Charleston, SC Fire, Dec 1861

THE CHARLESTON CONFLAGRATION

The Destruction of the City Probably Complete.

The Fire Still Raging at Ten O'clock on Thursday Night.

View of the Conflagration Ten Miles at Sea.

A Magnificent and Terrible Spectacle.

The Harbor and Fort Sumter Brilliantly Illuminated.

The Fire Undoubtedly the Work of the Negroes.

RUMORS OF INSURRECTIONS.

Our dispatches concerning the Charleston conflagration, first reported here on Saturday, are as yet, very meagre and confused. We gather them together, and give them as connectedly as possible.

Telegram to the Norfolk Day Book, of Dec. 13, (via Fortress Monroe.)

BRANCHVILLE, (86 miles above Charleston.) } Thursday, Dec. 12. }

Passengers who have just arrived here report a destructive fire at Charleston.

The fire commenced last night, (Dec. 11,) at 9 o'clock, in RUSSEL & Co.'s sash factory, at the foot of Hazel-street, to CAMERON & Co.'s machine shops.

Under the impulse thus given and a stiff breeze with a small supply of water, the conflagration assumed a formidable character, nearly equaling the most extensive conflagration on the American continent.

The theatre, FLOYD'S coach-factory, opposite the express office, the old Executive Building, and all the houses between that point and Queen-street, are burned. The whole of one side of Broad-street is destroyed, from Col. GADSDEN'S residence to Mazyck-street. A considerable portion of the city, from East Bay to King-street, is destroyed. Among the prominent buildings burned are the Institute and St. Andrews Halls, theatre, Catholic Cathedral and the Circular Church.

At last accounts from Charleston, up to 5 this morning, the fire had crossed Broad-street, and was sweeping furiously on.

BRANCHVILLE, Thursday, Dec. 12----5 P. M.

The fire is still raging. A thousand houseless persons are huddled in the streets.

The express train left Augusta this afternoon, with provisions, to supply the wants of the sufferers, and men to assist in controlling the fire.

The fire was the work of an incendiary.

Nearly all that part of the city, from Broad-street on the south, East Bay-street on the east, and King street on the west, is destroyed.

The New York Times, New York, NY 16 Dec 1861

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