Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-05-22
The Report -f .4>s Committee OF the affair
 O. Roanoke Island.

The committee has published reTort, which satisfactorily establishes the fact that the disaster at Roanoke wa the unavoidable consequence Ot the action and orders of the Government at Rich mond. The following paragraph presents the con- clusion of the Committees
 Gen. Wise. finding that his written appeals fol aid in the delences of the Island to headquarters at Norfolk and to the department at Richmond were neglected and treated with indifference, repaired in person to Richmond, and called upon the secretary of war, and urged ia the most importunate manner the ab)ute necessity of strengthening the deiences upon that island with additional men, armament and ammunition. The secretary Ot war replied verbally to his appeals for endorsements, that he had not the men to spare for his command mn C. IT. Wise urged upon the secretiry that Gen. Hu- ger had about l5,C0J men in front of Norfolk, ly- ing idle in camp for eight months, and that con siderable portion of them could be spared for the defence of the rear of Norfolk, and especially as his (Gen. Wises) district supplied Norfolk nd hli army with nearly or quite all of his corn, pork and forage, that endorsements at Roanoke Island wer5 as absolutely necessary to the defence at Nortoly as forces in its front, and that particular or speci posts should not bo allowed to monopollze neaIy all the men, powder and supplies" h reply to Il his urgent etpe4ls for the means of defence, Gn. Wise, on the 22d 0t January received the iolloWhg military order, No. r:
 ''Bfg,dier General Henry A. Wise, provisinal army. w,l immediately proceed to Roanoke lslld, North Carolina, and assume command ot the j0n federdte States troops at that place.
 " BY command of the Secretary of Var:
 SgueI JOHN WIIHERSs
 Asst Adj Ga"
 It is apparent to the committee, from the orres- pondenc- on file Uf Gen. Wise, with the se1etaIy of wIr, Gen. Hurer lis superior officer, th gover nor 0t North CatOna, and other persons ,aat he was fully alive to the importance of ROanok Island, and has devoted ais whole time and ene4es and mean, JO the dcteuces of that position; au that ne s 10 way responsible fer the uuiortunat5 disaster which helel our force, on that Island on te 'th and S,h oi February. But the committee annot say 5ic same in reference 10 the eilor ol th+secreary ot war atd the couimauding officer M Norfolk, General Huger
 IL is apparent that the Island of RoaI,kc was i'm rortaut for tile defence of Norfolk, d that Gen. iiu-ei had under his comm md at tat point uD wards otttecn t-ous na men, large NpN oiarm ameut an4 a.lE. tia4, and coula hafa thrown, m {. i-E hoare. q erte Reinforcement tY9A Roanoke Island. and that him elf ana the secftUy of war had timely notice oI the entire inalhp1cy ot the e'lnces, Jhe want ot men and mU'tions ot war, and the threatening. attitude O. " enemy. But Gen. Uugcr ana tae secretary O. VI paid ID prac tica attention to these urgent apEfils ot General Wise sent forward none of his IY)rtant requisi tiols, aud permitted Gen. Wise 9 his iuconsider- able force 10 remain to meet pUVO men, Weil armed and equip cd.
 Il the -ecrc ta.y ot war and th,ommanding gep eral at Norfolk had no slemeanto reinforce Gel, Wise, why was he not ordered tiabandon his poi ton and save his command; bu5uPon the contray, he was required to remain aIf sacrifice hls qH- mand, with no means in his iso lated postif to make his escape in case of def'f The commttee, from the testimony, are thertore constralnf 10 report that, whatever of blap. andresponsbfty is iustly attributable to any ondor the defeat q our tioops at Roanoke Island, o4the 8th of February, l862 should attach to Ma Zen B. Huger nd the late secretary ol wur--J. Benjamin.
 All of which is respectffy submitted.
 B. 5. CIPHER, Charman