“Sir: Having crossed the bar with some difficulty, in obedience to your orders, 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 inquiring for the chief authorities 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 arms; that you were desirous to calm any apprehension of harsh treatment that might exist in their minds, and that you should carefully respect the persons and property of all citizens who submitted to the authority of the United States; that you had a single purpose—to restore the state of affairs which existed before the Rebellion. I informed the municipal authorities that so long as they respected the authority of the government we serve, and acted in good faith, municipal affairs would be left in their own hands, so far as might be consistent with the exigencies of the times.
“The mayor and council then informed me that the place had been evacuated the preceding night by two companies of Florida troops, and that they gladly received the assurance I gave them, and placed the city in my hands. I recommended them to hoist the flag of the Union at once, and in prompt accordance with the advice, by order of the mayor the national ensign was displayed from the flagstaff of the fort. * * * *
“I called upon the clergymen of the city requesting them to reassure the people, and to confide in our kind intentions toward them.
“About fifteen hundred people remain in St. Augustine, about one-fifth of the inhabitants having fled. I believe that there are many citizens who are earnestly attached to the Union, a large number who are silently opposed to it, and a still larger number who care very little about the matter.
“I think that nearly all of the men acquiesce in the condition of affairs we are now establishing.
“There is much violent and pestilent feeling among the women. They seem to mistake treason for courage, and have a theatrical desire to figure as heroines. Their minds have doubtless been filled with the falsehoods so industriously circulated in regard to the lust and hatred of our troops. On the night before our arrival, a party of women assembled in front of the barracks and cut down the flag-staff, in order that it might not be used to support the old flag. The men seemed anxious to conciliate in every way. There is a great scarcity of provisions in the place. There seems to be no money, except the wretched paper currency of the Rebellion, and much poverty exists. In the water-battery at the fort are three fine army thirty-two-pounders, of 7,000 pounds, and two eight-inch seacoast howitzers, of 5,600 pounds, with shot and some powder. There are a number of very old guns in the fort, useless and not mounted.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
“I have the honor to be very respectfully,
“C. R. P. RODGERS, Commander.
“Flag Officer, S. F. Du Pont,
“Commanding S. Atlantic Blockading Station.”