The Greensborough patriot [May 3, 1861]

              KhJ
W^V\ /V^v /V+
*
:
VOL. XXIII. GREENSBOROUGH, N. C, MAY 3, 1861. NO. 1,137.
<£{je (Smtnbarotigfj patriot.
PUBLISHED SEMTW^2EKLY7"BY~
SHERWOOD ALONG.
EDITORS AND PROPRIETORS.
TERMS: *2.00 A YEAR, 1ST ABTAHCE.
RATES OF ADVERTISING IN TnE PATRIOT.
Oss dollar per square for the first week, and twenty-five
cents for every week thereafter. TWELVE LINKS OB
L*«S making a square. Deductions made in favor of
Standing matter as follows:
3 MONTHS. 6 MONTHS. 1 YEAH
One square, $3 60 $6 60 $8 00
Two squares, 7 00 10 00 14 00
Three " 10 00 15 00 20 00
Burning and Desertion or Gosport
Navy Yard by Lincoln's Troops.
NORFOLK, April 21, 1861, P. M.—Yester-day
was sin exciting day horo. At an early
hour Gen. Taliaferro was waited on by an of-ficer
fr»m the frigate Cumberland, *nd in-formed,
that the United States forces here
did no moan to inaugurate hostilities against
the citizens oi Virginia, but desired only to
be let alone. If they wore attacked, or their
movements interfered with, force would be
met by force, and tho citizens ofNorfolk and
Portsmouth would bo shelled. This notice,
it wa» added, was given that opportunity
Blight be allowed for the removal of the wo-men
und children, if it was contemplated to
commence hostilities. The caution was not
needed, however, for the simple reason that,
being almost wholly unprovided with men
and suitable munitions of war, there wa • not
the leant likelihood that the commanding
General would incur the penalty of ordering
ftn attack.
Until the arrival of tho Petersburg battal-ion
last night the whole force under arms
hero did not number two hundred men, and
even this small force ^ras but indifferently
supplied with means of defence. Of artille-ry,
the arms most needed, four rifle cannon
(6 noundors) and two eighteen pounders,
comprised the whole amount that could be
rendered available. So urgent was the ne-cessity
tor artillery felt to be that old cannon
that have done duty at street corners as lean-ing
posts for half a century or more have
been dug up all ovor the city, but being
found worthless, as auy one might have
known, have of course been thrown aside
again.
It seems unaccountable that a place so im-f
»ortant as this, should have beeu, in times
Ekes these, left, so utterly defenceless.
Of powder and fixed ammunition there is
an abundant supply. You have already been
informed by telegraph of the seizure of the
naval magazine at Fort Norfolk last Friday
night. By this seizure we have secured up-wards
of 3,000 barrels of powder and fixed
an munition. Of this quantity about one-third
has been sent to Richmond and Peters-burg,
a portion to Hampton, and the balance
is stored near this city, at present under the
protection of the Petersburg City Guard,
Captain May. It is pretty sate!
Reverting now to tho enemy. All day
long it was evident from proceedings in the
harbor, that some unusual movement was
sfcout to be made, but its precise nature no
one could determine. Everything, however,
indicated a purpose on the part or the enemy
to abandon the Navy Yard, and destroy all
the property that could not bo removed.
"With the ebb tide, quantities of broken mus-ketd
stocks floated past tho city, and workmen
from the ys*rd reported that all the cannon
had been spiked, and a general destruction cf
property was in progress. Later in the day,
it was discovered that the Germaotown.Mer-rimac,
Raritao, Plymouth and Dolphin had
been scuttled, and"that a pair of enormous
sheets for taking in and out tho masts of ves-sels,
and erected at a eost of $15,000, had
been cut dowa, crushing with their weight
the stern of the Germantown, across which
thry were thrown. All these acts and others
indicated a purpose to retreat.
Just after dark, to the surprise of all, and
the dismay of many, tae Pawnee steamed up
the harbor and took possession at the Navy
Yard, whore she was received with ssch
shouts of rejoicing as could be distinctly heard
in this city. H«r arrival put a new face on
matters. It was rumored that she brought
large reinforcements, and that the Yard would |
aow be defended to the Jaat extremity ; but
the reverse of this was her mission. She was
sent to destroy, not to protect. She brought
with her 20O workmen from the Washington
Navy Yard, and large quantities of turpentine
to be nsed in firing the buildings. There is
■o doubt that it was the intention of tho Gov-ernment
to make tho work of destruction
eomplete, but a panic seized on those employ-ed
to carry tho design into effect, and much
at* the most valuable property was saved.
