Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-01-07
4 O'CLOCK p. NJ.
THE ROANOKE RIVER EXPEDITION
AND THE REBEL REPORT
THEREOF.
TALL REBEL LYINGl

TALL LfINt
From the Richmond Sentinel, Jan3l
The Yankee gunboat movement up the Ro-
anoke river, resulted, as is known, very ad-
versely. From an interview with q deserv wing
and very efficient officer from that locality we
gather some interesting items, which we pre-
twelve gunboats and several barges, the latter
OF twenty oars each. Two OF the barges, which
went ahead as pedo-hunters, were vigorous
~ attacked by our sharpshooters, and lost
thirty. one killed. The crews then displayed q
signal OF surrender, but before the barges could
be secured gunboat approached and shelled
our forces SO furiously as to compel the re-
linquishment OF their prizes, which drifted
down the river to the gunboats The barges
exploded several OF our torpedoes, but failed
to clear the river.
several OF them were blown up. Deferred by
these losses, and by the hazard OF still greater,
they then beat retreat to GAINESVILLE, twelve
miles above Plymouth. Up to the last dates
Their officers stated to the citizens OF Williams
ton, twenty-five miles below Fort Branch, that
they had lost four Of their boats by torpedoes.
When asked where the other two were, they
made no reply. They also admitted the loss OF
one thousand men. Admitting their state
ment, which is belle we'd to be true, we can ac-
count for the other two missing boats. The
officer In charge OF the torpedo force, in recon-
noitering, discovered sunken boat OF which
no one was aware, and cut from her about fl
teen feet OF her boarding MEETINGS. of very
our light field battery.
Among the gunboats destroyed was the DOW.
erful Otsego, double-ender, bearing fourteen
el ven Inch guns, and manned by q crew of
three hundred, reinforced by the same lumber
OF infantrymen. Four of her men, who were
picked up at different times. all agreed that Of
sixty escaped with life from the wreck. A
worthy and reliable mechanic, who was pressed
into the Yankee service to make collins for the
officers and boxes for the men fished up from
donl hat fn IA iva ar tn;,
release over two hundred had been made and
shipped to Plymouth, the men to be buried
there, and the officers to be sent to the United
States. The work of fishing up the dead was
still being prosecuted. Many OF the bodies OF
those blown up on the different boats had
foated down to GAINESVILLE Thus has resulted
an expedition doubtless designed for the re-
duction Of Fort Branch and the capture Of
Halifax"
The above story from rebel paper Is being
published by opposition papers, we see, as q
terrible Union di saster that has recently oc.
Cured. The New York World Of yesterday
for instance, sends it out in loaded type with
such headings as "Failure Of the Expedition
up the Roanoke River" reported loss of SIX
gunboats and 600 men," "The Double ender
Otsego SUNK" &C., &c, and says editorially
sit is possible that when Union accounts Of
the expedition are received it will be shown to
have been far less disastrous than is reported
by the Sentinel" When they are received, in
deed! Why the affair occurred a month ago.
( december 9th,) and the Official report to the
Navy Department published at that time gave
the particulars minutely.
The vessels OF the expedition left Plymouth
on the 9th OF December, and when the Otsego
was about anchoring for the night near James
vile she was struck by two torpedoes, e1.
ploded under her, and sunk in a few minutes
No one was killed or lost on her, ond the only
were a few scratches received by
two or three of the men in consequence OF the
"a pIoslon. she was sunk In no great depth OF
" ater, (her spar deck was only three feet under
water,) and the most, If not all, her guns were
got away.
The Otsego was third.class paddle wheel
steamer Of ten guns, with a complement of
about 100 men, (instead of the "six hundred
Of the Sentinel.
The only other vessel lost was the "Baxley,'
A small tug Of about SO tons, which was sunk
IN the vicinity of the Otsego, by striking upon
5 torpedo. BY the latter explosion two men
were killed on the OAKLEY but nc other cas-.
aalties occurred; and this is the length, breadth
and entire extent OF the "disaster'
The Sentiners story $50 eagerly caught up by
he secesh journalsj OF the destruction OF "six
,unboats" and 81 900 men," the "cofiins for the
'fficers" and "boxes for the men," the "fioating
'oaies," &C., is the purest myth, and shows
he shifts that Jeff Davls's newspaper organ
las been forced to in the way Of extravagant
ying, to bolster mp thu desperate Confederate
ortuues!
The Richmond papers have sometimes
laimed to be more moderate and reIsabls-less
ensational--in their statements concerning the
vents OF the war than the northern news.
papers. But however that might have been In
he earlier part Of the war, the rebel papers.
md especially Jeff. Davis's own Sentinel have
.ot bravely over any fastidious notions osout
Of statement, and lie in exact proper
ton TO their waning fortunes.