Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1863-01-28
Died at Their Posts.

We print in another column letter
from the unfortunate Commander Vain
wright, written before the recent attack
on his ship near Galveston. In this he
gives some account of the difficulties with
which our vessels occupying Galveston
bay had to contend. It seems that the
rebels held a point on the mainland, and
the bridge which connected it with Gal
weston. They were able to visit the city
at all times, while the shallowness of the
water prevented our ships from getting
within gunshot of them. The rebels had
the land to themselves.
But worse than this: it appears that
our ships we're stationed in kind of
narrow canal, where they could not move,
except with the greatest difficulty, and
could not turn round at all. 'SYou have
to be pointed fair before you can go either
way" wrote Commander Wainwright;
adding, eff they come at US with their
| ight-draught boats, which are able to go
anywhere in the bay, you can see what
an advantage they have over u.s."
Such position as is described is worse
than untenable, because it is neither to
be defended nor evacuated, in the face of
a superior and sufficiently active enemy.
1t would seem to be only trap in which
our brave fellows were placed.
A correspondent, &C. w. b." com
plains of the comments of the Evening
Post and other city journals on the ac-
ton, some days since. For ourselves, we
spoke very briefly, and repeated only the
facts as at that time reported The let
ter of Commander Wainwright shows that
he and his fellow officers had extraordi-
nary difficulties to contend with, and a
letter printed in the Boston Transcript
of last evening, and which we reprint in
another column, relates that the officers
and men made most desperate and gal
lant defence, Commodore Renshaw blow
ing himself up with his ship, which was
aground, rather than surrender to the
enemy, while Commander Wainwright
fell at his post. &c. W. B." remarks
that captain Wainwright fought his
vessel Cthe Harriet Lane) until he was
killed, and only seventeen left of the one
hundred and thirty of his officers and
crew, before the Harriet Lane was taken
"a loss greater than that of o. H. Perry
at the battle of Lake Erie, and showing
the determination with which the Har-
riet Lane was fought. The fact that
Commodore Renshaw saved most of his
crew, and the manner in which Captain
Wainwright fought his ship, showed that
they were not surprised, but prepared for
the enemy. They were outnumbered"
In fact, the rebels had every advan-
tage. Their spies could give them full |
information; their acquaintance with the
bay enabled them to select the best time
Of wind and tide; and their preparations
we're made at leisure and in secresy. Our
men fought gaIlantly and suffered a loss
which attests their bravery. Our two
chief officers fell at the post of duty, and
-hus sustained the honorable fame they
lad before acquired in the navy.
But who stationed SO many ships in a
position so fatally exposed? Whose fault
S it that troops were not sooner sent to
heir relief2 Such affairs as that at Gal
,eston are scarcely accidental, and the
leaths of so many brave fellows can hard
y be called "a visitation of God" tits
,lain now, from Commander Wainwright's
etter, that the ships were placed as SEN
inels where they were attacked, and their I
commanders could not use their seaman's
discretion and put off into deeper and !
,roader waters. They stuck to their
,osts like noble fellows. But if the land {
orces needed had only arrived in time {
hey would have been saved.-Ne,o York /
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