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 Surrender of Norfolk - 1862 Virginia Map

SURRENDER OF NORFOLK - MAY 11, 1862

PAGE 11

Norfolk, Va, May 11, 3 P.M.

REPORTS FROM REBELDOM.

The recent Southern papers which we were permitted to look over in the office of the Norfolk Day Book, contain no news of any importance except an account of the recent battle at Williamsburg, at which place, of course, the rebels, as usual, claim a victory, although they acknowledge an immense loss of officers and men, and among them, Major General S. S. Anderson, who was of South Carolina, and was killed upon the battle field.  This is no doubt the general supposed to be, and reported as the rebel General Ricketts in our accounts of the battle.  Brig. Gen. Early of Va., was severely wounded.  The 5th and 6th North Carolina regiments, the Petersburg Express acknowledges, were almost annihilated, only 75 reporting themselves at the camp after the battle.  From all accounts in the rebel papers, this must have been a serious blow to them, notwithstanding they claim a victory, upon what grounds, however, it is difficult to ascertain.

From the James river we have no reports in the rebel newspapers, but Secessionists here in Norfolk say that the Galena ascended that “muddy stream” and took all the batteries up to Sandy Point, where she was “hard aground,” with her consorts, the gunboats Port Royal and Aroostook, endeavoring to haul her off.  In view of the blowing up of the Merrimac this morning, Commodore Goldsborough has ordered the Monitor and battery E. A. Stevens to proceed up the James river, for the purpose of co-operating with the Galena.  They sail to-night.

THE CASE OF THE MERRIMAC

There is no doubt now that the vessel blown up last night was really the iron-clad monster Merrimac, alias the Virginia.  Sailors reported having seen the bodies of two men floating in the water, dressed in the uniform of seamen, whom they supposed were sailors on the Merrimac.  It is supposed that these men were in irons, and blown up with the rebel monstrosity.  This agrees with the story very current her among Secessionists, to the effect that a number of enlisted seaman on board the Merrimac had expressed their disapprobation of again engaging the Monitor in close action.  The cruel Tatnall, who was command, swore that if any man refused to fight and the ship should be worsted, she should be blown up, and they should circulate the air as would her monstrous timbers.

It is now time for your correspondent to leave, with his hastily prepared communication, for Old Point, in order to catch the Baltimore boat, upon which he hopes to obtain a night’s repose, as he has trudged on foot many miles through the dust and swamps, with a broiling sun, through the counties of Princess Anne and Norfolk, without having closed his eyes for sleep for a period of 72 hours.

More Anon.

 

Surrender of Nofolk Continued

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Source of Information

The Press, Philadelphia, PA Newspaper, Tuesday, May 13, 1862.

Image from Harper's Weekly May 24, 1862.