Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-03-19

IHE COURAGE OF OUR TROOPS AT NEwBERN.-
There are no Drawer troops in she Confederate States
than the North Carolina troops Our forces at
Newoern' as general thing, fought we'll. Enough
is known to justify the statement that several of our
regiments commended calamity and desperately
against overwhelming Odds and that the spirit which
pervaded our men generally that evinced 6y
Col Vance, who was heard to exclaim, in the hot
test of the conflict, flight on, boys-we can die,
but will never surrender" 1t is also stated that
COL Avery, with heroism worthy of all praise,
rushed without orders to the aid of Col Vance who
was surrounded by thousands of the enemy But
there was indecision, there was incompetency, and
want of foresight on the part of some one or on
the part of some who had the direction of the battle
which paralyzed the native courage Of our forces,
and led to the result which We all deplore Even
the militia, we understand, maintained their ground
well, and fell back only when cutHanked in large
numbers by the enemy. But they, it seems, had
been placed at that point of the battle array-the
centre-whlch ought to have been strongest, and on
their right gap was left through which the enemy
poured themselves and got IN our rear. The truth
is our troops at Newbern did as we'll as any troops
could have done, under tho circumstances. Any
statement that they acted cowardly part is, in our
opinion, utterly unfounded. The order to retreat
is said to have occasioned surprise even among
many OF the rank and file; but when they were
told to ret1eat, and take care of themselves, of
course they did So and as was to have been expect
ed, they hurried to the bridge and through Newbern
! in some disorder. One master military mind in
command OF our forces on the occasion, might have
changed the whole result; but that mind was not
there. if there it was overruled by Others Gen.
Hill won the battle of Bethel under circumstances
disadvantageous to himself those which existed
against us at Newbern. But he was removed to make
| room for political General, who had never smelt
powder, and who, when he was appointed, could
not properly drill company. To our knowledge,
four OF the Colonies on the field greatly better
qualified for the command than Gen. Branch; and
there were five hundred men on that battlefield
who could have commanded with more decision,
foresight and ability than Gen. Branch displayed.
MR. BEyERHoUT THoMPSON.-It is stated by the
Goldsboro' Tribune, on the authority of Lieutenant
Pennington that the Notifications erected below
Newbern under the direction of the State Engineer,
Mr.. Thompson, were detective and imperfect There
can be no doubt that this is So We learn that the
| night before the battle Mr. Thompson was engaged
erecting works about the centre of our line which
ought to have been thought of and erected weeks
| before This Engineer has long been an incubus on
our military operations. He ought to be removed
forthwith, and an ADLER man put in his place.
CosscRIrr1os IN South CAnoL1SA-The last Char.
lesion Mercury says:
| "The Governor and Executive Council of South
Carolina have, we learn, decided to make radical
and important change in the mode of raising troops
in this State, whenever they may be needed hereaf
ter, as long as the war shall last On and after the
Goth Of the present month"; all acquisitions upon the
State for troops will at De filled By conscription
which very many persons, well informed on the
plan The conscripts will be mustered in for the
| acar. No cotunteers for any arm of the service,
will be received after the Goth inst. ALI field and
line officers, from the grade Of Colonel down to that
of Third Lieutenant will be appointed by the Gov
ernor and Council. The non. commissioned officers
of each company will be appointed by the Captain,
with the approval Of the commanding officer Of the
battalion or regiment These, we believe are
the main features Of the new military regulations,
which will probably be published in few days"
No more volunteers, it seems are to be accepted
in South Carolina but drafts for the war are to be
resorted TO- and the drafted men arc to haze no soics
tn tho appointment Of their e5icers Weregard tits
as an unwlse policy. Tho men who fight our bat
ties ought to be permitted to elect their officers
and to deny this right, and force officers on the
men, seems to us to indicate tendency to standing
armies and military despotsm =.
-. = sT.i'H -------- -,
KS C6RN KEFR-TakA one mint Of corn and boil !,