April 1, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
It has been known for some time that General FINEGAN was making arrangements to attack the Yankee vandals at Jacksonville, and we have for several days past been expecting an account of a fight in that neighborhood. Gen. FINEGAN had just made his arrangements to clear out that den of mongrels and thieves, and had his troops in order to make the attack, when the Yankees suddenly evacuated the place. All their forces embarked on their transports and gunboats on Sunday last, taking everything they had with them, and carrying off their stolen property. It is thought that they embarked for Port Royal. Before leaving, they, set fire to a number of buildings in various parts of the town, no doubt with the intention of destroying it. Gen. FINEGAN immediately went in and succeeded in stopping the progress of the fire, but not until a number of houses had been destroyed.