Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-09-11
The Effect Of the Capture of Fort Hatterss.

. O..
The Effect Of the Capture of Fort Hatterss.
From the Richmond Wing Of Thursday last
we copy the following sarcastic denunciation Of
the Confederate Government:
'NoBopY TO BLAME
There seems to be disposition on the part of
our papers and people to underrate the disaster at
Hatterss Let us initiate the Nutmeg Chinese bv
all means. The fort has been taken, many hum
dred men have surrendered, valuable officers have
become prisoners, large amount of powder has
been captured, the most important part of our
the enemy, and the gallant North State is now
liable to invasion and rapine-still, Ii 10 a small
matter Il will take $1,000 men to regain the
fort.but that's nothing. What do we want with
the fort! IL was built for fun, evidently, else IL
would have been perfectly manned and supplied
with abundant ammunition. Had we been in
earnest, some notice would have been taken Of the
warning given us by Northern papers But the
truth 10 we didn't want to hold Hatteras The
sole object In erecting that contemplate fortifca
ton was to afford Picayune Butler chance to re-
trieve his misfortune at Bethel. Cnquestionably,
there must have been determi nation somewhere
but not in high quarters-to give the Yankee an
opportunity to lower Southern pride and abate
Southern conceit. We have been Growing alto.
gether too loudly Of late. 1t was felt-but not by
the Government-that this was not good for us
Hence shot and shell were permitted to lie at
Newbern and reinforcements were strenuously
kept back, until the fort was captured
N correspondent Oh tue fStersDu0 EXPRESS has
put himself to the unnecessary trouble Of exoner-
ting Colonel Gwin from all blame In this matter
The factis, nobody is to blame. All admit that
the Governor of North Carolina is innocent. II
would be the height Of folly and treason to accuse
any member Of the Cabinet Of negligence in the
premises We who live at the seat Of government
know too well the superhuman energy, the sleep
less vigilance and the miraculous prom ptitude Of
every Department to entertain for c moment the
shadow Of shade Of suspicion Of any shortening
on the part Of any one nearly or remotely con-
nected with the Administration EBlame ~,
The word is singularly out Of It's place In this or
any other connection. fought to be dropped from
the English language. Individuals in private
life may possibly be to blame for this or that but
persons holding otdce-never, As for eminent
officials living hundreds Of miles from the scene
OF disaster, how can they be to blame for II,
The idea is absurd.
Picayune Butler can now leave as MANY men az
he pleases In tine fort Of North Carolina OF
course, we will viii them. Havnt we the great
est abundance Of unarmed militia There 10 no
occasion for alarm Nobody 10 hurt Nothing
10 In danger. Let every true patriot continue to
repose the most unbounded confidence in the
rulers Of the Confederacy, and all will be well
even though Newbern, Washington and Charles.
ton should be sscked A sense Of perfect security
feeling Of entire responsibility may result from
this unbounded confidence. IL the people think
they are secu re, and the Powers that be feel they
are irresponsible. what more could any man de-
sire? Let us perfect our Government in all parts
by blind and loving reliance. Let us mag nify
our victories and underrate defeats Ii is the
only way to get along. BY all means let us 90
on Pooh-Poohing the affair at Fort Hatteras