Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-03-10
CHARLESTON.


fensive condition:
II had nine guns in it's armament--two
rifed thirty-twos, one ten-inoh columbiad,
two rifed twenty four inch, in casemate, look
ing toward Moultrie. and four mountain how
itzers and Dahlgren howitzers on the parapet
to repel assaulting parties. Within 1t was go
arranged that II an assaulting party got over
the iron entaR lements, abattis and obstruc.
tions, gained the psrapet and descended to
the terrtptcm Of the work, they would be un-
der masketry FIRE from all points which ther
cannot reply to. The work could have been
taken only by heavy loss Of life. 1t is
stronger than when we fred the FIRST gun
against it,
When the flag hoated over Moultrie, Lieut.
Col. Bennett, Maj. Hennessey and Lieut..
Burr, OF the 52d Pennsylvania, started out
for the city, giving orders to have troops fol-
low. They pulled up the bay, while the rebel
iron-clads and vessels were in flames and the
city itself was burning at various points
Reaching Fort Ripley, OF what is known as
the Middle Ground battery, the flag was dis
played over the work, and waved for a few
moments. The party then pushed on to
Castle Pinckney, when the same ceremony Of
taking possession was Observed and then the
boat was pulled cautiously, but directly, tow
ard the city. No hostile force was observed
Col. Bennett Immediately landed. and " Old
Glory was displayed again in the city Of
Charleston, amid the cheers and cries Of Joy
Of the crowd assembled around it.
On landing it was not deemed advisable by
Colonel Bennett to advance into the city. az
he was informed that rebel brigade was still
at the depot, taking the cars and that force
OF cavalry were securing the city and impress
sing men into the ranks, and driving the me-
groes before them. As he had but nine men
with bin he confined himself merely to send.
ing to Mayor Macbeth peremptory demand
for the surrender Of the city in the name of
the United States Government TO this A
reply came from the Mayor, through two Of
the Aldermen-Messrs. q lland and Williams
that the rebel military authorities had left
the city and that the Mayor remained to en-
force law and to preserve order until the Cen
eral commanding at Morris Island should
take such steps as be might think best The
committee informed Col. Bennett tina. the city
had been fred by the rebels in various places,
and that the town was threatened by total
destruction, as the fremen we're all secreted
In consequence of the operations of the rebel
cavalry, who were impressing them and driv-
ing them from the town whenever found I;
and they desired protection from the rebels
IN order that the hfemen might perform their
duty without fear Of being seized To this
application Col Bennett returned to the
Mayor reply promising to render every as
sistance to the well disposed citizens in ex-
tinguishing tie fires.
Alderman Williams, who happened to be
! mounted on fine horse, rode back to the
/ Mayor t. deliver the communication. He
had not proceeded more than a block or two
when he came upon fifty rebel cavalry, who
we're watching affairs. They instantly halted
| the peace commissioner, and blandly observed
that they thought they should be compelled
/ to dismount him, they were under the
impression that they would take the horse into
the country. He reflected an instant. and
then observed, in careless way, tina, perhaps
the Yankees, who bad Just landed FIVE hun
bred strong, might object, and he would think
OF the matter. The announcement of the ar
rlval of five hundred Yankees was quite
! enough FOR the bold troopers. Without taxi
ing his horse or further palaver they wheeled
and rode wildly up Meeting street, announced
the approach of the Yankees TO all strsgglers,
and there was instantly great connection
and hurryiug Of trains.
! Meanwhile the fires we're spreading with
| great rapidity, and threatened to sweep over
| the city, until fifty men from Morris Island
| reinforced Colonel Benefits little handful Of
men, when he instantly moved up into the
| town with twenty-five men, sending small de-
taehments to take charge Of the public build.
( ings and depots. The reception of this little
band OF men was very gratifying, the people
| appearing almost mad with joy to be once
more under the government of the Old flag.
IL was scene no one knowing the reputed
feeling of the people Of Charleston could for
moment have dreamed of
Col. Bennett took possession of the Citadel.
and sent a detachment at once to the Arsenal
which was saved from destruction, and with
it the city, perhaps, by the timely arrival of
our men. The rebels had prepared train
for it's explosion, but before they could fire it
they were driven away by our troops. The
report that the Arsenal was to be blown up
at noon produced the greatest CONSERVATION
among the citizens residing in the neighbor-
hood. 1t contained large quanty Of powder
and fixed ammunition. and it's explosion
would have repeated the Savannah catastro-
phe, with more horrible results. 1t was saved,
however, and the citizens began to return to
their deserted residences.
AT about one o'c.ock the last rebel who
proposed going away had left town, and the
deserters and rebel fremen began to emerge
from their places of secretion and appear on
the streets. The fremen got out their appa-
ratus and devoted themselves to the extin-
guishment OF the fires, now raging with vio-
lence at various points in the city. They
were aided by our troops, who began to ar
rive in numbers, and after long struggle
the flames were checked in their head way,
but not until large number of buildings were
destroyed. Probably two thousand bales of
cotton we're destroyed, together with con-
siderable amount of supplies.
WAsHINGroN, March 6.
After the roll Of Senators had been called
to-day Vice President Johnson called Senator
Foot to the char. Among other resolutions
offered was the following by Senator Wilson:
ResoiVed, That the Sergeant-at-Arms be,
and he is hereby, directed to remove forth
with from SO much of the Capitol as is under
his care, all Intoxicating liquors, and here