Shortly after the arrival of the Pawnee, the I could not not be removed was in their order-military
companies from Petersburg arrived,
and as trains were kept running until a late
hour in the night, an impression prevailed
among the enemy that reinforcements by the
thousands were being thrown into the city,
and that an immediate attack might be ex-pected.
After
how to esca'pe. It was a cunning device of
President Mahone, that ruLning of the trains,
and he deserves credit for practising so suc-cessfully
so shrewd a trick.
and but for the apprehension of an imme-diate
attack by an overpowering force, tho
command would have been carried out to the
letter. It was in contemplation to ruin the
dry dock, the machine shops and other
structures and overwhelm everything in one
From the National Intelligencer.
Despatch from Major Anderson.
The Secretary of War received yesterday
afternoon from Major Anderson the subjoin-ed
despatch. This brief, comprehensive, and
modest Statement contains, wo should think.
that, the only thought was j common ruin. But the plan could not be j quite enough to put to shame the gratuitous
carried out for want of time. Accident pre
cipitated matters somewhat too. A Sergeant
of the marines named Myers, knowing what
was to take place, and not wishing to be
About midnight the alarm was given that I carried off with his company, set fire to the
the Navy Yard was on fire, and sure enough
there it wa?., a sickly blaze that seemed nei-ther
to diminish nor increase for several
hours. This, however, was only the beginn-ing.
The tide was not yet favorable for the
escape of the vessels, and would not be at
flood nntil day-break. Meanwhile men were
kept busy all night transferring everything
of value from the Pennsylvania and the Na-vy
Yard to the Pawnee and the Cumberland,
and both vessels were loaded to their lower
ports.
At length 4 o'clock came, und with it flood
tide. A rocket shot up from the Pawnee
and then almost in an instant the whole
front of tho Navy Yard seemed one vast
sheet of flame. The next minate streaks of
flames flashed along the riging of the Penn-sylvania
and the other doomed ships, and
soon they were completely wrapped in the
devouring element. The harbour was now
one blaze of light. The remotest objects
were visible. The surging flames leaped and
roared with mad violence, making their
hoarse wrath heard tit the distance of several
miles. The people of Hampton and even
those who lived beyond, saw the red light
and thought all Norfolk was on fire. It
was certainly a grand, though terrible spec-tacle
to witness, such as one as it is not gi-ven
to more than once in a life time to be-hold.
In the midst of the brilliance of the
ecene, the Pawnee, with the Cumberland in
tow, stole like a guilty thing through the
harbor, fleeting from tho destruction she had
been sent to accomplish.
Bat the work of vandalism was only half
performed. The most valuable portions ot
the yard are still untouched, and are now
the property of the State of Virginia. The
only buildings destroyed are two ship hous-es,
the officers, quarters, a sail loft filled with
cordage, the marine barracks, and some few
sheds. All the valuable workshops, with
their machinery, the boat houses, spar hous-es,
timber houses, with their costly contents,
are all now in our possossion.
Tho dry dock, constructed at so much ex-pense,
and the finest in the world, was doom-ed,
but not destroyed Forty barrels of pow-der
wero introduced into its chambers and a
siow match applied. But, as it would seem,
by the interposition of Providence, this mag-nificent
work wan spared. The fire after
burningafew feet, went out, and did not
ignite the powder. Tho dry dock is ours in
perfect condition. Tho machinery in tho
shops is also perfect; the cutting of a few
bolts being the extent of the damage inflic-ted
on it. The stores of costly timbers that it
has been the work of years to accumulate,
are all safe. Fifteen hundred pieces of tho
finest ordinance in tho world, comparatively
unhurt. It is true that the greater number of
them were spiked, but then the work so clum-sily
performed, that the spikes for the aiost
part can be removed without the least d-ffi-culty.
Some of them can be picked out with
the fingers. Forty-two were unspiked yes-terday
in the course of an hour.
