Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-04-18


1oisance TO spprissi Headquarters an;i ;he
Department.. that there are no dsJence9 tf6re,
! 10 adequate preparation whatever TO IncoEthe
enemy, and TO forward all tho mesns in mr.
reach az speedily "a possible to n,afc thosry
of all the rear Of Norfolk, with lis canAlsnGo
! railroads, safe. Inside OF Hatteras ini&
found 2; vessels ci light draft oight Of wleh
at least arc steamsTs, said to carry four slns
zach. Tney are, nt !srtbest, bat 90 miles tic:.
Roanoke Island, and can reach there any hGt
hnurs OF less to attack i've small gnnboals uucr
Capt. Lynch and lolr small land naiitii;:5
wholly Inefficient. Any beat drawing s.Ir.
fce, ci water, or less. can pass The Cro.:;,.
Sound as jar oil ~ l ! miles from any t.t;aes
and the enemy = gnns car silence oar hs.;rj /,
the:e in very short time. .Eeilhcr batter +.
raseniatcd, and oiir mon row there arc urtrai2G
tc heavy pieceo mounted on navy carriages
'fns u,oruent the enemy passes Urnstor Chn-
rei. the North lsndi:r riys., North 1iTc", Pas
Quotsnk, Chowan, Rcaloka, Alligator, aao
ScnpPern2ns rivers. and toe Uisna! 2Hac =
aud Aihtrra:!o Artl Chesapeake csnas ~:.I
h,ocEadri yHeriusl;v, and Nnrf"'l.:y;t' t'-t >
?-,itii fc''rs E'pplies nj ceTr,
PORK rF.1 fJri;,a, Isshrc, 2: ha!,Gras .s m
dependent .; ti.asBuI1lside expedition. No
tn.t.rr wi:r-e .he !a!!ar a, ihs ioTule. is amply
snttiNcrt 20 capture or pass jacHnoke Island in
.aT 12 hnnra. !.o! me say ticn, Sir, that il ~e
ar. &c v5Iii f1r pua:ler irDus I.'chmo1d, uGti!
~. ir= 2; arEs:! at hat I.lnnf, that aitsc! will
lie Is cap,nr-, and bur da!=A: " il! ,.rcccda 0nr
..pair ct auran-sii,n Tho ,.. il too iirsant
ior ne tu dr.kY s:,ssEir;, tbs out plainly Il.
aa:c ;" ;,tA n nnother part cl tho saus letter,
l." SAYS 1--WE Veil ammunition and meu.-
in y word, nn'nst ogery preparation has to be
,nado. Delay Is Geirat new at Roanoke
Island ARD with present masns, Capt Lyncn
ant! comIcIt,d cslncI guarantee successful
dui,ncs joc ds?. | beg, sir, that you will
urge this uEOE thc Navy Department: and be
llrve that tn not superservlcaulp in this ur.
gcncy."
Ger. Wiat, finding that his written anpeala
for eic: in ,lr duianc,s OF the Island to Head
quarters al Norfolk ard IL the Department at
Rtcirmond were neglected, and Treated with
! indifference, repaired in pntson to Richmond,
and called Upon the Secretary Of War, and
urged III the uust iuportunate manner, the no.
Hn!uGn Dfrosstv OF s'faogihihg thn doiences
upon that l:lsDd, VITA additional dis1, arina-
lnui.t and Hnnuniton The Secretary of
h,a7 rep!led verbally to his appeaB for rsn-
idrrements, tlat he had not tho men TO spare
ior hls command. Gen. Wise urged upon the
Secretary that Gen. Huge- had about Is OO0
lnsn in front 0; Norfolk lying idle in csnp for
oiSh: months and this! considerable portion
G: ,aEu cGuli be spared for the defence
OF .hp rear Of Nu:luk, aud especially. IA his
General ifises) district supphed Norfolk ali
his nruy ~.I!l ncariy OF quite all of his corG,
pork and forage, that reint0rcenenta 4. Roa-
nuke Island We're 81 ABSOLUTELY necessary 10
the deeuc1 nj Norfolk as forces in its fron,,
sni tllst particular or special posts should noI
hs aliowe,i to t0'nonofolize nearly Iii tho men !,
powder and Supplies" In rnpy to I'll his III
gent appeals for the means Of defence, General
iYise, uu the I'D JanuaVT, reserved The follow
ias military oder No. II:
"Hrgsdier General Henry a. Wise, ProVi-
sionai Aruy, Hrll Immediately proceed tc Rpa.
noke Island, Nsrta Carolina, End sSsutne cn,r-
ElGad vi the Confederate Ststas tr1au5 1T tia.
piacc.
e command ci The Sco'y Of Var,
(5gned JoHS WIroEss,
Asst A1jt. General.
II IL apparent 20 the cnmpi,t4-, rom the
corrcspnru-ncs on iilo vi Gen. Wise WITH tho
Secretary .: War, Ger. HuCer, his superior
oificcy, LOO Governor Of North Carolina, and
ottsr persons, that he wes fl.ly a!ivc to tho
iir porlai..a of Roanoke Island, and has devoted
his whol, time and energies and ucans 10 tho
irfences oI that position; aud TIA: hr IS no
wav responsible ior the unfortunate diaaste.
which be!ei our forces upon that Island Oh
the I;h End Sth OF February. Bat Tie COM
usii:uu c1nHot gay tie sslne iii re!eronce 10 the
en',r.s Of the Secretary OF War and the Com.
marding Officer at Norfolk, Gen. Huger. 1t is
apuarent, that the ;sIsnd Of Roanoke Has I'M
p1r.ant Tor tho dcirnco oi Norfolk, AMI that
tinn lluger hui under his command at thar
pciat upwards Of $4,000 n:en, y large supply
Of armament and ammunition, and could. have
ihro~n in Few hours large reinforce
merit upnT Roanoke Island, and th.t hiulsell
aid tho Secretary Of War had timely notice Of
the entire ;nadcouscy of the delences, the want
Of men ald munitions ii war, and the threat;
ening attitude Of the enamy. But Gcn. Huger
and tho Secretary OF WAY paid no practical
att1ullo1 10 thcsa urgent appeals ci Gun. Wise,
Sent furssrd none OF h,s important reQuist ions,
and ps:nlltitu Gen. Wise ana his inc1nsi:era-
bio force to rc,pain TO meet al east fifteen
thousand h.ua well Grined rad equipped. Il the
SecretaT.! oi War add lie Co,nTuandlng General
at Norfolk hat not the incans 10 rnintorce
Gen. Wise, Thy was he not ordered to aban-
don hs position, and save ha command; br:
uEoa tie contrary, be was required to roman,
and sacrifice his command, win nj 1uesns in
his Insulated position, 10 make nis escape in
case ol defeat. The Uommiteee, frou! tho tes-
tlrnony, are therefore coiialrsiued 10 report,
r L. 4.
Justly attributable TO any rDa ;or tl:e drfest
ol our troops al Roanoke Island, on thu 9Th oi
February, 1862, siluu!d attach TO Major Gene-
raj 3. Hugor aud late Secretary OF War
|, z. BenJ.pin
AL ol which is respectfully submitted.
5. 5. GaIruEG, Chairman.