Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-02-14
Virginia Roads ImprOVing--.A
Move Predicted.
GENERAL HITCHCOCK NOT A MAJOR
GENERAL
Arrsval Of the Gun Boat Prizes al
Fort Henry.
Departure of an Expedition from
Cairo against TT. DOnels0n.

FORT MONROE, Jan. II.
By flag of truce, to Gay, we learn the com
plcte success of the Burnside expedition al
| Roanoke Island.
| The Island was taken possession of, ane
Commodore Lynch's feet completely destroy
| ed.
Elizabeth City was attacked on Sunday
and evacuated by the inhabitants. The city
was previously burned, but whether by oul
shells or the inhabitants is not certain.
| The first news of the defeat arrived at Nor
folk on Sunday afternoon, and caused grea
| excitement. The previous news was very
satisfactory, stating that the Yankees haC
been allowed to advance for the purpose Of
drawing them into trap
| The rebel force on the Island is supposed
| to have been over 5000 fighting men.
Gen. Wise was ill at Nagshead ssd was
not present during the engagement. When
the situat on became dangerous hs was re-
mo, ed to Norfolk.
| that escaped up creek and was probably
destroyed.
One report says that only 10, and snothe,
from the Island
| UcIl. 1uScT "
that only so on the island escaped.
There appears to be no bright side of the
story for the rebels.
The Richmond Examiner this morning. in
leading editorial, says: 1.-THE loss of an en-
tire army on Roanoke Island is certainly the
most painful event of the War. The intelli
gence of yesterday by telegraph is fully con
frmed $500 brave troops on an island in
the sea were exposed to all the force of the
Burnside fleet. They resisted with the most
determined courage, but when $4,000 Federal
troops were landed against them, retreat be,
ing cut off by the surrounding elements, they
were forced to surrender. This is repeti.
ton of the Hatteras affair on large scale. ~
The following dispatches on the subject are
taken from the Richmond papers of this morn
ing:
Norfolk, Feb. 10th-The latest news
states that Capt. 0. Jennings Wise, son Of
Gov Wise, was shot through the hip and dis
abled, though his wound is not mortal. Maj.
Lawson and Lieut. Miller were MORALLY
wounded. About 300 confcderates were
killed. The wounded number over 1,OO0.-
The number of Yankees wounded is about
the same.
A late arrival this morning says that Eliz-
abeth City had been shelled and burned by
the Yankees, and that the enemy was push
ing on to Edenton.
SECOND DISPATCH.
Norfolk, Feb. IONA rumor has pre-
vailed that ON. Lynchs feet of boats
had been captured. 1t is not regarded as
true. but it is believed that all were burned
hryt h.,N ed <loo,v
with the exception of one, which was endeav.
oring to make it's escape.
The feet went to Elizabeth City from Ro-
anoke Sound, and was probably burnt at the
latter place.
THIRD DISPATCH.
Norfolk, Ftb 1OM.-A dispatch received
at Richmond, at midnight, states as follows:
A courier arrived here this afternoon,
at o'clock and brought intelligence that
Elizabeth City was burned, this morning, by,
it's inhabitants. During the confagration the
Federals landed large force. All our gun
boats, excepting:one, were captured by the
enemy.
Gen. Wise has not yet arrived at Nor
folk
The following is the very latest; we copy
from the Norfolk Day Book:
A courier arrived here yesterday afternoon,
about 3 o'clock, from which we gather the
following information: The enemy advanced
in full force upon Elizabeth City yesterday,
about 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 inform
ant left it was still in flames. We have also
to record the capture by the enemy of all our
little fleet, except the Fanny or Forester, our
informant is not certain which, She was
burned, however, ard fears are entertained
that she was captured. 1t is said that before
our boats surrendered they were abandoned,
and that their crews succeeded in making
their escape. If so we are at loss to con-
lecture why the boats were not fired before
they were abandoned. The disaster to our
little fleet is attributed to the fact that, hav-
ing exhausted their supply Of coal and ammu-
milton, they proceeded to Elizabeth City for
the purpose of obtaining supply. Every
effort was made to obtain coal, but without
success The boats could not, therefore, re-
turn to the Island or send any assistance
whatever TO our forces.