The shipping destroyed, except the Merri-mac—
which was a first-class steam frigate
nearly now—was of no great value. Tho
Pennsylvania is no loss, as everybody knows.
The Plymouth, Puritan and Dolphin had been
condemned as unseaworthy. The German-town
though old was a fine frigate. She can-however,
be easily raised, as can ail the oth-ers
without any great expanse. The Penn-sylvania
is utterly destroyed. The others
wero burnt only to the waters edge, having
been previously sunk. The Plymouth was
not burnt at all.
Two officers were made prisoners this
morning Com. Rddgers, of the Navy, and,
Capt. Wright, of the Engineering Corps of
the Army. They were much frightened
when brought ashore, tearing the violence
of the raos which instantly surrounded them.
But being placed under the protection of a
company of soldiers, they were taken to the
General's Headquarters at this hotel—the
Atlantic—without any demonstration of vio-lence
or insult on the part of the citizens.—
They now have the privilege of the hotel
on their parole. They denounce the destruc-tion
ot the property as barbarous and van-da"
ord
barracks before the appointed time, and en-deavored
to escape in the confusion. He
succeeded, but was shot at several times
while scalling the walls. This circumstance
creating a lack of confidence in their own
men, and fearing attack from without they
discontinued the preparation for firing the
buildings but marched the men aboard the
ships and waited for the tide. Thus was pro-perty
to tho value of several millions saved.
Officers Rodgei's and Wright were separated
from their commands when the conflagration
was started, and rushing to the landing found
communication with the vessels cut off. They
then made all haste to the maintenance way
which, when they readied, they found envel-oped
in flame*, through which they had to
make their way at the risk of their lives.
Going down to the river they seived a boat
and started in pursuit of the retreating ship?,
but, passing the ferry landing at Portsmouth,
tney wero headed off by a boat from the
shore which fired on them, and they then
made for Ferry Point where they wore cap-tured.
The utmost confusion it seems pre-vailed
in the yard all day yesterday, and also
last night, The truth is everybody was drunk,
from (ommodore Macauley,the commandant,
down.
Tho Commodore was so drunk as to be in-capable
of any duty, and had to be borne to
the ship on a litter. Nearly every officer, it
is reported, was having a high old time. It
seerns we have a swilling set opposed to as,
even those filling the highest stations. A gen-tleman
arrived hero this morning, who, with
several others was arrested while passing
through Washington for beingSouthernorsand
taken into tho presence of the august Baboon.
He declares that Linco'n was so drunk that
he could scarcely maintain his seat in the
chair, and it was notorious in Washington
that ho had been in a state of beastly intoxi-cation
f r more than thirty-six hours. The
man is scared nearly to death, and few peo-ple
in that city are in any better condition.
Ali day yesterday soldiers and citizens wero
busy in erecting batteries on ponts below the
city.
The Naval Hospital has beon taken posses-sion
of, and th^ro the South Carolinians aro
to bo quartered. Some twenty sick in it, who
are suffered to remain, and will be properly
taken care of. At this point an iron battery
is to be erected.
Sar.d batteries are in process of construc-tion
there now.
Gans were mounted at old Fort Norfolk,
and preparations are making for constructing
batteries on Craney Island." In a few days,
with the means now at command, this harbor
will be efficiently protected.
imputations so unjestly cast by a few presses
upon tue soldierly honor and patriotic loyalty
of a brave man called to cope with difficulties
and dangers in a combat than which it would
be> ditficult to conceive of one more unequal.
The gallant Major defended his post to the
last extremity, and when finally compelled,
by conflagration within and tho concentra-ted
fire of a dozen batteries without, to sur-render,
he did so with the honors of war.
Su-atrsbij' Bdltio, off Sandy Hook,
April 18, 1861, 10 30, A. M., via New i'ork. .
Having defended Fort Sumter for thirty-four
hours, until the quarters were entirety
burnt, the main gates destroyed by fire, the
walls seriously injured, the magazine sur-rounded
by flames, and its door closed from
the effects of heat; our barrels and three car-tridges
of powder only being available, and
no provisions remaining but pork, 1 accep-ted
terms of evacuation offered by General
Bcauregard—being tha same offered by him
on the 11 instant, prior to the commence-ment
of hostilities—and marched out of the
Fort on Sunday afternoon, the 14th instant,
with colors flying and drums beating, bring-ing
away company and private properly, and
saluting my flag with fifty guns.
