Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-04-18
rur ROANOKE DISASTER.

,.nsrt embracing brief and concise visv OF the Dr.
E.poes of Roauaks Isl md and the ae Iesnt waters the
number troops in its defence the 7h and
sh Of February, and the circumstances Of the e'psaa.
ton thereof on the 8 b Of February The Committee
are sasfsi that Col Shaw held possession Of thst post
IS long he could hsvs done without uKlass sacr-
aoe Of human life. Taat on the 7Ih aud the tfh'er
and nsn in F,rt Busov displed great soolaess, eour-
age aud psrseverny sors to sustain their position and
drive back the enemy. Fact.
Wsmak, room for the following eI:rsc1 from the
report:
Ia the battle Of the sh Of February, at the rsdoubt
The officers and man exhibited = cool and deliberate
courage worthy Of veterans In the service and Sustain
ed their posltisn under 40 uninterrupted and deadly
Gre for more than Ave hours rspulsing the enemy in
three separate and dstiac charges and Only withdrew
from the deadly CT alter txbaustisg their anmun-
zion Tor their artillery and being surrounded and hink
cd by more than times their number. lastesd Of
the result being deeply hunAting, t was one Of the
most brilliant and gallant actions OF the war; and In the
Iantuxe of their absent Commanding General, both
off Sers and men fought firmly cody, efficiently, and ~
10 ~ A humanity would allow" The conrattse are
ia has the whole command did their duty, and they
30 net feel at liberty TO any particular acts oil
companies or of individuals. Bat In simple justice to
COLONEL SbGH upon whom devolved tie comm IN BY
T. OF tue extreme uluebs Oh buPcflot,
Mise and who has been oensursi for tbs result the
Jommiuee take pleasure in stating that there Is no
foundation for any Just n ction upon him. h. upon
the Tth OF February, after dsposny OF his Infantry
foles and f1oirg that the enemy did not atend land
irE repaired Immediately in person TO Fort Barlow
wnere the bombardmsnt was progressing, and made bis
wAy into the Fort amidst the most imminent danger
ffI m shos and ehs aad there remained, encouraging
the men aad assisting far he was able until be dis
covered the enemy intended TO eject a landing below
zen be lett the Fort under the Dangerous orcun
Of tbs morning. to take command Of the infant
Az In person; and upon the S.h at the redouot, he
commanded l. person, sharing The dangers Of his men
for mere than Eve hours win hrmness Goodness aad
bravery worthy Of the position be occupied
The uomniIise OF the opinion, that the Island Of
Roanoke vas military post OF great nPortanoe, that 1t
might have been placed STATE OF defence Against any
reasonable force with the expenditure Of money and Ia
bo supposed be within the means Of the
"a the not done aud the defences Construct
ID we're wholly inadequate Tor Its protection iron An a.
OK ,i,hsr BY land water and the Com nit.eo have
40 culy IN assigning a. the cause Of Our disaster and
a,eGt on the Of February The want Of ths nee asAry
licences upon the Island the lcent vsers and upoh
he Ain,nd upon Tyrs side the want OF the necessary
Id Arlil cry, armament and ammunition, aud the great
40 uapasdsnSbls dt6.>ncy Of men, together With the
en- ire want Of transportation, BY which the whole CON-
md m;ghi have bser conveyed from the llind after
the deet at the battery But the Committee nave had
n loh uly ia locating the responsibl Tor ihe neg
less Ih exceedingly inPortAni point, ourg TO the lac
TIE and OF that island has been transferred SO
rec aenhy from military commander 20 another be-
Eeen the time that the Confederate Government b'cIms
sDonsb, for the coast dsisnces Of and tbs attack
upon TIA Island upon the Z q Of FsbruHy 1854. That
lAad upon the fail Of hAIIerAs, was taken possession
Of by Col Wright IN Ter instruction from GeaerL Hu.
