Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-03-05
The Fight at Roanoke Island.

The Fight at Roanoke leland.
The Richmond Enquirer Of Tuesday contains an
account of the fight at Roanoke Island, from which
We make the following extract:
"On the Island preparations whatever had
been made Col Shaw's regiment, Col Jordans
and three companies of Col. Martins regiment had
been on the Island for months. These regiments
numbered, all present. 1914. Of these about !, 700
were soldiers. There were 450 absent and sick,
leaving 1850 for all duty. From these five bat
teres had to be manned, leaving on the morning of
the Sth, only 803 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 but two pair of
broken down mules, and no horses for field artllle-
ry There were but three pieces of field artillery
one "a FOUNDER, one IL FOUNDER and one brass how
tzer-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 the Island before General Wise
ASST gned to the command, we're all in the wrong
places-at the north end of the Island-leaying ali
the landings on 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 no defensive works upon
them. But one steam tug and two barges were pro-
vded and there were no means of retreat either by
tugs or ferry-thus it will be there were pro-
vded no means of defence, and still less of escape
though timely notice and a providential warning of
twenty-five days had been given. To the crime of
inefficient Defense is to be added an interference
with General Wises orders by General Huger who
was utterly ignorant of the country he was to have
defended Gen. Wise ordered Gen. Henningsen to
send the artillery horses 5y the beach road and the
guns by the Currtuck section of the Alhemarle ca
nal, where they could be towed to the Island. This
order Gen. Huger changed; and thus no artillery
reached the Island"
These are grave charges against Gen. Huger, and
we fear they are true. But the Enquirer goes on
to state that "but 45o of the Wise Legion and two
companies of North Carolina infantry got into the
fight" This is mistake. There were six COM
panies of the North Carolina infantry in the fight
two from Col Jordan's, two from COL Martins, and
two from Col. Shaws regiment The Enquirer
also says:
"Col. Shaw ordered retreat early, and Col. Jor-
dams men were completely demoralized by his or
ders to take care of themselves"
Whether Col. Shaw ordered retreat early or
late We do not know, hut 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 muskets and
shot guns and parade the locks of many of these
would fall off. They were rendered in this con-
diton to Gen. Gatlin, and accepted; but we learn
that after Gen. Gatn, on strict examination, saw
how poorly they were armed, he appealed to the
Governor to furnish them with better arms, but the
appeal was unavaiing. But it will be said in reply,
that Gov Clark could not 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 this place, subsequently
| organized, were armed with good muskets-one 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 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 45O> men of the Wise Legion and North
Carolina infantry, fought upwards Of 5000 Of the
enemy, at an indefensble place for five hours and
haf-losing at the outside 10 killed, and 80 wound
ed, whilst damaging the enemy from 500 to 500
counting to the enemy for every man of the Wise
Legion engaged man for man. The fighting was
| against all odds, and none was 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 overwhelming force.
The men of the Wise Legion did all that the same
| number of men could have done"
The Enquirer says Gen. Wise demonstrated at
Richmond and Norfolk in relation to the condition
| of the Island, but that his re.nonstrance at Rich
mond was met by peremptory order to the Island
there to defend it; and at Norfolk he told thai
men were not wanted all we wanted were sup
plies, coolness and hard work." The Enquirer very
broadly intimates that the blame for the fall of the
Island rests on 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 Co.. Shaw; but we tell the Enquirer that tn
six North Carolina companies which were in th'
battle fought with as much courage any portion
of the Wise Legion, and that Capt. Les's compan!
of Anson, and Capt. Knights company Of Martin
soere the last to retreat. The Wise Legion left be
fore they did.
The YANKEEs.-By Northern accounts it is sta
ted that Gen. Burnside is actively preparing t.
strike blow where it is least expected The fort