ROBERT ANDERSON,
Major 1st Artilery, commanding.
Hon. SIMON CAMERON,
Secretary of of War, Washington.
At one o'clock on Tuesday morning last
a Telegraphic Dispatch was received from
the Executive of Virginia, ordering the Dan-ville,
Blues and the Danville Grays to pro-ceed
to Richmond with all proper expedition.
Tbe gallant fellows were roused from their
slumbers, by the sound of tho Drum heart.
along our streets, and at Five o'clock, were on
the Cars and off for the Wars.
Within four hoursfrom the reception of the
order, they ieft their homes—their families
and their lriends and responded to their coun-try's
call with an alacrity, highly honorable
and which we imagine has few parallels in
history.
Thus went forth from our midst, on this
mission of Patriotism, more than two hundred
of the flower of our young men. Physicians,
Lawyers, Mechanics, Merchants and Clerks;
representing most of the families ofour Town,
fill the ranks of these companies, and bear
with them the high regard of our community.
They have gone to meet the enemies of the
State and may tbe blessing and protection of
Providence attend them through all their
way and amid all their perils, and return them
to their families and their friends, unscathed
and unharmed, covered with glory and
crowned with laurels.
Another company of one hundred men, (an
Artilery Company) will leave our Town in a
few days.
Generals Lee and Johnston.
These two ewineiu gentlemen, now Majors
General in the service of Virginia have trod
the path of life in harmony. They entered
West Point together—graduated together-entered
the army together—advanced step
by step to tho highest posts in that sorvice.
Neither ever led a defeat. Together in her
hour of trial they have both rushed to the
defence of their native State, and both have
been entrusted with the highest position in
her army.
Their fathers, as they are, were friends
and comrades in arniR. Judge Johnson ser-ved
with Horse Harry in tho times that
tried men's souls. They made their mark oa
the enemy, as their ^ons will do
There is a gentlemen, a resident of this
qity, to whom Gen. Scott once said: "The
army can better afford to lo?e every officer,
myself included than Robert Lee." To an-other
gentlemen, also a resident of Richmond
and equally unimpeachable, Gen. Scott onoe
said : "I havd received much applause for
the campaign in Mexico; the whole credit
of it is duo to Robert. Lee."—R. Whig.
Seizure or a Vessel.
The steamer George M. Smith loft New
York on tho 3d of April, with a regular clear-ance,
bound to \\ ilicington, N. C., with an
assorted cargo of merchandize. Ten gun
carriages were on board, shipped by Cooper
& Pond, of Now York. Tbe schooner put
in to Hampton Road* in distress.on the 25th,
(Thursday,) being short of provisions. The
steamtug Young America, of this city, being
in the Roads in search of a schooner bound
to this port, which she had been sont to tow
up—observing the signal of distress, bore to-wards
her, and was fired into by a boat of
the Cumberland, then on their way to the
schooner, which was soon followed by a shot-ted
gun from the Cumberland, which struck
the tug near the starboard bow, without do-ing
any serious damage. (No thanks to Flag
Officer Pendergrast.) Tho steamtug was
then ordered alongside of the frigate, and is
now held as a prize, with her crew.
Tho Schr Geo. M. Smith was also seized*
and is now detained at Old Point, as a Prize
of War, by Flag Officer Pendergrast, of the
U. S. Navv, with her crew and cargo.—Day
(Norfolk) Book.
Let little Petersburg take care of her boas-
; but say they were obliged to obey the ted and jnstiy soubriquet of the "Cockade
ers of their government. They declare Town of Virginia," else it will soon be trans- .
that tbe utter demolition of everything that 1 ferred to little Danville.—Danville Register. 1 ville Register.
Resignation of Another Army Officer*
It gives us pleasure to state that Capt.
Maj. W. L. Cabell, son of our friend and
ueighbor, Gen. Benj. W. S. Cabell, and a dis-tinguished
graduate of tho We3t Point Mili-tary
Academy, who has been serving on the
frontiers, for years past, has resigued bis
Commission and entered the service ot the
Confederate States ol the South.
We aro gratified in being able to state.
still further, that he has been promoted to
j the grade of a Major in that service.—Dem~