Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1861-08-29
WM. II. SEWARD, Secretary OF State

IBE REBELS DURN nAhPTON-Obh'
WIsE.-The Richmond correspondent Of
the Memphis Appeal. under date of the
10th inst, says:
1 begin to dispair of getting at the
truth of anything. 1t turns out that
Newport News has not been evacuated.
The Yankees are still there and man.
ifest no purpose ofreIiring. More than
this, all my Indignation against the van
dalism Of the enemy in burning Hamp-
ton would seem to have been gratui-
tous, for it is now positively stated that
the torch was applied and the town laid
in ashes by the Virginians themselves.
Some Of the more loyal of the citizens
who had remained there after the
first exodus. under the authority and
with the sanction Of Gen. Magruder, de-
termined to make Of it Moscow, and
the place was fred that it might no
longer afford shelter to the minions Of
Butler against the burning sun Of Vir-
ginia August, or serve as a rendezvous
for negroes induced by the enemy to
run away from their masters. ] shall
next expect to hear that Hampton has
not been burned at all, and that what
was taken by the people Of Norfolk for
general conhagration was nothing
more than the burning of few whisky
barrels.
There has been a good deal OF discus
sion here in military circles and other
circles. about the operations in the west
ern part Of the State under General
Henry A. Wise. That he sh ould have
| fallen back as far as the White Sulphur
Springs creates surprise and dissatisfac-
tion. Clearly the mission Of this officer
to the disaffected portion Of Virginia
has been failure. l say this with no
disposition to Hndervalue the services
or the talents of the Ex-Governor.
Great expectations were aroused by his
departure. His legion was to be called
into being as he advanced by the magi-
cal potency Of his name and the electric
aspiration of his personal qualities.
His friends claimed for him popularity
with all classes of the people Of Virginia
beyond that Of any man in the Common.
wealth. 1t was predicted and believed
that he would carry everything before
him, from the Allegheny mountains to
the Ohio river, and that he would take
no step backward until the last sup
porter of the Lincoln government had
been driven from the borders of the
Old Dominion.
But mark the result OF his expedition.
Instead Of the thousands that should
flock to his standardhe with great diff
Guilty collected men enough to organize
into brigade, and many Of these have
deserted him. Without the ability to
hold Charleston on the Ksnawha, he
fell back to Gauley bridge, which in
turn he abandoned, after burning the
structure; and from this point to Lewis
burg his retreat is SAID to have been
attended with as much confusion almost
as if the enemy under Cox had been
close upon bis rear. The truth has
been made apparent that Henry A.
Wise has not the military capacity for a
| General.
The Confederate government, it is to
feared, is likely to fall into the same blum
der which has already cost the Lincoln
ties so dear-that of appointing civilians
to high places of command. 1t would
be just as reasonable to expect that 6
man who had never acquainted himself
, with fin ance should manage the con-
Germs Of large banking establishment
with success, as that a politician should
be qualified to direct the movements
Of an army.