Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-06-18
A.as..rsa and srpi.a.Iaes sad sesdsIsAs.s had tss

road where the Confederate forces, 70 the nunoer Vi
cen hundred said to be encamped one report
has Il that General Butler bad made vow ITO sleep In
Yorktown that night resign In the dispatch oil the
Associated Press revised and corrected by Genersi
Butler in person." there is no mention whatever OF h
interesting fact but we do learn that the mistake
which brought the Abauians and Germans into couct
occurred At the village of Little Bethel, which was
promty destroyed by fire. not because 1t had offered re-
stance but because had been the scene oil the dsas
ter.
IL was not until this noble and humane act had been
satisfactorily accomplished that the troops, re-formed
marched against Great Bethel That they repused
with great slsu ghter is reluctantly admitted by General
Butler himself who reports the killed at twenty-five aud
the wounded at one bundred-other accounts put the
killed at one hundred and the wounded at double tha
number The blame is Of course attributed 10 General
Pierce who is charged by Butler with having lost bis
presence of mind but grea. credit ia given to Lieut.
Col Butler for bringing of the killed and and Wounced
and We are gravey told that since the battle Genera
Butler has been ubiquitous which proves conclusive
that he can be il many different places at one and at
the same time although do not hear of his having
vet been seen at Great Bethel.
[Prom the Baltimore Republican, 12.hl
The Dutch seem better soldiers than their brother Alb
otionsts as il is seid they fired upon regiment OF
their brethren in the midnight raid oi Gen Butler ana
the Americans d from them in terror Ii is true the
Dutch very poor sbots-having hred nine rounas
and only killed one man, according to Buffers statement
But if the Dutchmen poor shots, what can be tad
of the courage of the Albany regiment which he'd from
A supposed enemy, when only one man had been shot!
This whole story is incredible. That thousand men
sbould within fair striking distance fire upon similar
budv nine rounds-nine thousand shots-and only kill
one man, is story which Aboi,ionsts may believe as
comes from their party but reasonable men can hardly
swallow SO monstrou5 story.
Prom the Philadelphia Press, 18th.
We have learned lessen in Southeastern Virginia,
and experience has charged an unusually Gear price
Some hrcs or four thousand troops LETT Fortress Mon.
roe on Sunday night for the purpose OF taking rebel
battery nj place called Great Bethel about nine N les
from Hampton The erection of the battery was evi
denily part Of plan TO environ the fortress, ana 10
strengthen the defensive works OF our enemies IL was
found on making the attack inst the Federll troops
we're not able to cope with the welforti6ed rebels
Their artillery was Inefficient and they were comp He'd
to retire before the riff ID of the Virginia troops
Our own loss was heavy. Nothing is known about the
obs but az they were we'll entrenched behind NAKED
batteries, it is probable they escsped without loss
We have before two statements OF this melancholy
affair lis evident that there has been unpardonabe
error somewhere By misunderstanding OF the orders,
Two of our own regiments engaged in conflict, each
uader the impression that the ether was OF the Rebel
force Several shots aterchanged, and many brave
men we're wounded AID slain before The mistake was cor
reced We are told that General Pierce lost his presence
of mind on the field of battle and the inference is that
to him the dsa.ter of the day is owing This statement
Il nade however, on the uncoIhrmed authority OF q
elegraphc rolOrter and justice TO Gen. Psrcs requires
us to await the facts before we pass an opinion on his
conduct. We cannot conceive bow force SO poorly
eouipped and apportioned lacking In artillery and the
means of an available ard off nsiye warfare should have
been sent on an errand Ike that undertaken by the COM
mand OF General Butter
We hope We snail have no more tlunders in this cam.
