Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-27
FROM me bHquTr'
THE FIGHT AT ROANOKE ISLAND.

choly affair at Roanoke Island seems Temporarily Tor
gSsten. We in possession Of facts connected with
hat fht which shall lay before the public for csln
and impartial judgment.
On the morning Of the 9th February, sixty vessels Of
the enemy appeared to the south Of Roanoke leland
All day they assembling, and early on the morning
of the 7th the signal for their advance was given
The command Of General Wise was at Nsgs Head,
there bsng no accommodation for them on the Island.
Elly on the morning Of the 7h eight companies OF the
| I'd regiment Wise Legioa Lieut.. Col Anderson, and
Two companies of the lsi regiment, Wise gion, as q
batt,li under Captain Wise, sent TO The Island
The ten companies Of Gen. Wisss command numb red
about $50 men. On the morning of the Sh hajor Fry,
with four other companies OF the ls regiment and Col
Green's battalion, were sent to the Island Three CON-
panies were retained at NAgs Head to prevent the enc
nv landing on the Roanoke Sound shore OF the beach,
and to construct ferry OF Lighters and to save stores
aud baggage in case Of retreat or disaster.
On the Island no preparations whatever had been
made. COL Shaw's regiment, Col. Jordans and three
companies Of Col. Barth's regiment had been on the
Island for months. These regiments numbered, all pre-.
sent 9l4 OF these about 200 soldiers There
we're 450 absent and SICK leaving $50 for all duly
From To- Eve batteries had to be manned leaving, on
tie morning OF the Sh only sos North Oarolnl infsr-
try reported for duty. These had not bsen paid, or
clothed, or fed, or drilled The Island had no mple.
men.s for the labor the works, no teams but two
pair OF broken down mules AID no horses for field ar
liery. Tnere were but three pieces OF field artillery
oae 2i FOUNDER, Is FOUNDER and one brass ho"it-
pieces through the sand There was only l2pounder
lmmuLon for any Of the large pieces. The io's, built
On The Island before General Wise assigned to the
command, were all in the wrong paces-aE the north
end Of the slandeaving all the landings on the south
end uncovered by q single battery.
No breastworks had been made, and there were 10
tools to make anythe marshes at the south end of the
Island had defensive works upon them. But one
steam tug and bargos provided and there were
10 means Of either by tugs ferry-thus will
l. If. aV,A
ui less of escspe though timely notice and providen'
Al warning of Iwentyhvs dEys bad been given. To
he crime Of inefficient defence is 10 be sdded an inter-
ference With General Wises orders by General Huger,
rho was utterly ignorant OF the country be WIS TO have
Attended Gen. Wise ordered Gen. Hsnnngscn 20 send
he artillery horses by the beach road, and the guns by
he Currituck section of the AlbemIre canal, who're
hsy could be toWed to the island This order General
Iu9er charge and thus artillery reached the is
land.
The cavalry of the Wise Legion had been detained in
Richmsrds
But 45O Of the Wise Legion and two companies Of
North Carolina infantry got into the fight the balance
II Ike North Carolina infantry were held in reserve.
Unfortunately neral Wise prostratod on the se-
ord dy after his arrival at Nase Head with pleulisy,
hrea.e. ing pneumonia. He had been at Nags Head
.boat nine days Though in paiafll iln5ss be issued
ii necessary orders and sent over the troops He or.
jered division OF the whole force the island-one-
hi.d 20 cover the landing at Pughs one-hird the land
irP az Altby', and onethrd to be held In r.seve.-
r6e,e orders we're not exccuted-no force put al
Purhs aud Colonel Jordan, who placed at AsAb!s,
Ce back without struggle, from the enemys ltndipg
Under cover ol steamer, tee evening OF the 7b, the
enemy landed 10 600 men, after having bombardtd the
| forts on the 7th Tor six hours aud ls!f.
There was no wharf for boats 10 land at, and Col
Andersoa5 had to leap into water four feet deep
and wade ashore.
