Daily Richmond Whig

THE BURNING OF FORT DELAWARE.
[PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE.]
Delaware City, Feb. 8, 1831.

My Dear Sir: I hastily snatch up the first paper I see, to inform you that I have this moment returned from Fort Delaware, which was last night consumed by fire, communicated in three different places. Whether by accident or otherwise is not known, but I take the liberty of informing you of the results as hastily presented to my view, viz: that the fire commenced at 11 o'clock last night—that it raged with such uninterrupted fury as to consume all of the wood belonging to the Fort, with the exception of the Major's quarters, and the quarters of Lieut. Tuttle. I went over in a sloop, and have brought over many of the ladies attached to the establishment. The loss of the officers is severe, being at least one half of their clothes, books, and furniture; of the privates, about equal, in relation to clothing. Capt. Gardner, now in your City, I believe a reformed officer, has lost all he had here, said to be $1000 in books, furniture, &c. The location of his quarters prevented any relief being rendered. The establishment must be necessarily deserted for the Winter, and it will require some time, and much expenditure, say $100,000, to repair damages. It requires caution to avoid the floating ice in visiting the Fort.

Delaware City, Feb. 9, 10 o'clock, A. M.

All that was combustible of FORT DELAWARE has been consumed by this destructive element. The river is so obstructed by ice that we have not yet been able to learn any particulars. The fire was first discovered at this place about 10 o'clock last evening, near the lamp, from whence it is supposed to have originated, having the appearance of two lamps, when it broke forth in large volumes, and spread with such velocity that in two hours the whole Fort had the appearance of one burning mass, throwing up immense volumes of flame and smoke, curling high in the air, presenting a scene at once truly awful, and magnificent and imposing.

Since the above was in type, we have learned from one of the officers, who has just crossed to this place, that the fire originated from the stove pipe, where it passes through the roof of Lieut. Tuttle's quarters. The flames spread with such rapidity that it was with difficulty the officers saved a part of their furniture. The scene was most appalling—and it must move the sympathies of nature when we learn that females and children were removed from sick beds, making their escape through the suffocating smoke and glaring flames of this awful conflagration to seek shelter in a miserable hovel, or remain in the keen blast of a severe winter night. The clothing of the men, and a great part of their provision, have been destroyed. The officers quarters, (with the exception of the Commanding and Engineers,) and the soldiers, have been completely consumed, and the work now exhibits the skeleton of a fortification. It is conjectured that independent of private losses, the government has sustained a loss of more than one hundred thousand dollars.—Courier.