Diary of George Mifflin Dallas, February 17, 1861

Mr. Reuter sends me a telegram from Queenstown of the American news. 1. The conference invited by Virginia met on the 4th, and re-assembled with closed doors on the 5th at Washington. 2. Slidell and Benjamin have withdrawn. 3. A truce between Lieutenant Slemmer and State forces at Pensacola Navy-Yard, followed by surrender to latter. 4. North Carolina resolves unanimously to go with the other slave States if adjustment fail. 5. United States revenue cutter Lewis Cass treacherously surrendered to Alabama. 6. Fifty thousand people starving in Kansas. 7. Secession of Texas definitive. 8. The President has refused to surrender Fort Sumter on Colonel Hayne's demand; an attack expected. 9. Attempt on Fort Pickens abandoned. No blood yet spilt.

SOURCE: George Mifflin Dallas, Diary of George Mifflin Dallas, While United States Minister to Russia 1837 to 1839, and to England 1856 to 1861, Volume 3, p. 436

Major-General Dabney H. Maury to James A. Seddon, August 11, 1864

MOBILE, August 11, 1864.

Hon. J. A. SEDDON,

    Secretary of War:

Raid preparing at Pensacola Navy-Yard; quiet elsewhere. Nothing late from Fort Morgan; wires broken. Forrest drove enemy's advance out of Oxford last night. All particulars of Fort Gaines' surrender known are commanding officer communicated with enemy and made terms without authority; his fort in good condition, garrison having suffered little. He made [no] reply to repeated orders and signals from General Page to hold his fort, and surrendered; conditions not known. Serious delays and mischief occasioned by depot quartermasters refusing to issue necessary supplies, except by orders from Richmond; please correct it.

D. H. MAURY,        

Major-General.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 39, Part 2 (Serial No. 78), p. 770

Senator James W. Grimes to Elizabeth S. Nealley Grimes, August 4, 1861

WaSHington, August 4, 1861.

I am happy to say that we shall adjourn in two days. I am on a select committee to investigate the causes of the loss of the Norfolk and Pensacola Navy-Yards, and Harper's Ferry Arsenal, which will sit in the recess, and that possibly may detain me a day or two, but I hope not. It will compel me, however, to leave home again in October. The city is now under the most rigid military discipline, and perfect order prevails everywhere. All have unbounded confidence in General McClellan. There are about eighty thousand troops in the vicinity.

John Grimes is getting well. He was blistered and dosed to his heart's content. His trouble was the shock of a large Minieball, which struck him in the chest, and knocked him over. The concussion, and going two entire days without food or sleep, and the last one in a drenching rain, caused a sort of haemorrhage of the lungs. His officers say he behaved very gallantly. He did not shrink from any part of his duty, was the last to come in, and brought with him, alone, the remnant of the battalion of marines.

I hope to see you soon, and I long to have the day come. This congressional life is poor business — taking one away from all he loves, and that can make him happy. I have a great many things to tell you about the battle.

SOURCE: William Salter, The Life of James W. Grimes, p. 147

The War News

Pensacola Navy Yard and Forts burnt down!

Fort Pickens Bombards the place during the Conflagration.

North Carolina Seceding back to the Union.

GOV. CLARKE ORDERING HOME ALL N. C. TROOPS.

Brag Commands at Corinth.

Proclamation by President Lincoln.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, May 20, 1862, p. 1

Burning of the Pensacola Navy Yard

BEFORE CORINTH, Miss., May 18.

The Mobile Advertiser and Register contains the following:

PENSACOLA NAVY YARD, May 10.

At 12 o’clock last night the Pensacola Navy Yard and the Forts were set on fire and destroyed.

When the enemy discovered what was going on, Fort Pickens opened a furious bombardment and kept it up during the conflagration, and without doing damage to anybody.  At Pensacola all public property, excepting the Easton House, which was incapable of being burnt, was destroyed; but movable Confederate property has been saved.

The railroad track leading out of the city towards Montgomery was torn up this morning.

A Federal vessel, with a flag of truce, came up to the city, demanding a surrender.

Major Balbe refused to comply with the demand, but as all the military forces had left, he had no power to oppose.

The Federal officer replied they would occupy the city by to-morrow, but that the inhabitants need not be alarmed.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, May 20, 1862, p. 1

Evacuation of Pensacola --- The Navy Yard Burned

BEFORE CORINTH, MISS., May 18. – The Mobile Advertiser and Register contains the following special:

PENSACOLA, May 10. – At 12 o’clock last night Pensacola Navy Yard and the forts were set on fire and destroyed.  When the enemy discovered what was going on, Fort Pickens opened a furious bombardment and kept it up during the conflagration and without doing damage to anybody at Pensacola.  All the public property except the custom house, which is incapable of being burned, was moved, but all the moveable Confederate property has been saved.  The railroad track leading out of the city was torn up this morning.  A Federal vessel with a flag of truce came up to the city, demanding a surrender – Mayor Ballbe refused to comply with the demand, but as all the military forces had left he had no power to oppose.  The Federal officer replied that they would occupy the city to-morrow, but that the inhabitants need not be alarmed.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 24, 1862, p. 4