East Saginaw courier., 1865-02-22
cuARnEsror EVACUATED.

ClIAhlEi1AOIa EN ACO ELI.
CnARLEsroN, IL, VIA NEW YoRK, Feb.
81, 1865.
Major General IIalleck, Chief of staff;
General-The city of Charleston
and all its dofenses came into our pos
session this morning, with 200 pieces
of good arti lery and a supply Of fine
ammunition. 1he enemy commenced
the evacuation of the works last night,
and Major Macbeth surrendered the
city to the troops of Con. Schimmel-
fau,ug at . 0 clock tins morning, at
which time it was occupied by our
forces. Our advance on the EdiSto,
from Bulls Bay, hastened the retreat.
Lbe cotton warehouses, arsenals quar-
tcrmaster's stores railroad bridges and
Two IRON clads were burned by the
gFg Glso Bata5SdT.s SjGrly Re al fflR}i the IN
habitants remaining behind belong to
the poorer classes.
Very respectfully,
q. A. GILMORE, Con. CONG.
The n. Y. TT5ene's correspondent
gives the following account:
"CuARLEsroy HARBoR, Feb. 1S.-
Early last evening Brigadier General
Schimmillaning commanding the
Northern District of the Department
of the South, discovered some indca-
tons which led him to believe the reb-
els were about to evacuato Charleston
and its deienses, and ho accordingly
ordered his pickots and picket beats TO
keep bright LOOKOUT and report i'm
nacdiately any movement on The part
oi the enemy.
About half-past threo A. NJ. this
morning, Il terrific explosion took
place In Charleston which shook every
ship in tho haibor and oil the bar,
and almost simultaneous with the ex-
plosion, flames broke out and could be
distinctly seen in different parts of the
city. 1t appears the first explosion
took place at tho Wilmington Depot,
che ire from which r4pidly conmuni-
Gated with the adjacent buildings,
causing general conilagration of ali
dwelling houses IN the vicinity, and
It was whilst the unfortunate inhab-
Itants wore trying to extinguish this
ire that the second explosion took
place, which resulted so di.astrously,
causing n terrible loss Of life amongst
the women and children, who are rep
resented as having been horribly mu-
tilated. About q o'clock this morn
ing, Gen. Schimmilianing moved his
forces and occupied the city, and its
defences, the formidable earth-works
on james Island were found abandon
oil and the guns spiked.
At 8 o'clock this morning n detach-
mont was sent 10 take possession of
Fort Sumpter and raise the flag which
General Anderson hauled down near
ly four years ago AT 8 o'clock the
flag was raised amidst dealening
cheers. AS fast as forces could be
thrown into the city they were sent to
work to put out the fire, which up to
the time OF leaving was raging fercely
in different parts of the city
Old men, women and childron were
frantically to and fro in an
agony of despair at the loss of their
homes and the killing and mutilating
of their friends.
1t 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 Gre, almost simultaneously
with all tho principal depots aud ware
houses. There is no doubt but the
rebels intended to bura the city TO the
gruunl, despite tho misery it wonId
entail on thousands OF women, child
rem and old men, Of which class the
Of Charleston is now
almost entirely composed. 1t was tho
opinion OF Gen. Gillman's staff that
N oil probability two-thirds Of tho
,ity would he destroyed before the fire
:ould be extinglishcd, with the I'M
perfect means for subduingit at hand.
Tho last or rear guard OF the Reb-
,ls left Charleston at four a. M. this
and there arc various ru-
nors and conjecturcs rs to their desti-
nation, hut the rrcvalcnt opinion