Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-05-28
GUNBOArs VS.. LAND BATTERIES.
The following communication from Brigadisr General
Whiting, published in yesterdays Dispateh contains

Whiting, published in yesterdays Dispateh contains
some interesting facts concerning gupboats;
HEADQUARTERS lsr DIVISION RTsERvE,
Near Richmond, Nay %, 1862
To n, Editor Of hs Dispatch
SIR-The panic caused by the 0emy's gunboats is
not perhaps unreasonable considering the in
which their deeds have been Iumpeted and exAgger-
led but /. is very absurd ard needless. will state
few facts: Hoi zOutal VI rather direct shell firing as
lton Dahgreu or riasd pieces, is destructive only to
shipping or buildings lt has very htte effect upon bat
tere- ether with without plrapeis, upon treoIs
1epoyed This IS due, think, partly to the difficulty
Of causing the shell, even if wedirected TO explode
exsc at the object but chi6y TO the greatly velocity
of the missile which carries the fragments after eIplo
sion beyond the point of burstipg. Mortar firing,
vertical fire, as il Is called, 49, if well managed, much
more destructive and dangerous in that the velocity s
small and tho explosive force has full play have never
known a sE6l from The gunboats, exploding over an
open battery group or hue OF men, to do any harm
Last winter portion Of my command, under Captain
Prob vas exposed 70 frequeat day aud night shell firing
of IL and g iuch Dshsrsn aud rfsd shells The camp
Was shelsd repeatedly, aut fire started in u once by
some campheue conryance in the missiles. We had but
one casually.
Durisg he cane tine the enemy's gunboats fred be-
tive one hundred and two hundred heavy shell at a
single picket station the Potomac, without either
hur ing a man or driving eff the guard.
Tae gallant Major Walker OF the artillery, numbered
his battery in the op, fd aud for several hours
gagged the Psunee Live Yankee, Anscosia, and tug,
az long range, without s0g.e casually, compelling the
boats 70 retire. They were commanded by brave Off
Ger 0. tie United States NaYy-Captain Rowsn-Who is
repor cd to have lost an arm IN the fight.
TIE battery at Aqua Gro vas sheed for three days
last sumner by the Potomac sei, one vessel alone
pen seversl hundred SHELL with no ether eff G. than
scrs-c on one mlr5 hand aud the killing OF troop
ers hcrse IN the rear Of tbs battery.
Nj. Walker was over twelve times last winter and
fall under FIRE Of uine-iuoh DshgIeps from gunboAs
With his battery, withCu. q casualty.
Lieut.. Col. Stephen Lee, OF tue Hampton Legion Ar
tiisry now commanding the artillery o! this dis en-,
tsi-e engaged ,hem-held battery agains. nine-inch
shells-Si,lou; Il casually.
When tie Transport batteries wee opened on the
mnOls aud PJgahoutas even In the very imperfect
condition OF these batteries at that time the enemy
fse d. cling no damage whatever.
A YCrktCWg, allhough the gunboas fired great deal
into the town and Gloucester Point, both OF whch
f1 OF teuts, hospitals, houses wagons and
,roops bl: one killed a. yorktown aud nobody
hurt 40 q cuc,s,eT Point.
The cher day, az the engagement between part Of
nv command and the enemy q: Ethau's Landing, near
N, s. POINT, one q tie enemys Gluboa, opened upon
a position ilcm which i5- moments before Lieutenant
Co cne Lee and Cap ain Rel had in vain sudeayOr,d
with four ueces 10 reach ihe uagspugs AID though Oh
ol4J so The range vita great accucy, and burst hes
shells directly over the heads aud within lev icet OF
6.h North CasI,tla regiment, commsndrd by Coone.
Perder but IVES 1urt and although their gur
boats sle,d he woods G Rh,Cl Hoods brigade and he
Legion drawn up sfte7 the enemy were dsven ou
no. MAJ was toUcled ~ ta,m.
CO voucl Tor 0i tue above circumstances frCm
psTsolll knowledge aud ooss rVatou. OhctTs OF ny
command aJtss; all have rot seen myself
At Port yal and Hafferas the result was due partly
g ~hsimcg force AMI partly 20 ineEpyTeIc5 tie
part II the gcuners. l. s t-and have no doubt OF
that many ours we're CsuOunted 10y the rCCoil cS.
20 the ecceuuics haviJg been cael, SLY let gear
when the pieces fired, lie others spiked ana
rendered useless by the priugg wires being sit 10 tie
vent. phle ,Ee charge rAmned. OIs tTug Was also
bal YET, boJi those pNc the loss Ct the garrison
was rh8g when compared 20 the Seight and length Of
the euemy's Hle.
A D5ua sol, by Commod re Foote'S own ahovrg,
she guuoJ--s we're fairly whipped and withdraw. Gun
boats bad no bi1g DO with rhe taking O. Foe; Pulaski
A. IIvd No 10 they failed FJrs Jackson aud ST. P-i-
qs 81 rendered tCm tTelohery AID mu'iny, and that
a.0.e. For; Alcou was ,aa,r by land batteries.
he Our ugu stand 10 tie : Ias and fC them as
lie ~scr'l sd rcn a our Navy d6 he og0er cas- at
Dr. WIS q. IT, nd there Gre fee rivers in s cOgutry
u IN en- Yankee gu. bjas will venture lar certain
The james, the Cape Ea-, or the Southern nlets
beas Cal,ssCn.
I1rIC Jty above ylteuent vii cool somewhat the
excl eueu prod 4 by the name AID approach gun.
beats. A W side ia concerned, there ca be
no doubt O.o- accuracy o. the above staten ms.
VIA; If have prCdCced on the en-, M, there
"a no msa- ssosT aiuiug Iu rue however, from
he false and 1'rscco ry statements they are compe
led 70 make. the trUh is gradually sfed. Thank God,
our leaders no. Obliged 70 lie, either 10 keep
courage up o: satisfy our government or people.
Very respectfully,
". Ii. c. WugIrrSG,
Brighten. Coming -; Div. Reserve,
Army Of the Potomac.