Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-06-16
Buffers Cp< rations on tbs southside.

A correspondent Of the New York Times, writing
from "nea James river" NJ y 20h, undertakes ex,
PLANTATION of Why Butler whipped the 10th ult
He says.
Gen Butler is censured in your very valuable paper
for two reasons First, because, In neglect Of the sup
posed advice of Gen. Gilmore, be did orty the posi-
ton he held before the second line of rebel works the
10th ns and secondly because he withdrew his forces
after tie battle Of the 16 III had been lost admit tt
if Gen. Butler lad fortified bis POSITION the Is b,
might have wi,hsto0d The rebel attack on the foggy
morning OF the 16tb and thus escaped the responsibility
of the fearful loss sustained by army; bat contend
that even that he would have been obliged
ally to abandon the position, and effect retreat under
perhaps greater difficulties the result Slows that
he had not sufficient number OF men to force his way
to Richmond, and there is no position on the Peters
burg ard Richmond rail road where be could have f1
titled himself in short time, that be could have
manned with safety than q day two. He would
have been exposed continually to attack in front and
rear, and on the lett ans The fact is that Gen. But
lers retreat from Drewrys Buff to his Qualifications near
Bermuda Hundreds clearly the part of wisdom and
prudence, and probably saved bis army from destruc
ton. General Butler deserves great praise Tor his
frmuess in not yielding bis better judgment to the
wishes of those who urged his stay, and for his foresight
and skill in eacting his retreat at the right time and
in so successful manner he did, but the trouble lies
in this the folly of forcing body of men CT the mum
Der of Gen. Buffers army into such position. The
army had business there. There CHARGES OF
lcctss. Whatever Gen. Buffers personsi ideas may
defeat. Little Or no confidence, in fact, was placed in
the military ability of most of the Generals command.
ing by the inferior officers and rank and file
The disposition of Gen. Buffers forces the night be-
fore the battle very bad and exceedingly unortu
nate, he having line of battle several miles long, and
but one ine The reserves also few and badly dis
posed OF. The manoeavers during the fgh5 very
diIatoy unskilu and unsatisfactory ard showed that
military genius did not stand at the head of affairs. The
enemy mar e1vered very sklfuly and rapidly, throw
ing his solid columns of troops up in various parts of
Gen. Buffers long add weak line successfully beating
bis army by detail. He threw bis force first upon
Gen. Buffers right flank then, rapidly the swoop
of an eagle he struck his centre, and then his left d
wing back those parts of Gen. Buffers line in coufu-
sion, and irfIctng, but meeting; great loss
Gen. Buffers grand mistake consisted in not seizng
in the first instance upon the great strategic point of
one army South of Rchmond-that is, Petersburg
This place could have been easily taken Immediately at
ter Buffers landing at Bermuda Hundred, and
being on the South side of the Appcmattox
river and the junction Of several railroads,
would have been place of vast Importance
to US. Petersburg would have been a splen.
did base for any operations Gen. Butler wished to
make and his army would have been safe there. Then
he would have cut eff very important channel of sup
plies to Lees army, and from thence, with the asse-
nee of our gunboats he could have cut eff all rein
f rcements and supplies comming from the South
toward Richmond.
The statement that the battle of the 18th was only
eint to cover the small cavalry raid of Eantz is too
contemptbly absurd to iced refutation. No one will
be deceived BY it. Gen. Buffers campaign south of