The Galena Captures the Jamestown and Sinks the Yorktown

NEW YORK, May 11. – Special despatches state that the iron clad steamer Galena has sunk the rebel steamer Yorktown and captured the Jamestown in the James River.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 17, 1862, p. 3

The Advance upon Richmond – Treasure from California

NEW YORK, May 14. – A Fort Monroe letter of the 12^th states that McClellan’s pickets were within 16 miles of Richmond, that the Monitor and Naugatuck had passed City Point towards Richmond, the Galena following.  The rebel steamers Yorktown and Jamestown were at Rockets, near Richmond.  These are only rumors.

The Champion, from Aspinwall, brings $484,000 in specie.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p.

From Fort Monroe

FORT MONROE, April 23.

Small boats arrived to-day from Norfolk, containing several refugees. They report the Merrimac at Gosport Navy Yard having iron shields placed over her portholes. She was expected out again in a few days. She was aground the last day she was out, as was generally supposed.

Nothing is said in Norfolk about the bursting of a gun, and is doubtless incorrect.

Capt. Buchanan was thought to be alive. He was wounded by a rifle shot in the thigh.

The steamers Jamestown and Beaufort went up James river Friday and Yorktown Sunday to obtain coal, and took in tow a number of schooners loaded with iron, to be rolled into plates at Tredegar works. Four gunboats had been launched at Norfolk, and 4 more were being constructed, some of them to be plated.

The previously reported engagement between Burnside’s troops and a Georgia regiment, took place Saturday. The Union troops numbered 500; the rebels were the 3d Ga. regiment, Col. Wright. The fight was on the canal above Elizabeth City. – Rebel loss 15 killed, 35 wounded. It is said they ran on being attacked; were poorly equipped; lacked arms and ammunition.

A refugee who visited Richmond last week, states that there are but few troops there or at Norfolk; mostly gone to Yorktown.

One of the refugees was a sailor on the steamer Fingal. He left Savannah March 1st. He reports great consternation there. The Fingal and other vessels are in the harbor.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Friday Morning, April 25, 1862, p. 2

From Fortress Monroe

FORTRESS MONROE, April 23. – A small boat arrived today from Norfolk containing several refugees. They report the Merrimac at the Gosport Yard, having iron plates put over her port holes. She is expected out again in a few days. She was aground the last day out as was generally supposed.

Nothing was said in Norfolk about the bursting of a gun, and it is doubtless incorrect.

Captain Buchanan is thought to be alive. He was wounded by a rifle shot in the thigh.

The steamers Jamestown and Beaufort went up the James river on Friday and the Yorktown on Sunday to obtain coal. They took in tow a number of schooners loaded with iron to be rolled into plates at [Tredegar] works, Richmond.

Four gunboats have been constructed at Norfolk, and four more are being constructed. Some of them are to be plated.

The engagement between Burnside’s droops and a Georgia regiment took place Saturday. The Union troops numbered 500. The rebels were the 3d Georgia [regiment], Col. Wright. The fight was on the canal above Elizabeth City. – The rebels lost 15 killed and 35 wounded. It is said they run on being attacked. They were poorly equipped and lacked muskets and ammunition.

A refugee who visited Richmond last week states there are few troops there or at Norfolk, having mostly gone to Yorktown. 14,000 are said to have passed through Richmond in one day for Yorktown.

One of the refugees was a sailor on the steamer Fingal. He left Savannah on 1st of March and reports great consternation there. The Fingal and other vessels were in the harbor.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 26, 1862, p. 3

The Merrimac Again

Fortress Monroe, April 11.

To the Secretary of War:

The Merrimac, Jamestown, and Yorktown, several gunboats and tugs, appeared to-day between Newport News and Sewell’s Point. The only damaged done was the capture of two small vessels – one empty and one loaded with coal.

(Signed) J. E. WOOL


Fortress Monroe, April 11 – P. M.

To E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War:

The Merrimac came down towards the Monitor and Stevens’ Battery, (Naugatuck). The latter fired four or five rounds, and the Merrimac one, when she and her consorts returned to Craney Island.

(Signed) WOOL

– Published in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Saturday, April 19, 1862

From Fortress Monroe

Fortress Monroe, April 14. – The Merrimac remained in the same position all day yesterday until evening, when together with the rest of the rebel fleet, she returned to Norfolk. She is generally supposed to have been altered. – None of the rebel fleet have shown themselves to-day.

Several Captains of vessels in port testify in relation to three vessels captured by the rebel steamer Jamestown that they were ordered to move either outside of Fortress Monroe or inside of Hampton Bar. As the position of the vessels in question was inside the bar, the blame, if any one is accountable for their capture, should rest upon the Harbor Master, rather than on the captured vessels.

Mr. Twigg, a correspondent of the New York World, was arrested here this morning on a charge of having prepared matter for publication of a contraband character.

A Norfolk paper has been received here containing a dispatch from Beauregard in relation to the second day’s fighting at Pittsburg Landing. He claims a complete victory. He says that after capturing 36 of our guns and 8,000 prisoners, his force fell back upon his works at Corinth, which they are fully able to hold.

– Published in the Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Tuesday, April 15, 1862 & in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 19, 1862, p. 4

From Fortress Monroe

Baltimore, April 9. – The Old Point boat has arrived. She left Ft. Monroe about eight o’clock last night.

The Merrimac is confidently expected with seven other gunboats on the first favorable day.

Weather cold and foggy.

The latest news from Yorktown by telegraph, 8th, is that everything is progressing satisfactorily. A battle is not expected within a day or two.

The American’s special correspondence says: The storm which arose Monday afternoon and continued through to-day doubtless prevented the Merrimac coming out as she intended. She is now looked for confidently as soon as the weather permits.

A gentleman who was on board the steamer Rancorous when she went up with a flag of truce on Monday, says the Merrimac was then lying off Craney Island. The Yorktown, Jamestown, Teazer [sic] and four steam tugs, were in company with her – all under steam. No particular change in the appearance of the Merrimac was noticed.

It was the impression of those on board the Rancorous that the whole fleet were on their way down when the flag of truce appeared.

The storm must have been severely felt in the army now advancing up the Peninsula deprived as they were to a great extent of shelter and tents, and exposed to a constant watchfulness in the face of the foe. Their discipline, none too good before, will be brought to a poor condition and the public must not be impatient in expecting early results in this direction.

– Published in the Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Thursday, April 10, 1862