Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-10-28

thus asked for, | have since learned thot t,,r
more o! his companies had received similar
arms IRON Washington. But have hoard Of
no iurther application on this commonwealth
IL should DE remarked that Massachusetts
sends all her soldiers with arms in tl,i,
hands, intended to be the best nj communal.
while the soldiers from many quarter, nrriye
in Washington with none at all. who ,,,r.t
draw outhe ordnance department of the ITnitpd
States. We cannot, therefore ORA al pl.as
ure on the Springfield arsnal; nor win 50
many of our regiments armed with the rided
muskets, is it TO be expected that the offieers
Of the United states viii serve out rifles to the
residue, taking their muskets from them mere
ly to be served 10 OTHER soldiers even though
Il majority Of the arms of Massachusetts
soldiers are, in the first instance paid Tor by
the commonwealth.
In a word smooth bore muskets must be
used by some portion Of an army, are effective
weapons tor their appropriate service, are id
to be more destructive to the enemy in close
action, and can be fired longer without foul
ing" than the rifles. But this, also must be
confessed that the officers and soldiers of
Massachusetts are proudly emulous OF distin-
gushing and gaAant service They press Tor
the posts OF honorable peril. They are active,
aspiring, enterprsing, and brave. They al
most always desire places of trust and distinc.
mishing duty, incidentally necessary to the
kind OF tasks they like the best is attractive
to such men; and il it is more dangerous tran
mere loading and firing after the lines are
within easy range, it is at the same time more
exciting, calls the faculties more fully into
play, and therefore challenges the favor of men
ambitious OF such work as shall task their b st
powers.
Mindful Of all this, and of other consdera.
tons, We have tried to get the best arms, and
enough Of them. We have even formed three
companies OF sharpshooters, buying, as best
could, the costly telescope rifles Tor many
of the men, they drawing into service the
skilled marksmen Of the state and diversijying
the service by the addition OF their brilliant
qualities to tile fell And, three days ago,
our first company Of sharpsho0ters, supported
by Co. X, OF the 18th Massachusetts volun
teerS, SklrmlshiEg under some protection of a
battery on the Maryland side, opposed them.
selves 10 three regiments of southern troops,
across The Potomac, and defeated their plans
bringing down rebel at the fire of each rifle,
and losing but one only OF their own men,
while the loss Of the enemy was very great,
Here was case strikingly Illustrative OF mill
tary adaptation OF meats to an end. The fire
OF these men is something terrible to think Of.
And yet l suppose am equal number Of smooth
bore muskets would, in the same hands, be bet
Ter 1CeapoaS IN close action.
! am not aware that the command of Col
Devens, in the recent engagement at Edwards
Ferry was detailed tUr any duty inappropriate
to It's weapons. Nor does it appear that Col
Lees command-atmed with rifltd muskets,
suffered less than did Col Devens'. They
fought, all of them-br we, noble, gallant
heroes, as they were, although 0uinunibered
three to one, until all their ammunition caS expended.
I A., .
cupied By the battle, there was any error made
III class OF troops, Or arms, advanced nor that
the arms Of the enemy were OF dsprOporti0n
ate range to ours. Should that appear it would
be source Of unspeakabe, though uuavailing
modification and sorrow, that position inap-
propriate to their arms was assigned to one
corps, when others, OF which there are several
from Massachusetts on The upper Potomac,
carrying the proper arms therefor, were not
thrown forward 10 the positions lately occupied
by the command OF Cot Deyens.
beg leave to add that, hearing yesterday
that it was the desire Of Col. Deveus to have
his Whole command armed for that kind of
duty, | Immediately directed certain rifles,
which | learn we can command in quantity
sufficient for some six companies, to be sent
to him.
1t may also be remarked that our new mas
ter of ordnance Col Charles Amlry, regards
with more favor the Windsor rifles of which
we have left say enough tor two regiments
but those have TO be supplied with ba onets.
The other portion OF them have heretofore
been taken 10y Maine and New Hampshire,-
(for one regiment each). Finding none were
taken by our 0wn troops, | Obtained some
weeks since, permission ID return them to the
U. S arsenal About that time these two
states proposed 10 take, each quantity, when
-
ing my own strong desire that no effective gun
should lie Il day unused by somebody. And
therefore, seeing that there were those who
wished to use the weapons, l decided not TO
return them 10 the United States, but to hold
on to the balance, in the hope OF their being
made useful for our own loops. One regiment
has already indicated to mc wish to take
them and have omitted nothing to crafty
that wish And though l cannot pretend to
know, and have understood heretofore, that
these arms, ,0iH bdyonetS attached, have been
condemned By the highest authority at Wash.
ingtOn, still have never ceased to feel, and do
now feel, that there may be a tadiionaIy pre-.
JudiCe at the bottom OF that Opinion,-a sug,
gestion not quite modest, | confess, to be made
by one SO unskIIed as / am. The idea of
sending regiment into the field 1otthoM biyo-
nets, Is not Tor one aomeut to be entertained
l thank y on for your note; and beg pardon
for this long reply, which cannot close
without doing homage to the brilliant heroism
and intelligence as well as bravery, with
which our Massachusetts officers and men
conducted themselves in that unequal contest
which has given to the Massachusetts fifteenth
and twentieth fame uuaying as the country
they defended, and has Commanded Tor them
a gratitude as sincere and perpetual as the
affections Of the heart of man.
| have the honor 10 be-
With sincere regard,
Yours faithfully,
JOHN a. ANDREW.