On the night Of the b. Captain Wise with 10 of the
Blues and 10 Of the Ringers pickett the next
morning, with his 20 men and the balance OF the
RangeIs he drove in tie enemys pokets and brought
on the action early In tho JrnDg butt did not become
general until half past O'Clock After driving in
the p'cte he was ordered with his battaon-thc Blues
and Cant Coles company-tO cover the LETT fink, Col
Shaw thinking the right well protected by dsep lock-
ao cypress swamp. Abou. 10 o'clock Capt Wise found
bis bitialion e1oos to the CALLING Of regiment;
tuning TO CAPT. Coles be said "Tas re is very bo;
tell Col Anderson VIC must fall back or be reinforced
Cant to pas ho order and shot through
the heart dying Instantly. Ccpi. WISE was wounded
first Ia the srm and mex. through the lrngs which latter
wound threw him to the ground He vas borle TO 'he
Hospta In charge OF he gallant Surgeon Coles, snd &c.
ceiyed two additional wounds while being borne from
the Asld That evening Surgeon Colss pus him into
boat to send him to Nags Head hu the enemy fired up
on t. aad be obliged TO return. The enemy seemed
10 regret this and treated him very kindly, taking hm
out Of the boat matrass and s.arting back 10 tes
hospital The next day about IL o'clock N be
calmly and In his perfect Senses without suffering t
pas,ed away Col Hawkins aud Lieutenant Colonel
Betts, Of tho 10 New York regiment, were Win IN
when he died, and wep like generous hearted soldiers
The former said "thcre Is brdrs iass
Captains Wise, Coles and ldol were srecal marks
for the cnemy-Ihe latter did terrible execution with his
gun The enemy admit 500 killed. aud wounded, while
our estimate Of theiHio ia from 400 to 60O
The Zouavcs approached our lines under white flag,
causing our men to mistake il for surrender. They
arose and gave three cheers and the enemy frd upon
them in the ac Of cheering They then, ndsse, liz
orally crowded apan and crushed our battery OF lid
pieces, and about the same time the enemy passed
through the cypress swamp, which Col Shaw thought
mpasabe and iuraed the tight lrk. Tney also turned
the left after Captains Wise and Coles fell and thus ca
of the .treat CT cur forces EcrcsJ RDancke S-nud
the beach and thus the struggle ended about T.
but the fighting was kcp. up iTreguarly all To
part Of Sunday. Col. shaw ordeEed a retired
Col. Jordans men completely demorslSt
orders to take care CT themselves. Il. vi G1
Major Fry never go. into say sc;on.
Thus 450 men of thu Wise Legion aud North
infantry fcucht upwards of 5000 OF the enemy
defensibe place for Ave ho1rs ard hslc-losn
outside l2 killed ard so wounded, vhils: dlmar
enemy from 800 to 500; counting 10 every maj
Wise Legion engaged man for The fghtmy
against all odis, and ever cooler firmer
ST. b5oru. Gen. Burnside sid 10 Surgeon COB that
oil hs experience he had never known tmsn body
Of give much trouble and much loss 10
80 over RhemiEg foTcs. Tne Of the Wise Legion
did all that the numbes Of men could hsve done.
Aud now, Why did Gov Wise 6ght his men against
such oddss In answeR havo to say, that ss had
election When the deparIm INT organized and be
fore bic Legion left Richmond, be repaired in person to
the Island, examined into its condition. and hAred back
month ago to ais superiors at Norfolk aud Rich
mond Of the indeiensiblc condition of the Island and
It's utter want ot meas OF deferoe.
His remonstrance at Richmond was met by peremp.
10y order to the Illnd and there to deead and at
Norfolk be was told that nos wanted. All We
wanted were "supples, eO0iasSS aud hard pork. After
this be obliged to work without and without
men. No men ever bshaved with greater cooneas but
there was no time to work. and his Legion fought ten to
one up TO the muz1s, ard without ihnchng. The Gov.
ernmtnt had permitted the golden time for work pass
anmproved; the delIy of the enemy, caused by Provi
Dental interference had not BEEN improved by the Con-
tsderae authorities and Notwithstanding the glorious
performance of h;s Legion, all lost-the granary
and the lardsr of Norfolk Is gone-And the enemy
At the back door Of Norfolk. Upon whose shoul6e,s