The Daily Dispatch: April 23, 1861., [Electronic resource]

---

---

Burning of the Navy-yard!

destruction of Government arms and stores.
five Federal ships burnt!
Escape of the Ween!
the Cumberland Towed down and Ashore!
exciting Incidents, #x0026;c., &c.

Passengers from Norfolk last evening assure us that the amount of guns, stores and ammunition secured by the Virginia forces, after the burning of the Navy-Yard, was enormous, and our correspondence confirms the fact. The guns in many instances were imperfectly spiked in the hurry and alarm of the Federal incendiaries, and are in no respect damaged. We copy from the Norfolk Herald of yesterday the following narrative of the exciting events of the two days preceding:

‘ On Saturday and Sunday the greatest excitement prevailed in the city. Troops were hurrying to and fro, and every one anxious to know what was to be done, but unable to obtain the desired information. The rumor was that the Cumberland was about to sail from the Navy-Yard, and preparations were made to prevent her.

’ At 12 o'clock an officer came from the yard, bearing a flag of truce, and was conducted to General Taliaferro's headquarters at the Atlantic Hotel, where a consultation was held, which resulted in a promise from the commandant of the yard, Com. Macanley, that none of the vessels should be removed nor a shot fired except in self-defence. This quieted the excitement, but it was renewed at a later hour, when it was ascertained that the Germantown and Merrimac had been scuttled, and that the heavy shears on the wharf at which the Germantown was lying had been cut away, and allowed to fall mid-ships across her decks, carrying away the main topmasts and yards. It was also perceived that the men were busily engaged in destroying and throwing overboard side and small arms, &c., and other property, and boats were constantly passing between the Pennsylvania, Cumberland and other vessels. The assurance of the Commodore, given by his officer at the truce interview, however, tended to allay the apprehension of an immediate collision. But the continued stirring movements at the yard soon rendered it certain that it was the intention of Macauley to destroy all the buildings and other property there --and it was therefore with not much surprise that, about midnight, after two or three slight explosions, the light of a serious conflagration was observed at the yard. This continued to increase, and before daylight the demon-work of destruction was extended to the immense ship-houses known as A and B, (the former containing the entire frame of the New York, 74, which had been on the stocks unfinished, for some thirty-eight years,) and also to the long ranges of two-story offices and stores on each side of the main gate of the yard. The flames and heat from this tremendous mass of burning material was set by a Southwest wind directly towards the line of the vessels moored on the edge of the channel opposite the yard, and nearly all of these, too, were speedily enveloped in flames.

The scene at this time was grand and terrific beyond description. The roar of the conflagration was loud enough to be heard at three or four miles distance, and to this were added occasional discharges from the heavy guns of the old Pennsylvania, ship-of the line, as they became successively heated.--These guns it is asserted, were double-shotted and directed at different parts of the yard for the purpose of ensuring its complete demolishment. This, however, is certain — that it all her guns had been thus prepared and directed, the burnt district could not have been more completely cleared of its appurtenances.

---

The Cumberland and Pawnee.

As soon as the torch had been successfully applied to the ship-houses, the Pawnee, which had been kept under steam from the moment of her arrival, about nightfall on Saturday, was put in motion, and taking the Cumberland in tow, retreated down the harbor, out of the reach of danger --freighted with a great portion of valuable munitions, &c. from the yard, and the Commodore and other officers, who had won for themselves the inglorious distinction of destroying devils in accomplishing such a vandal work. The ships proceeded as far down as the barricades at the narrows, where the Cumberland was left at anchor, and the Pawnee continued on to Fort MonrŒ.

---

The property destroyed.

As far as we could judge from a cursory observation, the property destroyed embraced, besides the ship-houses and contents, the range of buildings on the north line of the yard, (except the Commodore's and Commander's residences, which are unhurt,) the old marine barracks, and one or two workshop, the immense lifting shears, the ships Pennsylvania, Merrimac, Raritan, Columbia, and brig Delphine--burnt to the water's edge; the sloop Germantown, broken and sunk;the Plymouth scuttled and sunk even with her deck; and a vast amount of small arms, chronometers, and valuable engines and machinery in the Ordnance and other shops, broken up and rendered utterly useless.

---

The Dry Dock.

Appearances indicated that it was intended to cripple this admirable and useful work, by blowing up the gates, but from some cause this work was not done, and the dock was found to be altogether unhurt.

We cannot bring ourselves to believe that any officer of a Navy, distinguished hitherto by a high sense of honor and chivalrous courage, could willingly condescend to such an inglorious mode of warfare as this. We rather regard it as an emanation from the wretched cabal at Washington, and a practical carrying out of the tactics laid down by the villainous Sumner, and other orators of the Black Republican party. Burn, sink and destroy is the word with them.