Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1861-06-20


Let US not lose the lesson.
[From the World.l
Our men, in this their maiden battle, we
rejoice to learn, behaved with all the gal
lantry and determined courage which were
expected of them. In so doing they exhibi-
ted more than usual fortitude; for they en-
tered upon the unequal contest under very
depressing circumstances. To be shot by
the enemy is the fortune of war, but for
three regiments of the same army, acting
as part of the same expedition, to be kill
ing and wounding each other is frightful
and to men unaccustomed to encounter the
casualties of war such an occurrence as that
which disgraced the early stage of this move
ment must have been gloomy and forboding
indeed-its moral effect being not to be
measured by the injuries inflicted. Upon
our present information we must regard this
so-called accident as the consequence of in
excusable neglect or carelessness in some
quarter. That three regiment sent out to
effect a junction with each other in the dark
should not have been provided with signals,
which would prevent their mistaking friends
for enemies, indicates looseness of prepara-
ton which we fear was characteristic of this
expedition from the very beginning.
In the explanation of the disaster to our
arms, we hear, it is true, that General
Pearce, who was in command, lost his pre-
sence of mind, even so much so as to leave
one regiment standing helpless under fire.
Can it be that this language conveys that
dreaded imputation which military self-re-
spect crouches under the circumlocutory
phrase, misconduct in the presence of the
enemy? We are unwilling to believe that
it does; unwilling in fact to believe that
there is any real ground for it; and we trust
that, at the worst it has only its literal sig
MITIGATION, and that General Pierce has
merely shown that he is unfit to be gener-
al-not unfit to be soldier Let us, how
ever, withhold judgment, even in this re-
spect, until we have more coherent and
authoritative accounts of this unfortunate
affair.
But the great mistake, as far as we are
now able to judge, appears to have been in
the lack of prudent reconnaissance and pre-
paration. The event showed that General
Butler sent a boy to mans work. To pit
field howiteers against ri6ed cannon, and To-
send ont : boIy of raw troops prepared onsj
" for . sharp hand-to-hand fight when they
had formidable intrenchments to attack, IS
neither magnificent" nor ''war y it is sim
ply recklessness, more or less culpaple ac-
cording as it may be accompanied with cir
cumstances more or less extenuating. Or
dinary military prudence would have dicta-
ted measures to be taken for acquiring
thorough knowledge of the nature Of these
batteries, even by feigned attack and
rapid retreat, so as to draw their fire and
unmask them before seriously undertaking
their capture. AS it is; we have lost gall
liant officer Of artillery, with number of
fine, spirited volunteers, whose lives dearly
purchased the lesson taught our too eager
Generals by this we'll directed but ill-ap-
pointed expedition. Let our officers look |
well to it that that lesson is not lost
[Trom the Timesl
The first essays at war of a people addict
ed to peace end, uniformly, in defeat. Our
army has had it's first reverse. Ordered to |
make night advance upon the enemy's
lines to the westward of Fortress Monroe,
some three thousand of the National troops
marched courageously upon the Grand; and
coniding in the presumed knowledge of
their officers-accomplished military skill
was not cxpected--marched into the very
jaws of death: Their misadventures were
not due to any heedlessness on their part,
or to any deficiency in the qualities which
make good soldiers. They fought, both !!
friends and foes, with equal resolution, and
only retired when the exhaustion of a,nnu-
milton in the presence of powerful enemy,
strongly intrenched, and with every advan-
tage of position, rendered . further contest
impossible.
The fact that they retreated without panic
or disorder, carrying their wounded and
their guns with them, is the best proof of
the calm courage and self-control which
governed their movement. The loss of life
and the number injured presents painful
catalogue, but it is record of soldierly he
roism which must forever set at rest all
douht as the fitness of our people for the
riost hazardous exposure of the battle field
and for the encounter of danger in its most
startling forms. Let us do homage to the
discipline and fortitude of our brave fellows
who, defenceless for two hours under the
enemy's fire, only retreated when their in
competent commander gave the tardy word
Whatever of triumph the affair may afford
the enemy, we are taught the gratifying
lesson that we have the best possible fight
ing material to defend the country.
From the Heraldl
The details of the hot and bloody engage
ment on Monday morning last, between a
detachment of troops from Fortress Monroe
and heavy rebel masked battery near
Hampton, are before our readers We have
thus the admissions before us of several un-
fortunate mistakes in the movements of the
Union forces; but, in summing up the re-
suits, we find that the admirable bravery
and steadiness of our raw volunteers will
compare with those qualities in the most
thoroughly seasoned regular troops, and that
all that our men require in the face of the
enemy is wide awake and skilful manage
ment. In this instance they appear to have
been blindly led into a snare Of masked bat