The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-03-14
rCor the Richmond Dispatch.
MORE ABOUT ROANOKE.
MosUAHSr HorIL,

hfcnmOG1, Marcn IL, 1909.
! The letter given below is from the N. O.
Standard, explanatory Of the part taken by
the 3ls. regiment State troops IN the battle o.
Roanoke. Many com plants have come 70 me
stating that my remarks regarding 1t were
wrong and calculated to do Injustice to IL
number Of bMve men. As far a. possible,
tried to give a fair and truthful staten ent OF
facts, and IL failed TO do 50, 1t was because
l was misled into error, and not with the
deliberate intention Of writing what was no.
true. had NO desire to impogn the courage
Of the 3lstin saying they ran Immediately to
their quarters; for. after the enemy had
taken the battery, what else could they have
done. My only wonder was that such q panic
should have seized the strae CLING band Of so!-
diers l saw half running, half walking, il &.
very frightened manner towards the upper
end Of the island, and which was told was
the 3lst. Col. Fowle intimates they were
some other men, and, as had to depend Gu :
tireiy upon hearsay as to who they were,
have no reason to sdOubt 1t; and more es-
pecially as know Col. FoN 10 TO be a reliable
gentleman and brave and intrepid officer.
therefore give prominence to his letter:
NJ. Holdsn:-In your paper Of this date
fad An extract from the report OF an tndf.
yidual, signing himself "Bohsmian,' Of the
battle OF Roanoke Island, as follows:
"The 3lst North Carolina at once ran to
their quarters, Col. Jordan riding at the head
Of the frightened procession
The above is totally untrue. Eight COM
panics Of the 3lst were ON or near the battle
field--twO Of them, Capts. Lilies and Knight,
were In the redoubt where the hard fighting
took place, under the command Of Col. Jon !.
cot, Jones, Mckay, and Whitty-wsre held
as e reserve under my com mand, assisted by
moi. Yeates, in the rear Of the redoubt The
two companies nrat mentioned behaved In
who witnessed their gallant conduct. The
six com paniss in reserve, though nnder fire
fer four hours and u half, without being al
lowed 70 fire gun, behaved with the utmOs,
coolnsss, and showed every disposition to en-.
gage Ia the battle then wRging. The orders
received by the reserve ware, to stand fast un
til sent for. The Adjutant OF the reSim eut
Lieut. Holden, was dispatched to Col. Jor.
dan, TO inform him OF our readin ess to engage
ia the fight, and, under orders, remained
near Colonel Shaw during the whole OF the
fight, SO as to bring the earliesi information
Of the reserve being needed. When this re-
treat commenced, tro OF the six companies
were thrown in some slight confusion for \
moment, hut as soon AZ they heard my voica
rallying tn EN-, they stood firm, and allowed
their retrsatiug brethren, who had fought 70
gaIiansly at the rsdoubt, TO pass them. As
ths lastcompanies from the redoubt passed,
the order was communicated to me to let my
men fall back with the rest; and then, and
not before, they fell back. They preserved
their ccn pany organization until they com
menced to retreat, and then, owing to the
naIIowness OF the road. and the number OF
msn crowded together, 1t became impossible
This correspondent says they ran" Mf
Editor. he must have been looking at some
other men ; for the forces under my com.
mand did not run, bat walked. walked q
part OF the way with them myself, and after
wards accompanied them on horseback. Had
they have run, should have mounted my
horae at once.
The other two companies Of the slst were
stationed a. follows: Capt. 0odwtn's, at Fort
Forrest, on the Tyrreii side. Capt. q. 70.
maineo at his fort, which was also manIsd
I'll Saturday night, AFTER the surrender =
Whenever the enemy came within range,
they hred upon them very vigorously. Aftsr
the surrender, Fort Forrest was evacuated -
leave, a. have been infofmsd. Capt. 0od.
win with Capt. Vernon, were the last men
to leave the fort. When they left they frsd
the m magazine. which exploded about dark
Haps mi,isr' company , W. aefs q ~ charge q
Ii. Ool slst Reg. N. y. Vols.
Iwas At the battsry when the nsht was 60.
Ing ON, but returned 70 the hospital with {
wounded man about the time that UaptaiY
WtsSWas carried OF the 0eld. About twelve
hurryirg by who said the day had sons
AgAtnst a.. moment more. and friehtonet
procession OF soldiers came huFrytne by, pes
0edsd By an o6Acsr on horseback, Who Wai
I1Os0k SetoUIely o1Ou&.
"WhAt's the news below Z" asked.
we're whippsd--shs Yankees are aftel
as," Was the reply. sr
Jeinang In the pTOceesioa. ! went with then
up tha road, oxpooting that oar whole losc<
Was reptdly ystFeating. -
"Whet IogtnADns u this ~ 1aekea of tWe o.
three sol1toED near Ne. a*sA
"Ths Slet 81 q <s
"Who b that 0lDce1 o. h0rooback Z" &
ssColonsl Jordan, !" shAy aaid.
| lInon that took n "a rrAnteA ~ omne
The vain eDoeavcy 70 keep up WITH The parry
UptAo road Wo went 1oS milo or mo6l
tkfoUeh donoo p1no lo3ooe With = 1hleIan