Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1865-02-25

TwO.Tu1Rps OF THF HOUSES RuRN.
ED,
CF'fyCS,dL WAN GAZETTE
eooo BALES OF COTTON DESTROYED.


5000 BALES OF COTTON DESTROYED,
CF'FyCSAE WAR TAZFTTF.
WAsHINaToS, Feb. 2l.--To Major. G1nc.
raj Dix, New York This Department has
received the official report of Major, General
Gilmore, announcing the surrender of the
city of Charleston, South Carolina, to the
United States forces under his command, at
hine o'clock on Saturday morning, the 18th
inst,
Among the captured property are two
bhhuretl pltses OF good artillery, and u sup
ply OF Bne ammunition. The enemy burn
ed their cotton warehouses, arsenals, quar-.
termaster's stores, railroad bridges, two
lron-clads and some vessels in the ship-yard.
EDWIN NJ. STANTON, Secretary of War.
CHARLESTON, S. c.. Feb. 1S. via New
York, Feb,2l, 1So5.-Major General lIaileck,
Chief of Staff-General The city of
Charleston, and all its defenses, came into
our possession this morning, with about
two hundred pieces of good artillery, and
supply of fine ammunition.
The enemy commenced evacunting all
the works last night, and Mayor Macbeth
surrendered the city to the troops of Gene
al Schimmelpfenning at 0 o'clock this
morning, at which time it was occupied by
our forces.
Our advance on the Edisto and from
Bulls Bay fastened the retreat.
The cotton warehouses, arsenals, quarter
masters stores, railroads, bridges and two
iron.clatls were burned by the enemy. Some
vessels in the ship-yard were also burned.
Nearly all the Inhabitants remaining be-
hind belong to the poorer classes.
Very Respectfully, @. A. GIILMoRE,
Major General Commanding.
WASHINGTON, Feb, 81, $40 p. NJ Major
General Dix, New York The following
special ort.er has just been issued. You
will see it executed in your Department.
EDWIN NJ. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
| Ordered that national salute be fred to-
morrow noon, February 52d, at West Point,
and at every fort, arsenal and army head
quarters of the United States, in bonor of
the restoration of the flag of the Union over
| Fort Sumpter.
EDWIN NJ. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON,
Feb. 2l.-Tbe Department buildings will
be Illuminated on the night of fWashington's
Birthday, in honor of the recent triumphs
Of the Union. BY order of the President.
(Signcd) w. ii. STEWARD.
A salute of one hundred guns was fired
here to-day, in honor of the occupation of
Charleston by our forces.
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.
The evacuation of Charleston was dis
covered by our forces under General Schim-
melptenning, from James Island, exactly at
what time is not yet reported, though the
occupation of the city and of the fOrtitica-
af hnn fnn n 'pl. l.,nl in, tI,,,
! forenoon of the 18th instant.
The departure OF the rebels from FORTS
Sumpter and Noultric was, it is understood,
seen from our picket-bsats which reconnoi-
ire the harbor at night; and the operations
OF the Rebel garrisons began about twelve
| hours before evacuation was completed,
namely, at ten O'Clock ON the evening of the
7:h.
Early in the morning of the 10th, two
terrific explosions in Charleston were OBJ
served from our fleet. Fire, smoke and
burning fragments filed the air for great
distance and the shock was severely felt by
all our vcssele.
Soon afterwards, and before daylight,
fires were set in other places, and extended
throughout the upper part of the city 1t
has since been asccTtained that many thou
sand bales of cotton were burned in consc.
/ iuchCc VI thc cApIoSionS Oh tue Warehouses
and other public buildings that were fired
by the Rebels.
Our forces took possession of the city in
the forenoon, as already reported. General
Schimmelpfennig was unopposed, the Re.
bells leaving rs the Union troops came in
sight. There was not even show of resis.
tance.
The. population of Charleston consisted
entirely OF the poorer classes, who were un.
able to get away: the rich had for Several
days been removing. The persons who re-
mained were in want; they had nothing to
eat and no means of obtaining anything
Their situation was described as much worse
than that of the inhabitants of Savannah af
ter the capture Of that city.
The lower part of the city within reach
of our guns was in effect ruin, and was al
most uninhabited. Comparatively few per-
sons dared to remain there. Some of the
houses were knocked down briks and tim
Der were lying everywhere, and the streets
in particular were strewn with the frag-
ments, in many places entirely obstructing
travel Shells were lying among the ruins
The appearance OF the city, the lower part
uninhabitable and the upper part of flames,
is described as dreary and desolate in the
extreme.