ger aud the principal deeaoeS e1 under tie
,utnorty and diroclsl OF ,nersl HOgsr who assam,d
middleton over the lslsud 81 houSh is within the
uilii.ry command OF GsR. GMin. AT erWsrds BFlgi
isr General D. 4. Hill assigned Tor abort ims to
he immediate command Of tina, post Who ium IdaEelJ
catered upon his duty, made al examination Of toe de-
suess in psrson And making ectvs preparation for
~ ting ,he Island In state ., defence, When he
IA idenly supsrJsdcd, and BIZ y'dsr General grabeh
xyeu the command. Il does nos appear In evidence
IA, G,n BrNrch ever stsd the Island, or made any
nav, towards It's defence. H-, however, va super
..dsd h, Big4dier ,nsrA Wise Abcu the lst Of Jas
wv 1864 Who Immediately proceeded to ths Islind n
rJon about the 8 OF JI1uAry spent several days In
rscosuois.aEcs OF the llnd AID is defspcss add In
IL. mining tho al n: waters with view OF oonsuueE
ilz ob,ltuo ous ~ OToatan uld 10 prevent the ps
saE, Of hostile ast; aud from that momsn. up TO
The 7,h Of February the Committee are set I'D that
Ieasrsl Wis ha' devoted his whole time In I'aler'
saerEstc and ipdstAgabs tG0rs 10 place that bland IL
.nte Of defence and hes done all and every tsirg In
y. power with the me,rs Ae had 1t his command to
sR ct Ihs important object. AZ Nsriok. upon the y
Of JARury, on his way 10 ksAnGkc lslAnd be met a.
ue and temporary command OF the lslaLd) 70 General
auger inicriag him Of the dsfencsless state Of the
Laai aud urSi the necessity Of s.reng bsainz fot
Buto~ BY mourning other sun4, ob'HG ing CroaIon
sound aud mkirg req1isiGona for ANA iition, pile
driver aad other htngs osE.Ay. Gen. WISE endorsed
AID approved OF the r,qu'uon, aud seconded the DE-
MAIDS Of Col. ShSW.
& nersl Wac arrived a! RpAnok, lsS1d upon the b,
Aud Assumad colnb aud at that pou, upon tia n OF
], uuJ, 1864 AHisr MAKING Reconnaissance OF The
Is'sud ard deissoss, Gaa Wis. on the IL mary,
infornsd Gen Huysr "tast Roanoke 1land wts in ds
.cesss colGitio and 10 presence Of very foImd IBIS
,ueny's force. Tue Burnsidg'. expedition IL report
o Lsys sliet IadesendsLt OF shat, the force RoE 4
a.teras ias. can pass take Roanoke lsan5 and par
lon me for saying that, respectfully dfsr from o
o5aiol YOU t1 pressed in ytu orders VI to-day that 10
prevent the onsmys guRaoas from pissng the nnssss
- the south en-, viii also p event any lsudRy Bat
s-iss 81 the rhes VAy eGisnlsl TO prevent the
.unooIs from passing into CroAan Soaa|; hey will not
sssveot the landing on the stus aud cas-. tni OF tie
iaad A. sGsi 900 Infantry are needed on the land,
Gad considerable force, sly 500 mes, needed OF
hs beach, Aad II the enemy pass ,anoke, 900 least
are nseSssArY 10 Sight them on the nEuss OF land on
lbs north side Of AlosmArlo S)snl. We nssd Oh tie
bsash aud II, Island at !cas. eight I'd piscss
sra tao carriages aud cas'on necessary. We reg lire
,hirtJ-:Wo horses for the artillery. We ns,d at
Least sI heavy pieces at the south cod marshes as
two a. least at Eastwood point Ga the ssu, day GJn.
Wise addressed tho Secretary OF Wir 10 which he
u at very i'm )orAnt that Legion sh Id be for
~adsd a. speedily possible. Toe defsusSl OF Roam
oks I.lS.t which Is tbs key Of all the detsno Of
S,ffok aud Its canals and railroads il uitts1 my
charge snd have just returned from reconrol.,nc,
OF that point IL u nov utsIlJ defenceles. No pre-
pIra.ioas have been mids there at all ad ate. Gen
aaEsr has gvsl IN, large authority 70 do Whatsoever
10 Necessary, and bG' advs what be deems proper IN
nv s,a aaad; bus We have very limited me- aGd no.
half tms enough to prepare 80 meet al ensmy who IL
almost in immsas,e pre.esc-, In ve'J tormdab's
force Tuics the number OF my L,gien Is necessary,
Sud beg thai the place Of my third rSginsn: may Up
Oily b, fI,i or that IL may b. Scored Ca the loh
Jau 1861 Gen. Wise writes the Secretary Of War IL
am sure you will net adjuige me rp " uiate, VII N Ia
bru you returned IRON R>anoEe ldAnt to Norfolk
GsI Saturday hlssen back Aitsr short reconnosapcr,
10 ApLrss Headquarters ard the Department that there
are no fences here 1tquts preparation whatever
70 inset The enemy, and to fsrSsrd all the means in my
,..oh az zee Iy "a plssible TO make the key Of all the