on the Cumberland island, that the rebels where, at the old town, a white flag was had abandoned in haste the whole of the displayed on the shore. Soon after, on defences of Fernandina, and were seen at passing new Fernandina, a short distance that moment retreating from Amelia beyond, on the Amelia river, inside of island, carrying with them such of their the island of that name on which the munitions as their precipitate flight would town is situated, a few rifle shots were allow, detached the gunboats and armed fired from some bushes, and a railroad steamers of light draft, and placed them train was perceived, just starting on the under command of Commander P. Dray-road crossing the State to Cedar Keys ton, of the steam sloop Pawnee, and or- on the Gulf. "As it was naturally supdered him to push through the sound posed to contain soldiers escaping," says with the utmost speed, to save the pub- Commander Drayton," I directed Lieutenlic and private property from threatened ant Stevens (commanding the Ottawa) destruction, to prevent the poisoning of to try and stop it; and the road passing the wells, and to put a stop to all those for some distance near the river, and we outrages by the perpetration of which the going at full speed, there was an opporleaders of this nefarious war hope to de- tunity of firing several shots at the two ceive and exasperate the Southern peo- locomotives attached to the train, which, ple."* Commander Drayton proceeding however, did not prevent its escape on his errand, found the navigation quite across the railroad bridge, which is four intricate, and was compelled to leave a miles from the town, and it was soon lost portion of his fleet midway at the flats, in the woods on the other side. We where the tides meet in the sound from afterwards found on the track the bodies the north and the South. Continuing on of two men who had been killed by our with the Pawnee, the Huron, and Otta-shots, one of whom was a soldier, and the wa, all except the last grounded when only three miles distant from Fort Clinch at the extremity of Cumberland island. Commander Drayton then pushed on with the Ottawa, and three armed launches of the Wabash, which had accompanied his squadron, with a company of sailors under command of Commander C. R. P. Rodgers. Finding Fort Clinch, as had been reported, deserted, no stop was made at this point, beyond sending a boat on shore to hoist the American flag as a signal to Commodore Dupont, who was on his way by sea to the St. Mary's. It was, as Commodore Dupont remarks, "the first of the national forts on which the ensign of the Union has resumed its proper place since the first proclamation of the President of the United States was issued."

From the Cumberland Sound, Commander Drayton crossed, in the Ottawa, the mouth of the harbor to Fernandina,

* Report of Commodore Dupont. Harbor of Fernandina, March 4, 1862.

report was that ex-Senator Yulee was on board one of the cars, and had also been struck; but this I think, was a mistake." In the meantime, a small steamer, named the Darlington, was discovered attempting to escape up the narrow creek crossed by the railroad, and passed through the draw just after the train had gone by. The Ottawa, unable to follow her from the shallowness of the stream, and failing to reach her with her guns, Commander Rogers pushed on with his armed launches, and captured her. "There were passengers," says Commodore Dupont, "including women and children, aboard the Darlington, and yet the brutal captain suffered her to be fired upon, and refused to hoist the white flag notwithstanding the entreaties of women. No one was injured. I sent the captain of the steamer home a prisoner. His name is Jacob Brock. He is a native of Vermont, but has been a resident of Florida for twenty-three years."

The same night Commander Rodgers

OCCUPATION OF FERNANDINA.

