The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-02-15
BIRNSIDE's GREAT VICTORY.
Capture of Roanoke Island confirmed
Rebel toss 800 Killed and 2, 900 Pris

81
Capture of Roanoke Island confirmed.
Rebel toss 800 Killed and 900 -Pris-
0asers.
FcRTREss MONROE, Feb. 1I.-By a
flag of truce to-day we learn of the
complete success of the Burnside expe-
dition at Roanoke Island. The Island
was taken possession of and Com.
Linch's fleet completely destroyed.
Elizabeth City was attacked on Sun
day, and evacuated by the inhabitants.
The city was previously burned, but
whether by our shells or the inhabitants
is not certain.
The first news of the defeat arrived
at Norfolk on Sunday evening, and
caused great excitement. The previous
news was very satisfactory to them.
stating that the Yankees had been al
lowed to advance for the purpose of
drawing them into trap.
The rebel force on the island is sup
posed to have been little over 5000
fighting men. Gen. Wise was i'll at
Mays Head, and was not present dur
ing the engagement. When the situa-
ton became dangerous he was removed
to Norfolk. e
All the rebel gunboats but one were
taken, and that escaped up creek,
and was probably destroyed. sses 40
One report says that only seventy,
and another that only twenty-five of
the Confederates escaped from the Is
land. Gen. Huger telegraphed to
Richmond that only fifty on the Island
escaped. There appears to be no
bright side of the story for the rebels.
The Richmond E'canaia,er of this morn
ing, in a leading editorial, says:
The loss of an entire army on Roa-
noke Island is certainly the most pain
full event of the war. The intelligence
of yesterday. by telegraph, is fully con-
firmed. Two thousand and FIVE hun
dred brave troops on an island in the
sea were exposed to all the force of the
Burnside feet They resisted with the
most determined courage, but when
$4,000 Federal troops were landed
against them, retreat being cut off by
the surrounding elements, they were
forced to surrender. This is a repeti-
ton of the Hatteras affair on large
scale.
DISPATCHES TO RICHMOND PAPERS.
The following dispatches on the sub
ject are taken from the Richmond pa
pers of this morning:
NORFOLK, Feb. 1O.-The latest news
states that Capt. O. Jennings, son of
Governor Wise, was shot through the
hip and disabled, though his wound is
not mortal.
Major Lawson and Lieut.. Miller we're
mortally wounded. About 800 Con-
federates were killed. The wounded
number over 1000. The number of
Yankees wounded is about the same.
A late arrival this morning says that
Elizabeth City has been shelled and
burned by the Yankees, and that the
enemy was pushing on to Edenton.
NORFOLK, Feb. 1o,-A rumor has
prevailed that Com. Lynch's fleet of
gunboats has been captured. 1t is
not regarded as true. but is believed
that all were burned by the Confeder-
ates to prevent their capture with the
exception of one, which was endeavor-
ing to make its escape. The fleet went
to Elizabeth City from Roanoke Island,
and was probably burnt at the former
point.
NORFOLK, Feb. 10.-A dispatch was
received at Richmond at midnight,
stating as follows:
GA courier arrived here this after
noon at o'clock, and brought the in
telHgence that Elizabeth City was
burned by its inhabitants. During the
conhagration the Federals landed a
large force. All our gunboats, except
ing one, were captured by the enemy
Gen. Wise has not yet arrived at Nor
folk.'
ACCOUNTS IN THE NORFOLK DAY BOOK.
The following, the very latest, we
copy from the Norfolk Day Book:
GA courier arrived here yesterday
afternoon at o'clock, from whom we
gather the following information:
The enemy advanced in full force
upon Elizabeth City yesterday about I
O'Clock, and began an attack upon that
place. The citizens, finding resistance
vain, evacuated the place, but before
doing so, set fire to the town, and when
our informant left it was still in flames.
We have also to record the capture by
the enemy of all our little feet, except
the Fanny, or Forrest, our informant is
not certain which. This eluded the
enemy. She was pursued, however,
and fears are entertained that she was
captured.
at is said that before our boats sur.
rendered they were abandoned, and
that their crews succeeded in making
their escape; if SO, we are at loss to
conjecture why the boats were not fred
before they were abandoned. The dis.
aster to our little fleet is attributable to
the fact, that having exhausted their
supply of coal and ammunition, they
proceeded to Elizabeth City for the
purpose of obtaining supply. Every
effort was made to obtain coal, but
without success, and the boats could
not, therefore, return to the Island and
lend any assistance whatever to our
forces"
call the details as published, with
reference to the capture of Roanoke