Report of Com. Goldsborough

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.

The Navy Department has received dispatches from Com. Goldsboro [sic], dated 20th inst.  He had received the official accounts of the visit of our vessels to Edenton and to the Currituck canal.  The light house at Cape Hatteras may now be lighted with perfect safety.

The names of the men-of-war destroyed by our vessels since the fleet reached Hatteras Island, are as follows: The Seabird, flag steamer, the Curlew and the Wanny, all steamers, and the Black Warrior, a schooner.  The steamer Edisto was captured.  A new gunboat on the stocks at Elizabeth City was also destroyed, making seven vessels in all.  The first six were remarkably well armed as gunboats.  All of them, excepting the Curlew, were destroyed or captured in the attack on Elizabeth City.  As our forces took undisturbed possession of Edenton, part of a flying artillery regiment, variously estimated from 150 to 300, fled precipitately without firing a shot.

Many of the in habitants also left in consequence.

There are no fortifications at or in the water approaches to Edenton.

Among the results of the expedition ware the destruction of 8 cannon, and one schooner on the stocks at Edenton.  Two schooners were captured in the sound; one having 4,000 bu. of corn.  Six bales of cotton were taken from the custom house wharf.  There were no public stores in the town. – The custom house was empty.

Com. Goldsborough says he remained two hours abreast of the town, and was visited by the authorities and others, many of whom professed sentiments of loyalty to the old Union.

A proclamation, dated the 18th inst., and signed jointly by Com. Goldsborough and Gen. Burnside, to the people of North Carolina, says the mission of the joint expedition is not to invade any rights, but to assert the authority of the United States, and to close with them the desolating war brought upon the State by comparatively a few men in their midst.  The proclamation concludes as follows: “We invite you, in the name of the Constitution, in that of virtuous loyalty and civilization, to separate yourselves at once from their malignant influence to return to your allegiance, and not compel us to resort further to the force under our command.  The government asks only that its authority may be recognized and we repeat that in no manner or way does it desire to interfere with your laws constitutionally established, your institutions of any kind, or your property of any kind whatever, or usages in any respect.”

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Friday Morning, February 28, 1862, p. 1