nsrn The mora! effect Of repulse Ike that Of Mon
day will bs wonderful among the southern people The
lives of our volunteers 100 precious TO be sacrificed
=, hv the misaDDre hem
sion OF these comm lnGng them. We depore this dis
,ster and mourn the melancholy fate OF the brave men
who have fallen but it teaches discretion to those IN
authority end our soldiers that rsshness ID not
vaor nor reckless daring military coursge The
lesson will not be without It's uses, however ceary we
may have paid for IT,
Prom the Philadelphia Inquirer, l4hl
Itis some what premature crcse the causes of the
calamity at Grea, Bethel on Monday morning last and
We therefore defer formal COMMENT bu: we will be hap
PLY surprised if the full particulars do not furnish soua
dau means 70 point and conrm the remarks we made
few days ago upon the military appointments mot it to
be made" Our Executive AUTHORITIES mus: be compelled
BY the overpoEeFeg force of public opinion, to commit
Ae Guidance of the field movements OF our troops 10
the educated officers Of the regular Army, Or the d.;
porabe event of Monday may prove to be but the BE-
ginning of bad end While the sstute cheftaps Of the
Rebel Government offering premiums for regularly
educated ofcers our War Department is pcriing the
lives OF our orA.e by placing them in charge OF po
ltical ncompstens The U.E"deraas take their trained
Qlpains and MsjoIs and wisely make tne- Ccones and
Generals. Such their Lees Brsgss and Beauregsros
Bat our War Minister lesyys the educated ana trie1 OH
cers lust as be finds them-L ecaa.1tl, Captains aud
a,ios-snd for his Colonies and Geuerais in such
material as Petrken end San erson. General Cummings,
yo believe ha. not vet been commissioned, and who Is
responsible for Gen Pierce not yet Informed.
ths Philadelphia Ledger, l2h.
The affair Bethe sppess TO to show degree Of
-. -
than toe want Of skill in the officers. Over three thou
sand men night TO unmask some batteries
which the rcbs il believed, had erected between
Hampton and yorktown, outside of Geo. Buffers lines
al Fortress Monroe. The danger night attacks Is that
unless great caution il observed the columns if in de-
tached commands, likely to encounter each other
This ia toe cac. in this affair and tao OF the New York
regiments attacked each otLer in tie supposuon The.
they were encountor'ng the enemy. THIS mstss'
which might have produced much mischief, was dscov
cred in tme before any great injury was done. But the
event does hot have Induced greater CAUTION
for We Gnd the commander Gen. Pierce, attacking
ked battery OF thirty rod canton without apparent
IL knowing s power strength, though these, proba
bly coul ka.e been tested before the assault Or
dered Il s difficult matter at this distance from the
scene of operatQls GriCi5e the judgment Of the OH
Ger in command but the soldiers who engaged
in the sail condemn thc officer, seems highly prob
able that their condemnation is based upon suhsantiil
reasons for they very soon ind GU. the qualifications o.
ther leaders when they them tested IN the field
The Bethel affair is an important one for 1t is the frs
rebuff 70 series OF well planned and sklluly executed
It, oycaeus by General Butler a; that important end of
tue line OF operations against the enemy. That this live
.reral aud tue sensible and cear-sighed Commander
will repair this temporary disaster, We have net the least
doubt for with prompttude he combines the faculty OF
Lnowing hoR to &C, and when to act, having shown him.
self hitherto equal to any emergency any duty requir
ed of him Tie repuse, We hope, will be lesson full OF
wise in,tructons-I will induce regiments to get rid OF
incompetent officers and to place Of known quahf
cations and ski in command.
From the Rev York Tribune, l2h.l
. We do not believe Cen Butler ordered an at
tack BY weared troops, having but or three guns
on an ourenchment CT brssstwork bristiing with art-
ly Nor do believe Gen. Butler ordered an attack
on such position III ignorance oil its real strength We
presume the officer in command OF the expedition was
fired by sern resolve to ehace the recollection OF LIS
initial disaster 10 the briancy OF his ultimate achieve
ment and was thus impeed exceed lis orders. And
the gelantry Of our brave volunteers would have wret
ed victory from fortune had it been possible to flank the
enemy's position. Asi was heavier guns and more OF
them were indispensable, and the attack necessarily
fliled
Let US not lose the lesson.
There are some who talk of Of posts and skirm-
ishes-of strategy and and endurance. This failure is
an answer TO ell such. Behind breastEOrk poor col.
diers are nearly equal to good ones, since fight is often
moro dangerous Tran persistence, while discipline goes
lor Itt!s gOou aIAsuaHsnIp 10 TIE maln PVint. NJ,
the Union ia be saved by any system of party
warfare If we have no better recourse, We may as
well give it up.
"Ahl" says a shrewd one, "you want General Scott
to offer battle whether he is ready not" No, sr;
we want him give battle till be lie perfectly ready
He understands all that business great deal better
than we 60 will. Bot do rant him TO be at
the head od force vh tohich he not on oer battle
,ohsn he thinks it, ba. comp! the enemy TO dc,ep. IL.
That is the whole story. Ii he think, 10000
enough to walk right the rebels, then 80 900 be
IL in anite of our demnrrers lie he Hants 100 900