April 11.—Fort Pulaski surrendered to the National arms. Yesterday morning the preparations for its bombardment, under Brig.-Gen. Gilmore, were completed, and a communication under a flag of truce was forwarded to Col. Olmstead, the commander of Fort Pulaski, demanding the unconditional surrender of the place. To this Col. Olmstead replied in a very gentlemanly and witty note, stating that he was placed there “to defend, not to surrender the Fort.” Upon receipt of this, the batteries on Tybee opened fire. After firing a few rounds from the several batteries, a chance shot carried away the halliards on Pulaski, and the confederate flag fell to the earth. At this point the fire slackened, the Nationals not knowing but that the occupants of the Fort had concluded to succumb. Presently, instead of the white flag, the stars and bars were once more seen waving from a temporary flag-staff on the parapet. The batteries on Tybee recommenced with redoubled vigor, and the firing continued without cessation during the remainder of the day. Toward night, Gen. Gilmore being satisfied, from the effects of the Parrott guns and James’s projectiles during the day, of the practicability of breaching the Fort, again slackened the firing, in order to make arrangements for the planting of more guns at the Goat Point batteries, that point being the nearest to Pulaski, distance one thousand six hundred and eighty-five yards. From sunset till twelve o’clock, midnight, no firing was heard; from then until daylight an occasional shot was fired, and this morning two small breaches were visible at the distance of two miles, on the south-east face of the Fort. By twelve o’clock M., these, under the heavy and well-directed firing from the Goat Point batteries, had assumed most wonderful proportions, and at eighteen minutes past two P.m., the confederate flag was hauled down and a white flag displayed. A boat was then sent to Pulaski, and a surrender of the Fort was made. Col. Olmstead stated that it was impossible to hold out any longer, as the rifle shots were fast working their way into the magazines, and a goodly number of his guns were disabled, and ha was therefore compelled to comply with General Hunter’s demand; accordingly, the Seventh Connecticut, colonel Terry, was thrown into the Fort, and the munitions of war, provisions, etc., were turned over to the credit of the Union. Union loss—one killed and one wounded slightly. Confederate loss—three wounded. Amputation necessary, and performed in each case. Prisoners, three hundred and eighty-five, including officers. —(Doc. 126.)
—The Bill to emancipate slaves in the District of Columbia was passed by the House of Representatives of the United States. During the debate upon it, John J. Crittenden, of Kentucky, made a powerful speech, entering, in the name of his constituents, a protest not only against the bill, but against any measure calculated to agitate the question of slavery.
—Lieut. J. G. Baker, U.S.N., with an armed crew, on board the rebel prize schooner Bride, captured the rebel sloop Wren, at Shark’s Point, Va., after a chase of over two hours. The crew escaped.—Baltimore American, April 14.
—Huntsville,[1] Alabama, was this day occupied by the National forces under the command of Gen. Mitchel, without much resistance. Gen. Mitchcl’s official despatch says: “After a forced march of incredible difficulty, leaving Fayetteville yesterday at twelve, noon, my advanced guard, consisting of Turchin’s Brigade, Kennett’s cavalry, and Simonson’s battery, entered Huntsville this morning at six o’clock. The city was completely taken by surprise, no one having considered the march practicable in the time. We have captured about two hundred prisoners, fifteen locomotives, a large amount of passenger and box-platform cars, the telegraph apparatus and office, and two Southern mails. We have, at last, succeeded in cutting the great artery of railway communication between the Southern States.”—(Doc. 129.)
—The Adams Army Express carried away from Newbern, N. C, four hundred and thirty thousand dollars, the contributions of Burnside’s soldiers to their families at the North.—Newbern Progress, April 11.
—The Nashville (Tenn.) Union of this date has the following: “For several days the office of Governor Johnson, in the capital, has been thronged with secession men and women from the city and adjacent country, earnestly interceding for their sons who have been or are now in the rebel army, and expressing the utmost willingness and even anxiety to take the oath of allegiance to the good old Government, and faithfully discharge the duties of law-abiding and loyal citizens. Some of these distressed parents, for whom we feel the deepest sympathy, say that their sons were virtually forced into the rebel service by taunts and menaces, others that their pride led them to volunteer lest they should be subjected to the degradation of the draft, and others from various malign influences so hard to be resisted by the thoughtless adventurers and ambitious young men. Many instances of the most affecting nature could be adduced, but we forbear to intrude upon the sanctity of private grief
“The improvement in the state of the public mind is most gratifying, and will be hailed with rapture by every patriotic heart. The work of restoration progresses most cheeringly. The spell of treason is broken, and the demon of enchantment lies powerless at the feet of our country’s genius.”
—The rebel iron-clad steamer Merrimac made her second appearance in Hampton Roads, Va., this day, in company with six smaller vessels, two of which were the Jamestown and Yorktown. After manœuvring in the Roads, and capturing three small vessels belonging to Unionists, the rebel fleet returned to Elizabeth River.—(Doc. 130.)
—The Secretary of War makes public acknowledgment to the Governors of Massachusetts, Indiana, and Ohio, and the Board of Trade of Pittsburgh, Pa., for their prompt offers of assistance for the relief of the officers and soldiers wounded in the late great battle on Tennessee River. Their offers have been accepted. It is understood that similarly humane and patriotic service has been rendered by other city and State authorities, and which have not been reported to the department, but are thankfully acknowledged. — War Order.
—To-day, while the Twelfth New-York volunteers, in command of Major Barnum, were on picket-duty in front of the enemy’s works near York River, Va., a regiment of rebels came out from under cover and advanced in line of battle. The Major rallied about three hundred of his men to receive them at musket-range, pouring in a deadly fire of Minie-balls, when the enemy retired, leaving behind their dead and wounded, which they afterwards removed in ambulances. Later in the day the rebels advanced in considerable force from another point, drove in the National pickets, and burnt a dwelling used by the Federal troops. During both these skirmishes the Unionists had three men slightly wounded.
The Fifty-seventh and Sixty-third Pennsylvania regiments had also a brisk skirmish with the rebels near Yorktown, Va., in which we had two men killed and four wounded. The killed were E. Cross and James Thompson, company A, Sixty-third Pennsylvania regiment The wounded are Thomas Brooks, company C, Sixty-third regiment; D. R Lynch, company E, Sixty-third regiment; Sergt. Samuel Merunie, company E, Fifty-seventh regiment, and John Cochrane, company F, same regiment—Baltimore American, April 14.
—Grave complaints against Assistant-Surgeons Hewitt and Skipp having reached the War Department, they were suspended from duty, and ordered to report themselves. A negligent or inhuman surgeon is regarded by the department as an enemy of his country and of his race, and will be dealt with according to the utmost rigor of military law.—Secretary Stanton’s Order.
[1] Huntsville is the shire town of Madison County, Alabama. It is on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, one hundred and fifty miles north north-east from Tuscaloosa, and one hundred and sixteen miles in a southerly direction from Nashville. The town contains many handsome buildings, and a court-house which cost forty-five thousand dollars, and a bank building which, cost eighty thousand dollars. The town contains six churches, a federal land office, three newspaper offices, and two female seminaries. It is in the midst of a fine farming region, and among the south-western spurs of the Alleghany range.
