“The enemy commenced evacuating all the works last night, and Mayor Macbeth surrendered the city to General Schemmelfinnig at nine o’clock this morning, at which time it was occupied by our forces.
“The cotton warehouses, arsenals, quartermaster’s stores, railroad bridges and two iron clads were burned by the enemy. Some vessels in the ship yard were also burned.
“Nearly all the inhabitants remaining behind belong to the poorer class.
“Very respectfully,
“Q. A. GILMORE, General Commanding.”
The rebel movement of evacuation commenced on the night of Friday, the 17th, the garrison of Sullivan’s Island and Point Pleasant quietly withdrawing and retreating over the road by Christ’s Church, just in time to escape Potter’s advance cutting them off. The troops in the city moved out on the northeastern railroad, as did the garrison on James Island, which was finally evacuated on Saturday morning.
Shortly after daylight on Saturday, it was discovered that there were no troops in and about Sumter, or Moultrie, or in the works on James Island. Lieutenant-Colonel Bennett, of the Twenty-first United States colored troops, commanding Morris Island, immediately dispatched Major Hennessy, of the Fifty-second Pennsylvania volunteers, to Fort Sumter, in a small boat, to ascertain whether the fort was evacuated. Major Hennessy proceeded to Sumter, and soon waved the Stars and Stripes over the battered battlements of the work, from which they had been torn down in April, 1861. The sight of the old flag on Sumter was an assurance that the enemy had evacuated all their works, and it was hailed by every demonstration of joy on ship and shore. Another boat, in charge of Lieutenant Hackett, of the Third Rhode Island artillery, was immediately sent to Fort Moultrie to take possession of that work, and raise again the National colors upon its parapet. The navy, anxious to share in the honors of the day, also launched a boat, and strove to gain the beach of Sullivan’s Island before the army, and an exciting race ensued between the boats of the different branches of the service.
The army boat, under Lieutenant Hackett, reached the shore in advance. As she touched, the officer and crew sprang off on the beach, through the surf, and rushed for the goal. The parapet was soon gained, and the flag given to the breeze, amid the cheers of the soldiers and sailors, who had come up a moment or two behind him. The guns were all spiked, and the carriages somewhat damaged. A large quantity of munitions was found in the magazines, which the enemy had not time to destroy.
When the flag floated over Moultrie, Lieutenant-Colonel Bennett, Major Hennessy, and Lieutenant Burr, of the Fifty-second Pennsylvania, started for the city, giving orders to have troops follow. They pulled up the bay, while the rebel iron-clads and vessels were in flames and the city itself was burning at various points. Reaching Fort Ripley, or what is known as the Middle Ground battery, the Federal flag was displayed over the work. The party then pushed on to Castle Pinckney, when the same ceremony of taking possession was observed, and then the boat was pulled cautiously, but directly, toward the city. No hostile force was seen, although a large number of negroes and some whites were congregated on the docks, watching the approach of the “Yankee boat.” Colonel Bennett immediately landed, and the United States flag was displayed again in the city of Charleston, amid the cheers and cries of joy of the crowd assembled about it. It was a perfect storm of applause and outbursts of unfeigned joy and satisfaction.