The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1865-08-08

General Butler says: will state what
determined my mind against remaining
on the beach near Fort Fisher. l was by
NO means unmindful of the instructions
OF the Lieutenant General. He had di
rected me to remain if had effected q
landing I! had effected a landing
should have rem aimed. But landing
requires something more than to land
500 men, out of $500, on beach, With
nothing but forty rounds in their cart
ridge boxes, and where their supplies
would be driven of the first storm. did
not think that was landing within my
instructions, therefore deemed it much
better for the country to withdraw as
did; that it was much less risk, and
much better for the future, for it was
necessary, sufficient number of men
could hold the line of commulica rion
from Masonboro' inlet down to Fort
Fisher and if they could be spared from
fhe armies around Richmond, could be
sent down there, where they could 60 III
with six feet water, and from thence ope
rating against Fort Fisher, they could
come prepared for seige and remain
here. By going away would draw off
the enemy's attention; il / remained
there it would keep his forces concentrated
at that point; and if l was driven away
by the storm that was coming up, then
should lose the men | had landed l
acted for the best according to the light /
had.
EVIDENCE OF GEN. WEITzEL.-Msj Gen.
Weitzel deposed:
Q1estiOn-Was there anything done.
or omitted to be done, which you would
have done, or omitted, if you had had
full command of the expedition?
Auswer.-Yes, sir; if ] had had the
instructions that General Grant gave TO
General Butler, would have done one
thing that General Butler did not do; I
would have entr~nchel and remained
there; should certainly have done that;
and have written to General Butler thai
was sorry that he did not show me that
letter of instructions so that could have
advised him about that; there is where
General Butler clearly made mistake;
the. order seems to be explicit that he
should remain there no matter what the
dif6culties were, that order would have
covered him from any consequences.
@ DID the condition Of things exist
there which that order contemplated. A.
think so.
@ In relation to the landing of troops,
ETC.? A. | think so. The order simply
said that if the work did MT fall at once,
he was to entrench there. The object
appeared to me TO be to secHre a landing,
and to hold it after you had secured it.
@. Was there. or not, in your, opinion,
any difficulty in securing landing there
that could be heidi That 10, could you
and your whole force and the supplies
necessary to sustain them3 A. In nv
opinion, it would have been difficult to
have done it; but still, with an order
like that. a junior officer should obey it
and then the responsibility of such
step falls upon the one who gave the
order.
Lieutenant General Grant delivered
the following evidence:
.. The expectation was to surprise
the fort? A. Yes, sir. and my instruc-
tions were very cl' ar. that if they effected
o landing there, above fort Fisher, that
in itself was to be considered a success
and if the fort did not fall Immediately |
upon their landing, then they were to
themselves, and remain there |
and cooperate with the navy until the |
fort did fall. In my Instructions, / pro
vided for bold dash for the capture of |
in case Fort Fisher did
fall immediately upon the landing of the |
troops.r II it did not fall, then they were
70 entrench, enter upon q seige of the |
place, and remain there until il did fall. |
And the capture of Wilmington would |
lhus become matter for future conside |
ration, Gen. Butler came from Fort Fish |
'r in violation of the instructions gave
him. From his own official report, It is |
evident that he forgot his instructions in |
hat particular; bis report shows that.