The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-02-09
NUMBERbs84.


yenteen thousand men to the aid Of the
Aruiy OF the Potomac, and saved tho
battle of Cold uatbor Pass with me
now to the next movement of tho Army
Of the James the attempt to take Pc
tersturg, On the 9Th Of June. Upon
that occasion the orders of its commander
were not obeyed, and the projected -
sault on Petersburg was not made. But
you will observe, If there was failure,
there was no disaster.
On the 18th Of June, the column Of the
Army OF the James having reeusned aton
the relief OF the Army Of the Potomac.
another movement on Petersburg took
place, which resulted in the capture Of
the outer, and, at that time, only line Of
defensive works around Petersburg,
which works, held by the Army Of tn,
james, arc the advanced linca Of tho
armies operating upon Petersburg to tGia
| day. The strongest Of these works waa
captured by skirnlish line of negro
soldiers; and no troops have advanced
step beyond their position in Mat direc.
tion after seven months of sidge.
On the Goth Of September, the Army OF
the James crossed the river in two
columns-one at Varina, the other at
Deep Bottom. One attacked Battery
Harrison, the skirmish line being gal.
lantly led by Lowell boy, Colonel
Donahoc, who fell wounded. That coz
lumn captured Battery Harrison, tho
strongest work of the rebels in their
sixty miles Of intrcnchm6nts around
Richmond. On the same day, crossing
at Deep Bottom, the Tenth corps, under
the lamentcd Birney, advanced its negro
division, three thousand strong, in Co
lumn of division, with muskcts Fright
shoulder Shift" with not cap on sin
gle cone Of a gun, charged through q
swamp, over breastwork covered by
double lines of abattis, like a flash, in
the face of eight hundred rebels, who
never stopped running for five miles,
Laughter and cheers. The question as
to whether the negro would fight
was there settled before the eyes of
every .doubter in the army and theiS
masters from that time forward asked
not the question:. "Will the negroes
fight" but "Will they fight for us?''
| have thus enumerated all the as
saults that were ordered by the COM
mander Of the Army Of the James -one
against strong but lily defended work,
Fort Harrison, and another against q
very strong and we'll defended work, the
assault made by negroes, ordered for tho
high and noble purpose Of demonstrating
forever the capabilities Of race in arms
restingunder every prejudice.
SOME COMPLIMENTARY NOTICES FOR
OTHER YANKEE GENERALS AND A CLIO.
SING SHOT iOR GRANT.
understand that there arc those who
were among my old friends in politics,
but who, unfortunately have lately got
upon the other side, who snccr at mo AZ
the hero Of Zig Bethel and Fort Fisher"
! accept the title. They do INC honor
ovcrmuch. What was Big Bcthcly 1t
was skirmish, in which twenty y.fivo
men were killcd'and wounded. But Big
Bethel was not Bull Run; Big Bethel
was not Fair Oaks; Big Bethel was not
Seven Pines Big Bethel was not the
Chickahominy. Big Bethel was faif~
ure but it was no disaster. No West
Point general commanded there. Iclaiin
credit for this Chat when we, Of the vol
unteer army Of the United States. make
failures. We lo net make disasters. Stop
"a moment and compare the battles have
named with Big Bethel. Why, at these
there were more mcn slaughtered. and
homes made desolate than there were
leaves on the trees in the forest around
Big Gethcl-not TO be numbered.
But ain the hero Of Fort Fisher, 700.
Well, Fort Fisher was not Fredericks.
burg Fort Fisher was not Chancellors
vile; Fort Fisher was not tho Wilder. :.
ness Fort Fisher was not Cold liarb0r.
a volunteer general commanded ct Port
Fisher at each attack one was without
result, but no disaster; the last WAS .
succcss-all honor to General Terry and
his brave volunteer soldiers.
Again, it is charged upon US that wo
did not make so big hole in the Dutch
Gap canal as VIC ought TO have made. II
may be that We did not although Dutch
Gap canal was success AXE 50 largo
hole there rs was made by the expl0
sion Of the mine at Petersburg last sum-
mer; but, thank God, neither did wo
fill usclessly that hole up with American
dead until It ran blood. Renewed ap.
plause. I am, therefore, content, nay,
| claim to be the hero Of the compara-
tiycly bloodless attacks on Big Bethel
aud wholly bloodless failure Of Fort
Fisher: and do not claim 70 be the ).
hero of Fredericksburg. Of Chancslloesr
vile. Of the Chickahominy, Of Fair Oaks,
Of the Wilderness, Of Cold Harbor, nQe
Of that charnal-housc Of useless deod in
tho mine before Petersburg. am pfe~,
-.a A. a.E> Al,a src,,a euIA h>~>>h>.
fellow citizens, when you bear 10 to
| that little enclosure on the Other side Of
the river, which, hope Tor as my last