Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-08-18
Fer The Journal.
AeSSTS. Editors -

AeSS'S Editors
Your explanatory paragraph respecting the Navy Ike
the apology of The Illinois Edwor s ulatent ,uay it
acped more usjuat than the which preceded it.
re1 f the Eavv n h zeal g Of msan, - ,be
OF thu head of the depar Dent unfair Ii iuUtng
l. easy to crticiss and un~egenerate human nature
prone to coLdemn prefers reckless denuUcation
full investigation OF Fc:s, but is it Bile
peot hastily aid unskiuy vessels
pee with those Of the enemy, which thoroughly equip
ed far more heaVi!5 armed, and overwhelming numoe
When unfortunate victim cacoethes scrbendi
orious for intermeddns with tie of Others,
throws handful of dirt the escucheon of the Navy
the friends OF the latter not disturbed well knowing
that mpury cannot long adhere to fair and polished
faces bu it Is different when one Of corps processing to
be exponent Of but ia reay often leading public opia
ion essais an arm Of the public service which yields to
Your remark that the Navy has proved faiIure when
has failed to achieve an impossbility And as to the
remark that all that has been done by the Navy
the result Of dash impartial observer would decide
with such defective means all aggressive movements
depends on dash to be efficient.
this far better than argument In the engagement
oke Island, force consisted Of river boats
and five small gunboas altogether mounting nine and
carrying one hundred and forty men, while the tota OF
enemy consisted OF tweny-three gun boats mostly
large sze mounting from four eight guns each, with
crew ranging from eighty to one hundred aod twenty men
h sd o1r 1 r9s DAYS m
against seventeen Of the largest of the enemy ca. The
OF those engagements, first lasting almost
entire day, that of cur vessels was suEk
disabled two destroyed by ourselves and one, mounting
gum with crow OF eighteen en fs into the hands Of
VgDia destroyed two of the enenys fri4ates and
would undoubtedly have overcome the outor had she
been enabled to fire bolts round shot her
tsgonit Unfortunately she provided only with shells
which shattered against the thick sides of the iron clad
On the upper Mississippi small fotila of boats
held enemy bay until he brought ironcads to rein.
force his squadron, already numbering three to
Respecting the capture of New Orleans it is worthy of
note that ali the fighting which preceded it was by the
Navy, under direction as were, of naval skill. Gen.
Duncan commanded the covering force of Fort Jackson
but the OF that Fort were unGer direction OF and
tenant in the Navy and In proof that he recognized
his communications to him. and copjouty with Gen
he signed the articles of after men
naval force consisted of ironclad, which being
movable by her machinery, necessarily fought
vessels and was destroyed in broadsde encounter with
of the heaviest of his fleet and
the ss lost their lives and the other casualties of this
gagement will chow, despite the odds how hotly
out BY the War Department, with the iruno
ton of Mr. Benjamin. in his letter to General Lowell
m 50 that Mr. Ksnpon, formerly
officer of the NAVY obtained the command of of
them, the only one Of them which engaged tie enemy ne
fought WE'LL overpowered and taken prisoner add fer
his easnry that occasion has since received ap-
pointment in the Confederate Navy.
The Arkansas fought way through the eaenys fee,
vicksburg and only lost
of tie utter break down in her machinery. Com handler
Webb, in the Atlanta purposed attacking iror.clads
below Savannah On the of his pilot that there
the enemy Unfortunately the grounded, careened
over, could not tram her guns, and become by conse
the Rappahaunock naval detachment of fo.tv mer
ured two gunboat5, saoh numbering manv ia he
crew. It, Gasse of the Navy with FIVE raen
torpedo under the bow of the des; Lut DIV ion
of ihe Navy, in like exploded anoher under ht
stern OF the Minnesota Commander Cooke ID the Al
marie s0I the enemys squadron, drove The
of and very mater ally aided in The capture of ymcuh
TIE Ralrxh with but Tier OF iron her sides, dis
persed The eneoay's qodron OF New Iule pursued s.
long as there hope OF bringing to action, aHd rs
turoed, having uised twelve hours usideranp hir
to- miles al pa T. coast and tea miles l.
effort to attack the enemy, he avoiding the
tue steering chairs coming enlarged with the gro
pear had done tbs eVzulGg previous which render
time 2eAbe. Ii vas decided to recfos
the bar spring tides b. lns then on To dGsceadn
scale After another tide ship World have been com
led remain outside until the spring des, Of
cd Of day during which gale OF wind II
bse destruction. 1t Intended TO al e
Of the steering apparatus With all F2ve
dton for the purpose OF again taking the Raleigh OUT
unfortunately On her return she touched on the on CT Dial
grounded ON the Inner and the succeeding COD u
the sand from under her bow b Uae IN w
from superincumbent weght This result untort
seen deporabe. tut the Navy be- ceEsured iur II
The garrison Fort Fisher had full proceed
If the Raleigh ION DAY lie ut thaG morning
: ing listened to the brief engagements ~h Ihree OF th
block squadron during the night By that Fort III
Raleigh was welcomed with artillery salute her r.
turn aud gallant Commander ard his bothe: OH
70 You referred there be doubt as to whether tn
RALEIGH proved recresn so0gat to meet tae
s. Commander Wood, with naval detactm Mt IN boat
barded, captured and d. srOye an enemy gnnooat a.
der gus OF q formidable battery. Captain Semms
D. first the SUMTER and lastly in the Alabama, scoa'e
e sunk of the g men, OF WSr destroys
about hundred ea of merchantmen and hnsy 1oug5
her IS long as she hoated against heeer, more heas
armed end parity iron clad antagonist In Ike mannel "a
" Florida Ia now the terror of Yankee commerce. ana
few days the Northern press may team With the aepreos