Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-01-18
a N B ,EET.


Broken Pledge and d Cowardly
Act The Finest Navy Yard in the
World Given TO the flames. =..$s
Detroit Free Press 5s 9.5 .53s
There were dozen OF reasons why the
I Federal Government should have held
on to Norfolk naYyard, and not one sin.
gle solid reason why il should have been
abandoned as it was. On the 10Th of
April, 1851 that yard was one Of the
finest ia the world. On the morning 81
the Goth it was a scene of such desola-
ton as men look upon but once in a life
time. The Government had spent mill
lions of dollars in machinery and build
dngs and appliances, and the yard was
full OF cannon. anchors, cables, shot and
other material almost worth their weight
in gold just on the outbreak of q war.
MI Virginia had seceded, and many EOV.
eminent posts in the south had been
taken l,ossession of in the name Of the
confederaey. Every citizen north and
seuth knew that war was coming like a
billow Of fame, but the volcano had not
.fairly burst forth. There were only a
few marines at the yard, but, / 900 vol
unteers could have been thrown into
the place by snap of the presidents
finger. New York, Boston, or Philadel-
phia could have raised SEQ or LOCO men
to hold the yard within ten hours alter
having beenappealed to. and there was
no moment previous to the evening Of
the 10th when o band of volunteers
could not have been landed. ~. =
{ In spite Of the protests Of army and
army officers it was decided to abandon
Norfolk. Had it been decided to send O.
small reinforcement the place could
have been held until everything of
value had been removed. It was down.
on the confederate programme that Nor
folk would be vigorously defended, and
its easy possession was @ matter Of H.
tense surprise.
On the 10Th of April the Confederate
&e u thousand militia Virginia had rushed
~ entered the navy yard to see what
Commodore McCauley, then command
ant held "taIk" on the subject and it was
agreed that neither party should take
an effective step until receiving further
instructions from their superiors. itwas
a confab of two hypocrites. McCauley
had already received instructions to
abandon the place, burning and destroy
ing what he could not take away. The
confederate general had his instructions
to capture the yard, and troops were 81
ready on the march to attack it.
AS soon as Taliaferro left the gates
were locked, extra sentinels posted to
prevent citizens from discovering what
was going on, aad then every man in the
yard set TO work TO carry out the plan
already nnatured. The Pawnee and
Cumberland were the only two vessels
which could be made use of, and all ar
sticles Of a portable paturewere carried
abroad as fast as possible. In this way
most of the small arms, many small cam
non, all the books and records and mod els
and various other things were saved.
But the chief loss 20 the Federals would
Nesult from what could not be be moved
an a few brief hours.
There were four or fiye fine vessels in
various stages Of completion, and two
aftoat. just then those ships were worth
millions in the North--~tens of millions
to the South---but neither were to profit
by them.
McCauley intended to destroy every
thing and then slip out like fugitive
from Justice. Had Dupont, Dahlgren
or Porter been In command there would
have been fight, and when forced to
evacuate, the Federal forces would have
played the guns Of the Pawnee upon
everything in reach. Instructions from
Washington at that time were SUCCESS
tons, guesses and suggestions, and Nc
Cauley could have taken the same course
as Mai. Anderson did.
But there was to be no fighting. The
man who had chance to become hero
preferred to be deceiver. Within half
an hour after he had agreed to hold
things in statu quo until further orders,
the two ships ahoat were being scuttled
and property was being hurried aboard
the Pawnee. The capstans, windlasses,
ard other fixtures on the vessels were
rendered useless, standing. rigging de-
stroyed, and so many holes were bored
Through the bottoms that it was hoped
they could never be raised after going to
the bottom.
There was the grand old Pennsylvania,
carrying guns to have replied to every
piece OF ordnance thus far mounted by
the confederates, the Columbus, the
Mes,i'nac. the karItan, the Delaware
and the Dolphin, together with two or
three hHif-Gnished cutters and frjgates
.yetunmanned, and four or five vessels
to be repaired. No plan was proposed
or discus ed to save one Of these all
them out one by one III spite of any
hinIrance from the confederates.
The ships which could not be scuttled
were TO- be burned, Cabins, forepeaks
and holds were filed with wood and
coal, and the hu!ks on the. stocks we're
ssinearcd with iurpentine and oil and
piled around with cordwood. With
each hulk would go to the ship-house,
and with the shp-house all the sails
1cordage and snch stuff as had been
stored up or could be dragged there.
q When the destruction OF the ships had
been insured attention was turned to
the various buildings in the yard.i Most
of these were of brick and of the most
substantial sort, and only q part of the
furniture could be removed. The ma
-chlnery in the bakeries was broken up,
desks and chairs knocked to pieces for
kind ling Wood. and TWO or three small
engines destroyed. Then bontires were
prepared in the various houses, and Tor
fear that the flames might not complete
the destruction intended, kegs of powder
Weresplaeed here AMI there, as was after.
wards done at Pensacola by the eouted-
crates s.S ~ III =. f;5 ~ ..Z5 e Il Y
i Although the co,nnandant had only
about twenty hours In which to begin
and finish ms WORK it was time enough
toWork appalling destruction AT dark
it was known throughout Norfolk and
Portsmouth that the two ships had been
scutt.ed and that something unusual
was trans pirin!gs IN the navy yard bat
the Confederate s were not yet ready for
"a movement. 1t was not anticipated
that the place would be abandoned, and.
no one dreamed that pose on could
be had without RESISTANCE and bioodshed.
Ihe afternoon wore away. and even
ing came, and still every man IN the
yard was hard at work. It WAS Intend