Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-03-01
The rish. a. Roauos. Island.

account Of the fight at Roanoke Island, from which
we make the following extract: -r@. -
"0n the Island no preparations whatever had
been made. Col. Shaws regiment Col Jordan's
and three companies of Col Martins regiment had
been on the Island for months, These regiments
numbered, all present, l,sl4. Ofthese about ,70u
were soldiers. There were 450 absent and sick,
leaving 1889 for all duty From these, five bat
teries had TO be manned leaving the morning of
the Sih, only 500 North Carolina infantry reported
for duty. These had not been paid, or clothed, or
fed or drilled The Island had no implements for
the labor on the works no teams bur two PAIR Of
broken down mules, and no horses for field artille
ry There were but three pieces of field artillery
one "a FOUNDER, one IL FOUNDER, and one brass how
itzer-the mules drew the latter, and the men the
heavier pieces through the sand. There was only
II FOUNDER ammunition for any of the large pieces
The forts, built on the Island before General Wise
was assigned to the command, were all in the wrong
places-at the north end of the Misunderstanding all
the landings the south end uncovered by single
battery. No breastworks had been made and there
were no tools to make any-the marshes at the
south end Of the Island had nv defensive works upon
them. But one steam tug and two barges were pro
vided, and there were means oil retreat either by
tugs or ferry-thus it will be seen there were pro-
Vlded no means Of defence and still less of escape,
though timely notice and providential warning Of
twenty five days had been given. To the crime Of
inefficient defense, Is to be added interference
with General Wise's orders by General auger, who
was utterly Ignorant of the country he was to have
defended. Gen. Wise ordered Gen. Henningsen to
send the artillery horses Sy the beach road and the
guns by the CurrItuck section Of the Albemarle Ca
nal, where they could be towed to the Island. This
order Gen- Huger changed; and thus no artillery
reached the Island" - ~ .s.- .... F.
These are grave charges against Gen. Huger, and
we fear they are true. But the Enquirer goes on
to state that "but $50 of the Wise Legion and two
companies Of North. Carolina infantry got into the
| light" This is mistake. There were six CON-
panies of the North Carolina infantry in the fight
TWO from Col. Jordans, two from Col Martins, and
two from Col, Shaw's regiment The Enquire
! also says: sos
| Col Shaw ordered a retreat early, and Col Jor
| dams men were completely denorazed by his or
! ders 10 take care of themselves"
! Whether Col Shaw ordered a retreat early or
late we do not know, ut we do not believe that
Col, Jordan gave any orders which demoralized his
men. The truth is, his regiment at best was only
halfarmed They had flint and steel rnuskets and
shot guns, and parade the locks of many OF these
| would fall off They were rendered in this con-
dition to Gen. Gatlin, and accepted; but We learn
that after Gen. Gatlin, on strict examination, saw
| how poorly they were armed, he appealed to the
Governor to furnish them with better arms but the
appeal unavaling. But it i'll be said in reply,
that Gov. Clark could furnish them with better
arms The answer is, that after this regiment had
| LEFT, and We believe after it had reached Roanoke
Island two regiments near this place, subsequently
| organized were armed with good muSkets--oEe of
them, the pet regiment of Col Branch, with the
percussion muskets of the returned Bethel volun-
teers The regiment commanded by Col Jordan
was, therefore in no condition to meet the enemy
| but two Companies Of it. that were tolerably well
armed were in the fight from first to last The
Enquirer adds
THUS $50 men of the Wise Legion and North
Carolina infantry, fought upwards Of 5000 of the
enemy, at indefensine place for five hours and a
half-losing at the outside u killed. and 80 wound
cd, whilst damaging the enemy from 300 to 900
counting to the enemy for every man Of the Wise
Legion engaged man for man. The fighting was
against all odds, and cooler, frmer
or more stubborn. General Burnside said to Sur
geon Coles that in all his experience he had never
known SO small body of men give so much trouble,
and cause so much loss to so erwnelmIng force.
The men of the Wise Legion did all that the same
number of men could have done" p
The Enquirer says Gen. Wise demonstrated at
Richmond and Norfolk in relation to the condition
of the Island, but that his remonstrance at Rich
mond was met by peremptory order to the Island
there to defend it; and at Norfolk he told that
men were not wanted, all we wanted were sup
plies, GOODNESS and hard work" The Enquirer very
broadly ntmates that the blame for the fall Of tht
Island rests Secretary Benjamin or Gen. Huger
The Enquirer is still evidently disposed to Claim
nearly all the credit for the Wise Legion, and inds
posed to do justice to the North Carolina troops
1t is hard that the reputation OF our brave mer
should suffer on account of the alleged ineffciency
of Col Shaw; but we tell the Enquirer that thu
six North Carolina companies which were in thu
battle fought with as much courage as any portion
Of the Wise Legion, and that Capt. Lies's company
of Arson, and Capt Knights company of Martin
vere the last to retreat. The Wise Legion left be
fore they did