Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-11-17
GENER tI, HAYS.

We insert iclow Il communication ign
cd Justice" vinG!catirs General Hays
from tho remarks made hy the "EnQul:cr,
VIXEN the late disastrous affair Ut the Railroad
bridge on the Elrpahanno,s was first COM
munica,.d. II the writer had heard tic YER
sion given ofthis affair on the SUNDAY ate: ITS
occurrence whole brigaGcs without; A Yldcits
in advance, of regiments sleeping III the very
presence of the enemy, Of carclessnes' and
negligence on the part Of brisadiers, accom-
panied by the remark that until brigadors
are reduced to the r;aks for their careless
ness, we must expect disas,ers'-he would
10. be surprised that our Indignation should
have found expression il the harsh language
we used.
The uaaccountabIe silence still maintained
by tie Government has given the wiles
scope to rumor, and up.il the authorize:
learn that the public have an interest that en-
| titles them to information. and sense enough
| to measure and understand the extent Of s
disaster, injustice. Misrepresentation ant
/ INSTRUMENTATION cannot fail TO magnify Ia
extent OF the disaster. The fact that Genera
Lee was present, il made kuo"n on Sunday
with an official account Of the affair, Unult
hare satisfied every man that all was done
! to avert the disaster that lay in the power o
him in whom ali dcigi: to trust and coniide
! And who roulI bear the responsibility 50 well a
| General Lee? Whose shoulders are 80 brOet
A. his? Yet 70 this day no official accoua
las been published, and bns fer such inforn19
tior as that supplied l'7 ".Jus!icc," intancib!'
rumor has had IL all her own way, aad ha
ma.aiiicl the disaster. perhaps, 10 ten time
! its real magnitude.
We natter ourselves tia. we unierstan,
the ruLl:c mind well. enough to know tia
. when events are over, when no Information
can be conveyed to the enemy more than they
slruad7 know. that No harm can come hy let
tin. cur oTn people lnoH the fu!lcs: extent o
every disaster, as w~ll as Of every Success
| We arc glad to know that no blamo :ttache
to General Hays OF the men he commanded.
! To lie Editors Of the Raq~iier:
gCAMr HAYS LoUfslAHA Brigade.
November II lS63.
Gnntlcmen: The editorial remarks made by
| YOU in YOUR is,uc If Monday last. upon thc
capture Of two brigadcs, IN the R!rpnhan'
! nark. jr vol;Cd, 10 djnbt, hy too much ere
dsucf'riven +. the report of Tie ''reliablc gen
. Il t,,n.r ,t.hot hrirniGs
whether cavalry or infantry. 81 on which slIl'
! Of the river, or at what ford they were cap
,urcd-wcre surely in this instance wholly un
deserved hy ;he re. pcrilvec 'nmanderS rs vel
a. commands; and knowing full we'll TINT yor
would willingly wrong no ne and MAKE. due
reraraion If By accident You should do 50.
request respectfully III insert the following
short narrative of tic whole affair:
Hays' Louisiana brigade, composed Of the
5th. 9th, eth, S,h and 9th Louisiana regi
ments and Green's Louisiana Guard battery
! were in their turl, on picket on the north
! side Of the river, near and around tn" rail
road bridge (nnw destroycd) y light pontooI
bridge connecting tho banks. Gen. Hays
| bein. on some court of inquiry, was not or
pcket. and did not join the command until Ir
| the afternoon. when the enrnry had already
advanced scme distance. Col. Penn, the Sc
| uior in command, finding about - O'Clock
that the Enemy was pressing heaTv force:
forward. at once dispatched for reinforce
ments. which were encampCd not less thar
six miles distant It took, OF cGurse, severa
hours before ihry could reach him: in thu
meantime, he held his own against vastly sill
nerior num.ars AT about II o'clock the bal
ance Of Gen. Early's division arrived: an'
, Unkc's brigade. commanded By Col. G"I"in
getting to the bridge first. crossed and came
to the support of Gen. Hays, who had nos
taken command.
During all this time the enemy had by n.
:acaus teen IDLE. Heavy batteries WIRE un'
| der cover Of wood. planted at extremely shor
rance To the richt and left Of our works
.,rccpin. them aad the roatoon bridge com
| ple,elv. At last, at dusk. they advanced twt
| heavy lines Of skrmishers, backed 81 tire.
heavy lines If battle, while on tie right flank
heavy body, in column Of companies press
i / s;ra.iily forward Charge after charge wa!
| made and reru|>cd: hundreds war" shot down
AZ not mare than ten yards distance. when
eventually. their superior farce broke our line
and ct once swrpt along it, full length in ou'
rear Oar extreme RICH, ard le:t sill KEEP
the enemy n bay from the front, aa'l wcrt
only aware Of their situation when uncereiro
riously requested 20 surrender from Il bod! If
| their rear. Not even then dill they do s., bn
Enusht man'ully in 4 bona fds hanl to hand
and in some instances tisf n. fist conflict unit
ther saw twas useless. aad surrendered. Th'
number captured Of both brigades i. lees thar
fifteen hundred.
Had tho commanders ard their nlen ben lest
brave, 10 doubt moro could have saved them