The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-07-05
For The Richmond Dispatch
aqua CREEE July 81, 1S6I

EDITORS c:' the Richmond DiSpatcA:
SIbo--A copy of your yesterdays paper has
ast been handed TO Ine, and my attention dl-
Tecte.i TO an EDITORIAL [uot EDITORIAL only The
detailed report gathered by the reporter from
ruch sources as were accesSibie.-ED Dis
PATCH, which in my opinion does lplus tice 10
tho,e under my command In the late expedi-
tiCa, which resulted IN the ca pture CT th9 stea-
mer St Nicholas aad other valuable prizes
I he Objectionable part Of the rtcie is as fol-
lows;
"Capt. Geo y. Eollins, late United States
Navy, who had gone aboard at Point Look
out, then assumed command of the steamer
and ran her into Gone river, expecting To meet
the Tennessee Regiment and jointly commence
furtaer operations against the enemy. The
reunesseeans, however, did not arrive on the
ground till late Saturday morning. 1t was
then too late for any demons tration up the
river rs originally intended, and the steamer
vas headed down the stream. On her pas.
sage she captured two schconers and one
brig. Each had Il crew of about ten men, who
were taken prisoners.
You state "the Tennssseeans, however, did
not arrive on the ground until late Satur-
day morning. II was then too late for any
demonstration up the river, as originally in
tended ana tha steamer WAS headed do WI
the stream +" Your statement is incorrect
sir the Tennesseeans did arrive, not late but
early Saturday morning. Our advance was
III e..r-shot OF the steamers whistle, when 4
short time before daylight she arrived IL Gone
creek. We had marched o.. foot, bsaring guns
and knapsacks more than twenty miles,
through au incessant rain during Friday
night, and, having arrived at Heathsylile,
within two miles OF the Cone creek landing
| ordered a halt to rest and await further or
deIs, and Immediately upon receiving further
orders, the TeDness eeans, notWiths landing
the con tinuous rain, moved to point near ,
but out of sight OF, the landing. proceeded
AT once to the St \ icholas to ascertain what
those in command of her desired at our hands.
was on her decks before seven O'Clock Sat
urday MORNINGS early, understood. as
was expected. The programme was then
changed by those who seemed to be in COM
nand of the steamer. l was then asked tor
one hundred armed men to defend the steamer
in ner passage to the RappahannocA, which
were rendered, AND ia a few minutes were on
the spot The requistion was then changed,
and arms alone were asked for, which
We're given TO Lieuts. Linn and Thorburn, of
the Navy, who had twenty seamen under
their command, ana who mad been associated
with the Iennesseeans, toge Their wi tn ten or
fifteen naval officers, from the time OF our
leaving Fredericksburg, most OF whom went
aboard tie St Nicholas and were present at
the captur? CT The other prizss. The Tennes-
seeans were kept at Cone creek to defend the
-. Nicholas, il chased in by the steamers Of
the enemy.
we were not ordered to leave our camps
until zen o'clock Thursday night, and at one
O'Clock we were aboard the Virginia at Fred
erckshurg, with four days provision. We
were detair ed until next day in sight Of Fred
eric!s burg, in conseq uence OF the receding
tide--uot until 6 too late" however, we
made Il forced march through the rain during
tne entire night. / write this not on my own
account but in justice to those Tennesseeans
under my command, who have never yet been
100 late' TO serve their country even in the
most hazardous enterprise. l have nothing to
sty of any one connected with the affair on t.
side OF my own command, except l was in
formed that Commander II. FL. Lewis, OF the
Navy, originated the scheme, and my connu
uicatIopS and movements were made through
him. Hoping you have no disposition TO do
injustice TO those engaged in defence OF the
South / ask m insertion of this in your col.
ulnns. iours respectfully,
WI Is. BATE, Waller Legion,
Tennessee Volunteers.