January 15, 1861, The Charleston Mercury
On last Saturday evening, Colonel W.J. Gunn, of the Seventh Regiment Florida Militia, received orders from Governor Perry to proceed at once to that the United States Arsenal at Chattahoochee, containing about 5300 pounds of powder, 10,000 pounds of lead, 120,000 musket cartridges, a 6 pounder, 57 muskets, cannon balls, cartridge boxes, &c. The Young Guard was ordered out on the errand. On arriving at the Arsenal, and being informed that they had reached the point of destination, and finding no men to resist their attack, they seemed to be not very agreeably disappointed. Sergeant Powell, who was in command of the Arsenal, appeared much mortified at having to surrender, but having only two or three men was unable to make any defence. In a spirited and patriotic address to Captain Jones and Company, he said that, had he their number of men, they would never have entered the gates of the Arsenal without first marching over his dead body. He was pained to see other than United States troops occupying it, but from want of force was unable to prevent it from falling into their hands. The stars and stripes were taken down, and the lone star flag hoisted in their stead. – Florida paper.