Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-09-10
Gen. Reaurepard and Charleston.

I'M ENTH OF JULY AS matter OF hlstOrV, we
copy day two accounts of the operations by which
"the enemy gained foottold Morris Island, near
"Ghaleson. The first of these is from the Charleston
Mercury, the other copied by that paper from
"7 Yankee sheet.
There is a lessen in the record-we say it in the
"siLcerest goo eeing-which we hope will not be lost
ION the commanders who may read it. The Tabled Ar
"gus had HUNDRED eyes, of which only two slept at
'tme. A commander, through his spies end scouts
and otherwise, should have at least as any and should
"De equally ygilant and never taken by surprise"
TO This the Charleston Nsrcury of the Both August
replies follows
Ire Richmond Sentinel is pleased TO transfer to its
columns, ct this late date original ard selected
article from the Mercury, aud to avail Itself of the o.
portunlty 10 print the going, which, mountaineering
It's afectaon of good feeling" is transparent at.
'ack on Ire Commander Of this Department. not autho
Tlz1o az we ere Informed, by the "record-not war-
ranted oy the scope of the articles copied.
Inc Sentinel Is sometimes accredited the organ Of
'he Administration. If this be So, ii ia somewhat pain
fU 10 observe that while all the other journals at Rich
mood, and indeed, in the whole country, find in the
defence oil Charleston Of pride theme for bigh
commenda tlon and abundant grounds ior COZ dencn in
the enduring courage OF the officers aud men, and the
skill OF the Commanding General entrusted with that
defence this newspaper alone shoal End ground fcr
InsldICus disparagement.
Gen. BeaGregard bad to provide against attacks up
on Charleston in several different directions Re route
from Orth kd8tO, Or johns Island, through St An
drews Parish, constituted one Another math0d of
attack to OF railroad communication With tie
Interior and approach by the Neck James Island con-
stiuted third The route by SulIivan's Island Mount
Pleasant ard the direction Of Cooper River constituted
n i0uTk-Morris Island being the fifth Some OF these
were thought by the Commanding General to be vital,
Others H0t.
! he occupation By the enemy OF the south cni Ct
Morris Island, after all, cot en- unmiXed evil but
the less OF tao eglS-eitheT Of which: unf0r unatev
orr enemy had 1t bis power matters O0d IN
hict Il Is believed he chose the less likely, uLder
existing circumstances, to end in the fall OF Charleston
With several Ways ct approacL, he selected that Of
Morris iTstead OF James Island the long lines Of which
the time, could have been held by the utterly IT,
adequate Drce lett il occupation, had toe enemy u.ae
serious effort with tire means st his disposition to
and occupy them. Ia that event, IN a few hours
after landing the enemy rluat have held ChT son 1T
the mercy OF its numerous artillery.
From bis central depot Hilton Heal, and axIllIa
~ stations ia the North Eisto aud Folly Isia1
my had it III his power to concentrate his troops with
CELEBRITY, and, from the nature OF the country, with
common secresg upon any point III South Carolina CT
Georgia, and secure firm fOothod before our troops,
as matters stood, could possibly be gathered to the
same point in slfcie1t force TO oppose serious re-
Sistance.
In regard TO there being surprise in The event Of
the 10Th July, the Sentinel might have learned with lit
til officially that the Commanding General had informed
the authorities expC lty pr in May, in une, and
even ia July-i1st before the confct-that there was
/ imminent rick Of attack and OF the way it
might be attempted His saperiors, at Richmond, were
assured repeatedly that the enemys forces had not been
materially reduced In hiaregl0n. Moreover, the pC0-
pie and the Government have baen more than oace
warned Of ts state of affairs through the CoIums of the
Mercury, when, having felt it our duty, took
to learn the facts, ana TO state them plainly. Romon-
rance8 concerning the removal OF troops have been
neaty made by eminent ciz But spite OF ali this,
the Government has preferred to rel upon its
of information, thou ID they from the
scene hes ignored and ected information acquired here
by "spies and scoute," aud daily RESPONSIVENESS Off
! sd
this coast safe from any serious military ope-
ratiOns Of the enemy. Therefore, superb division of
ten thousand men was ordered away III May, besides
TWO bIgades which had been returned to North Caro-
lima soon after the action of the 1Jh of April. Sub
sequenuy, in June, Gen. Beauregard was urged from
TIE quarter to still further reduction Of the small
force lett nm, and to 60 himself another field Of Cp-
iODs-and late three days before the 10Th
OF July, he was further invited to spare OF his
troops for operations at another point-so lngralned
had become the disposition to discredt his grave and
earnest official reports of affairs II his own Depart
| ment.
That there was 30 lack Of effort to secure reliable
formation of the of the enemy, the proof
we are told, is ample. That enough procured to
authorize OF the danger OF attack, be-
You'd question, also that those assurances unorU
naely had weight with the authorities chmoud
1t known and reported to the Government that Oh
y Island occupied in force since the 7th OF April
aUd Consequence that Morris Island threatened
Even the changes OF land and naval commanders OF tbf
enemy were reported as presages of imp nding hostl
ties But il vain ALI ideas of attack were secuted
at Richmond repeat, late even as the first week
in July.
1t may be asked, then if informed accurately ant
ntcpatng precisely the of the enemy, why
o did not the Department and District Commander
place Morris Island in condition to meet and foil Thu
: attack? The given is Want of labor to car
ry the plans for its defence want of armament fo
the works necessary to that end and last, but no
least, want of to hold and fight any works which
might have been thrown up at the south end of Morris
Island without stripping other important portions o
| oor or armament for these purposes from on
WORKS on James Island, deemed out of the ques
ton From no other quarter In this Department, W
. are assured could they have beed drawn.
That formidable battery said to have been elaborate
II thrown up the north eud OF Folly Island Withou
knowledge of Generals, is stated TO be Invention
Il Of the enemy. The guns used to drive away SINAI
force and silence few guns were we are told, re
Id and possibly si=ge pieces, behind slight breast
works II the superior weight and number OF guns
ard the heary supporting b1gdde of infantry, tina
swept away our eeole, stnted means OF resistance
! TIE very ground of this alleged work visited en-
explored il is asserted but few days previous by
mn but we had not force enough left to venture upo
thorough reconnaissance of the eDemys outposts
l. Folly Island The evening before the attack Geners
Ripley and 1t COL Yates, with glasses, carefully e.
4 euired the works in sight, aud could discover not
is Single sun.
? ne Selsinels lesson may b. improved 10y the " RI
u c2rd'
OCCUPATION CT kNoxvILLE-The Jonesborougl
Tenn Express of last Friday says, as we were aoou
i going to D. ess, we learned through Mr. Henry Lyl
* conductor On train, just from Knoxville, That an ~
vancld guard of Federal cavalry, some three hundTe
strong certainly took possession OF that city on uesda
morning last the ls September capturing two train
envines-the JOneSuOrO, the Washington,