Nearly everything inflammable took fire and was consumed, and all of the buildings in the neighborhood were more or less damaged.
One rather amusing feature of the bombardment occurred here. A Mr. Higgins had an immense soap manufacturing establishment almost adjoining the Navy-yard and (with the ingenuity and enterprise, which then, as now, seemed to characterize that particular industry in the invention of novel advertising devices) had erected on his premises a gigantic fac-simile of a soap box, the sides of which being transparent, were brilliantly illuminated at night with powerful electric lights. This box, being elevated on an iron frame-work more than 100 feet high, made a most striking and conspicuous display, plainly visible for a long distance up and down the East River, and was unquestionably very successful as an advertisement. One of the first shells which was intended for the Navy-yard, went crashing through this counterfeit soap box on the morning of the 19th, shivering it to atoms; and as a matter of course, putting an end to its career as an advertising device.
Meanwhile, affairs in the business and residence quarters of the two cities were in a deplorable condition. Fires were raging in every direction, caused by the exploding shells, and although the police and firemen stood their ground bravely, and were most efficiently aided by such troops of volunteers and militia as still remained in town, their efforts were entirely futile in staying the progress of the flames; and it seemed as though any further bombardment would be a mere waste of ammunition; as such portions of the cities as had not been already shattered by the shells, seemed doomed to certain destruction by fire.
The whole of the lower portion of New York was a confused heap of ruins. The palatial business structures, many of which rose to an enormous height, and which had been such a source of pride to the citizens, had all been demolished, and the streets in the lower portion of the city were rendered almost impassible, by the debris which lay scattered about in confused piles throughout their entire length. The numerous safe deposit vaults, which occupied the basements of many of these mammoth structures, were buried so deeply, that several week's excavation were required before they once more became accessible.
In short, the destruction was about as complete as it could well be, and the British Admiral could at least have the satisfaction of feeling that he had carried out his instructions to the very letter.
CHAPTER XI.
THE ARMISTICE AND TREATY OF PEACE.
About 5 o'clock on the afternoon of the 19th of May, the torpedo boat "Stiletto" was sent down from Yonkers, where the American fleet was lying, with a flag of truce, requesting a cessation of hostilities, pending some fresh negotiations between the two governments. The exact nature of these negotiations was not known to the officers making the request; but their representations were such as to induce the British Admiral to accede to their wishes, (especially as he had already done about all the damage that he could) and an armistice for ten days was agreed upon.
It subsequently transpired that news had been received in Washington that the two other British fleets, which were intended to operate against the New England, and the Southern Atlantic and Gulf seaports, had sailed on the 15th of May for their respective destinations, and might be expected to arrive on our coast about the first week in June. This announcement, coming simultaneously with the demonstration of the utterly defenseless condition of our coast cities, which the bombardment of New York and Brooklyn had so conclusively shown, caused such a universal chorus of indignant protest throughout the whole country, that the senators and congressmen, who had previously opposed all propositions looking to a settlement of the controversy by the payment of a war indemnity, began to fear that a persistence in their course might cost them their official positions; and several announced their willingness to change their votes, in case the question could be again brought up. With these accessions, however, the measure still lacked a majority; and in all probability would have failed of passage, if it had not been for the shrewd and ingenious invention of a Boston journalist, who published a detailed description (said to have been received from a Canadian deserter) of four formidable iron-clad gunboats, which were said to have been conveyed in sections, by rail, from Montreal to a place called Collingwood, on Georgian Bay, with the utmost secrecy, during the preceding summer and autumn; and which were now nearly ready for action, and within two or three weeks, or a month, at the most, would bombard all of our lake cities, from Duluth to Buffalo.
This story subsequently proved to be a complete fabrication; but it served its purpose admirably; for the senators and congressmen from all the States bordering the Great Lakes, hastened to announce themselves as favorable to a compromise, on any reasonable basis. Now that the enemy was knocking at their own doors, and pressure was brought to bear on them by their own constituents, they seemed to view the situation from an entirely different standpoint from the one which they had formerly occupied; and unanimously "flopped" over to the "peace at any price" party, as the advocates of settlement, had been contemptuously christened by their opponents.