Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-08-14
THE suRyrNd OF HAMPTON.

CANP BsTHEi, MAR HAMPTON, Aug 9o, ie"i''
To the Editor Of tbs Wig:
Fearing some may arise in the minds
Of the people from already Published accounts Oh ru'
nors, and thu, injustice be done the commindng onoe'
here Gen. Nagruder in regard to the burning oil hamp
ton. deem IL nothing than an act oil justice 70
write the aes in the case aud through your columns 70
Ia. the pubc be correctly informed Holding as do
posi,ion on General Magruders staff and being with the
command the night of the burning, am prepared to
offer this as correct statement Of the facts.
Hamilton was, when the vandals Of the Illinois Ape
first arrived upon Virginia SOIL quietly possessed and To-
habited by its legal owners These people, were har-
raised and annoyed in every conceivable way by the
soldiers of Misunderstanding and destroying their e.
fects and insulting the wives and daughters to such an
extent that il made il sbsou!eY necessary that they leave
their homes goods and chsses in the hands Of these
dogs Since then the homes Of these loyal and good
citizens have been occupied by runaway negroes, Lin.
coin soldiers and traitors These latter had slaves there
and were engaged giving aid and comfort to the enemy
and the place was being strongly fortified by General
Butler Since the Manassas fight the troops have been
largely Withdrawn from Old Point to reinforce Mellow
ellis command on the Potomac, leaving only, as Butler
and he has had to suspend operations for the time at
Hampton. This our General discovered some days ago,
and after markings forced reeouno,,uoe Of the place,
sarning thereby thst il defended only BY strong
picket determined TO burn in the facepf Buffers army
He had seem however, in Buffers report to Secretary
Cameron that be intended to make Hampton the base Of
his operations up the Psninsuar" go soon as be was re-
nforced and to continue fory it avsng himself Of
s its strong points, until az he states he could hold it
with small force and thus berate large one on the
side of Fort Monroe to attack US at Yorktown and up
James River Hs stated, moreover, that the negroes
were coming in to him rapidly and that dprirsd OF the
possession of Hampton, be was much embarrassed to
know what to do with them. He had, 10 fact deter
mined to form colony OF Black, in the houses Of their
masters aud the General at decided to prevent Ii
By burning the place TO the ground. he, therefore,
placed the troops he then had uuder his command,
amounting to thirtyRve huadred men, at ths New MAI
ket Bridge, between Fort Monroe and Newport News
hoping Also TO draw out the garrison Of the latter and
sent into Hampton Capt Philips company, the Old Do
minon Cavalry, Capt. Goods company Of Cavalry and
tho York and Warwick companies Of foo-the first and
latter having in them many Hsmponians and supported
them with sI companies Of the l4h Virginia Regiment
COL Hojges. Several thousand Of the enemy were
camped on the other side Of Hampton creek between it
and Fort Monroe, having their camp guarded by art-
lery The strong guard stationed at the bridge fred
upon our advance party and skrmish Of some half an
hour ensued, when our men drove the enemy of the
bridge and burn, the town to ashes We occupied the
town from about IL o'clock p N, until near daylight,
when the troops withdrew without having succeeded in
drawing out the enemy from Newport News As far as
could be ascerained the HsmptonaDs in arms and almost
all are in arms approved man, this Special
care was taken by the General have the few remaining
citizens notified in due tme and those sick and inrm
we're carefully moved to detached houses in the imme
date ne.Shborhood end placed with their friends.
Our General has succeeded 10 out-generaling old Fu
ri)so in every instance ana has hin confined in
small space, surrounded by friendly marshes whose ma
,,ia will DO them more harm this and next mouth than
our shells could possibly DO. Our army is in fac spirts
pow and then case Of the blues for the want Of some
BODY 10 fight and only regret that some one with more
pluck than Brig Gen. B. r. Ba.ler, commanding this d.
vision of Tirgna, was no. in command in order that
the Rebel boys might have opportunity to show OF
shat stuff they are made aud whether they can be-as
member from Pennsylvania once Glid he would do
isab than in ike dogs. Let them come when aud how
they choose, and are ready, Wiling and waiting
Yours dc, BrTHsL