371

went ten miles up the St. Mary's with encounter a well-constructed and natuthe Ottawa, and took possession of the rally-masked battery at the town, which town of St. Mary's, driving out a picket commands the access to the inner anof the enemy's cavalry, while Commander chorage. We are told that General Lee Drayton proceeded to bring up the Paw-pronounced the place perfectly defensinee and Huron, which had been left in ble; we are not surprised at this, if true. Cumberland sound. In the morning, on We captured Port Royal, but Fernanhis arrival before the town, Fernandina dina and Fort Clinch have been given to was formally occupied. Most of the in- us." Among the thirteen heavy guns left habitants had fled with the military force behind by the enemy, were one 80, and at the station, in accordance with the one 120-pounder, rifled. Among other policy of the enemy to abandon the rescued property, two locomotives and works on the approach of an irresistible three cars were brought in from the railforce. The forts and batteries of the way, and a quantity of rosin, turpentine, harbor, if defended, might have given and cotton, was preserved from destructhe fleet some trouble. "I visited," says tion. A liberal policy was pursued toCommander Rogers. "Fort Clinch and ward the inhabitants by General Wright, the town (Fernandina), and the earth- who was assigned to the command of the works on the sea face of the island. It is station. All persons, whether white or impossible to look at these preparations colored, on registering themselves at the for a vigorous defence, without being office of the provost marshal, would resurprised that they should have been ceive protection in person and property. voluntarily surrendered. The batteries on the north and north-east shores are as complete as art can make them. Six are well concealed, and protected by ranges of sand hills on front, contain perfect shelter for the men, and are so small, and thoroughly covered by the natural growth, and by the varied contours of the land, that to strike them from the water would be the mere result of chance. A battery of six guns, though larger, and therefore affording a better mark, is equally well sheltered and masked. The batteries and the heavy guns mounted on Fort Clinch, command all the turnings of the main ship-channel, and rake an approaching enemy. Besides these, there was another battery of four guns on the south end of Cumberland island, the fire of which would cross the channel inside of the bar. The difficulties arising from the indirectness of the channel, and from the shoalness of the bar, would have added to the defences by keeping the approaching vessels a long time exposed to fire, under great disadvantages; and when the ships of an enemy had passed all their defences, they would have to

Lieutenant Commanding Stevens, in the Ottawa, in his reconnoissance up the St. Mary's river, ascended to a point called Woodstock Mills, about fifty miles from Fernandina, in the vicinity of which, near the brickyard, the plantation of a Mrs. Downes, he was assaulted from both sides of the river, there a hundred yards wide, by a force of riflemen. He replied with grape and canister and small arms, "killing and wounding a large number." A large body of cavalry was scattered by a five-second 11-inch shell thrown among them, and the fire of another party of the enemy in ambush on the shore, was effectually anticipated by a heavy discharge from the guns on board. What with soothing the occupants of the plantations which he visited, promising protection to the peacable, and punishing the foe in arms, Lieutenant Stevens returned from his excursion of a few days, impressed with the live oak, and other productions of the country, and sanguine of the future. "I am quite confident," says he, in his report, "that our visit will be productive of good, both to those well disposed, and to our ene

protection to all good citizens, the party returned to their vessels. A few days later, on the 13th, Commander Godon proceeded up the passage inside of St. Simon's island, toward Darien, on the Altamaha river, hoping to get possession of one or two rebel steamers of which he had heard in that quarter. His vessels, however, being detained by obstructions in the channel, the steamers had time to escape up the Altamaha. Darien, he learnt, was deserted, a company of horsemen only remaining in the town to burn on the approach of the Union forces. "I have been," reported Commander Godon to Flag-Officer Dupont, on the 16th of March, "from one end of St. Simon's island to the other. But one white man is left on it. I saw him; he is with his aged mother and child; he had never been in the army, refused to leave his house, and was in moral dread of our coming, as the military had in formed him that we came for the purpose of destroying even the women and children. We procured beef for the vessels at this plantation, for which we paid the price he asked, and furnished the family with some articles, such as coffee, salt, etc., which articles they had not even seen for months. All the blacks had been removed from St. Simon's, and at Doboy we met the only negro seen, who was old, and alone in the place. He had been the father of thirteen children, but he informed me that every one had been sold as they reached about eighteen years of age, and, as he graphically expressed it, 'for pocket money for his master.'"

mies, who have been taught a lesson they
will not soon forget. From my observa-
tion, such a thing as free speech among
them is a tradition, and the reign of ter-
ror rules everywhere; still, those I saw
were very grateful for the assurances
given, and I doubt not many of them
will avail themselves of our protection."
In communicating these first results of
his expedition to the Navy Department
on the 4th of March, Commodore Dupont
informed Secretary Welles that one of
his leading objects, the control of the
whole sea-coast line of Georgia, and con-it
sequently, of the State, was already se-
cured. The report," he wrote, "that
the fortifications at St. Simon's, armed
with heavy columbiads, had been aban-
doned, which first reached me at Port
Royal, is confirmed. This being the
case, the entire sea-coast of Georgia is
now either actually in my possession, or
under my control, and thus the views of
the government have been accomplish-
ed." To secure further advantages in
this direction, Commander S. W. Godon
was sent on the 8th of March, from Fer-
nandina, with the Mohican, Pocahontas
and Potomska, from the fleet to St.
Simon's Sound. The fort at that place,
and at the neighboring Jekyl island,
commanding the channel to the port of
Brunswick, were, as was expected, found
deserted. On approaching Brunswick a
fire was seen which proved to be the
conflagration of the depot and wharf of
the railway leading to Pensacola, set on
fire by the retreating soldiers. The cars
were moving off at full speed in the
woods. Lieutenant Balch, of the Poca-
hontas, landed with a party of marines
and riflemen, with two 12-pounder guns;
but found the place deserted. The na-
tional flag was then raised. The proper-
ty found ready for removal was reli-
giously respected, and such houses as
were not open, were not even entered.
After placing proclamations on the pub-
lic buildings urging the inhabitants to
reoccupy their houses, and promising

