
| its defences, and he accordingly ordered his
pickets and picket boats TO keep bright.
look out and report Immediately any move
ment on the paft.of the enemy i.s''i >+f
About half past g. O'clock this morning q ,
terrific explosion. took place in, Charleston
which shook the very shipping in the harhor
and off the bar, and ainnost simultaneously
with the explosion flames broke out and
coula-he distinctly, seen IN different pItts of
the city,. IL appears the first explosion took
place at the Wilmington ID pot, The fire from
which rapidly communicated wi'h tie Alta
cent buildings, causing a general cOnflagra-
tion of all dwelling houses in the vicinity and
it was while the unfortunate inhabitants were
trying to extinguish this fire that the second
explosion took place, which resulted so dis
astrou>ly, causing terrible loss of life
among the women and children, who are rep.
| resented as having been horribly mutiated!'
This morning Gen. Schimmelhnning moved
his forces and occupied tie city and its de-
fences. The formidable earthworks on Jdines
island are found abandoned, and the guns
spiked. All s.rr.,f ELI 81 t.,ie.t.4a1
At s o'clock this morning a detachment
was sent to take possession Of Fort Sumter,
| and raise the flag which Gen. Anderson haul
ed down nearly4 years ago. SAT 9 o'eiOck;the
flag was raised amid deaienipg cheers AS
fast as forces could be thrown into the city,
they were set at work to put out the fire,
which, up to the time of leaving, was raging
iereeIy in different parts of the cityJ old
men, women add, children were rushing fiaII-'
tically to and fro, in an .ag0nized despair at
the loss of their houes and the killing and
| mutiIating Of their friends s"1i '
IL is impossible TO estimate the amount of
cotton destroyed by The rebels. Several
thousand bales were collected in different
parts of the city, and set on FIRE almost sim
ultaheously, with all the principal depots and
warehouses. t't " t' ' 80 ~
There is no doubt but the rebels intended
to burn the city to the ground, despite the
misery it would bring on thousands of wo-
men and children and old men, of which class
the inl itants Charleston are now most
entirely composed. %" 80 ..-.'@.i
1t was the opinion of Gen. Gilmore's staff
that in all probability twO-Ihirds of the city
would be destroyed before the fire gould be
extnguished with the imperfect means for
subduing it at hand. -" >t' al
The last or rear guard of the rebelsleft
Charleston at A. NJ, this morning, aud there
| are various rGmors aud conjectures as to their
destination, but the prevalent opinion sthey
intend concentrating i'm the vicinity of,FlOr-
ence, to which point they have railroad con-
neotien from Charleston, unless il has been
recently destroyed by the expedition sent to
| Bulls Bay. Several bundled rebels who
secretted themselves in different parts or the
city when the main column was retreating,
have given theselves up, and tell the usual
, story of being tired OF the war, half starved,
&c, They express desire to be allowed to
| take the oath of allegiance TO our Govern
ment and remain in the city. ~ ,G9a
I 3i ~ fHcFuH s''i WASHINGTON, Feb. 81.
A dispatch from Secretaiy Stanton to Maj
Gen. DIX announeeS the, reception of the
official report OF Maj. Gen. Gilmore. of the
capture of Charleston, AZ follows: n
tsF4i estt sUaARLvsroS, 8. e.. geb.sls,
lszas IL srr..4 p, VA hEw, YORK, Feb q. !
To Gen. Haueck, Chief IF StGf q
GENERAL The city Of Char eston and all its de-
fences came into our possession this moroiug with
| about twobuDdred pieces Of good artillery, and
| supply of fixed ammunition. The enemy COM
| menced evaeuating all the works last night, aud
Major Macbeth surrendered the city 20 the troops
" Gen. Schimme ifennig at o .Iis morbiSg, at
which time il oecu pred by forces. Our ad.
vance on the Edisto from Buii's Bay, hastened,
the retreat. The, cotton Warehouses, arsenals,
aHartermaster's stores, railroad br dyes, and two
il OF -clads were burned By the enemv some yes
sells tie sbip-ysrd we're also burned. Nearly all
the il hs bitants remaining behInd belong the
poorer asses.I tafS .~N et .ttF Il .
q Very rssRectfnlly,, o. GILMoRE,
r. t aoza IL -. = y n ~ ta"
Capture of Wilmington.