In another direction, Commodore Dupont was pushing his easy conquests. A visit to the St. John's river, about twenty-five miles below along the coast, naturally followed the occupation of Fernandina. The expedition, as organized by Commodore Dupont, embraced the four regular gunboats Ottawa, Seneca, Pembina, and Huron, with the Isaac Smith and Ellen, and was placed in charge of Lieutenant Commanding

OCCUPATION OF JACKSONVILLE.

in accordance with its advice preliminary steps were taken to hold a convention on the 10th of the next month. Previously to that day, however, the town was evacuated by the Union forces, and the measure was for the time abandoned.

endeavored to destroy. All loyal citi- Jacksonville," on the 20th of March, and zens who return to, or remain at their homes in quiet pursuit of their lawful avocations, shall be protected in all their rights, within the meaning and spirit of the constitution of the United States. The sole desire and intention of the government is to maintain the integrity of the constitution and laws, and reclaim States which have revolted from their national allegiance to their former prosperous and happy condition." Trusting to the manifestations of Union, feeling which had been exhibited, he added, "There is great satisfaction in the fact, now become patent to all, that a large portion of you still cling in your hearts to that mother who first liberated you from the thraldom of a despotic government; who next rescued you from the deathly grasp of the wild savage, at a frightful cost of life and treasure; and who afterwards elevated you from the condition of territorial independence to that of a proud and independent State. I earnestly recommend that in every city, town and precinct you assemble in your primary and sovereign capacity, that you there throw off that sham government which has been forced upon you, swear true fidelity and allegiance to the constitution of the United States, and organize your government, and elect your officers in the good old way of the past. When this is done, then will you see the return of prosperous and happy days, in the enjoyment of that trade and industry to which your extensive coast is so well adapted, and in the immunity from that want and suffering to which you have been so inevitably subjected by the traitorous acts of a few ambitious and unprincipled men; then you will enjoy the fruits of your honest labor, the sweets of happy homes, and the consolation of living under those wise and salutary laws that are due only to an industrious and law-abiding people." This conciliatory and sensible proclamation was issued from "Headquarters Expeditionary Corps,

When Commodore Dupont reached the St. John's river, finding that there was no probability of the gunboat Huron crossing the bar, he dispatched her to St. Augustine, the next harbor on the coast, whither he himself followed in the Wabash. Arriving on the 11th, he immediately sent on shore Commander Rodgers with a flag of truce, "having," as he says, "reason to believe that if there were any people on this coast likely to remain in their houses, it would be at St. Augustine." The expectation was justified by the result. Not only were a large part of the citizens on hand, but they were ready to restore the government property, and the old flag was doubtless sincerely welcomed by many for its promise of restoration, in due time, of former prosperity. The official report of his reception by Commander Rodgers presents an interesting picture of the condition of the town. "Having crossed the bar with some difficulty, in obedience to your orders," he writes to Flag-Officer Dupont on the 12th, "I approached St. Augustine under a flag of truce, and as I drew near the city a white flag was hoisted upon one of the bastions of Fort Marion. Landing at the wharf and enquiring for the chief authority, I was soon joined by the mayor and conducted to the City Hall, where the municipal authorities were assembled. I informed them that having come to restore the authority of the United States, you had deemed it more kind to send an unarmed boat to inform the citizens of your determination, than to occupy the town at once by force of our arms; that you were desirous to calm any apprehension of harsh treatment that might exist in their minds; and that you should care