Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-02-15
THE NEWS.
CEN FINyEGAN.


While danger i, afar OH aud soldiers are lohngine
| in camp. they are, from the nature OF Things,
incop,petent TO select leader; but on thseve OF
hattie when peril and death confront them, we
would not rive their Judgment US to WHOM they
ought TO follow tor all thC military boards that ever
came nom West Point or Saint Cyr.
In battle too, when following, they quickly el'ner
endorse or condemn their General, their Ooionei
and their Captain, and their Judgment nine fi:leS
ont of ten il correct Hence 1t is that we nave been
,hs more IMPRESSED by the high compliments paid
General Finnegan by the priyates OF Mahone's Ill
vi.ion which lac commanded in the late light at
Hatcher's Run for his conduct ON that OCCASION
TO ill Mahone's place who CHANGED to be absent was
a perilous undertaking for one with no reputation
AS a division commander, and who was only known
AS brave Brigadicr. But well did Tins gallant
MI, ,f Erin do il that all under his command when
tLe foht WAS over accorded Aim not only brafcry
or tn, highest type, but GOODNESS and strategic
ability which augurs well Tor his future usefulness
A. a commander. We confidently expect to hear
more of him in the coming campaign.
THE YANKEE SOLDIERS NOT PAM
la our Congress the payment ol-our brave SOL
diers is receiving the earnest consideration oil
members. 1t seems, however, that our Govern
nent has not been alone in its delinquency oltkls
score, bat that the Great Yankee nation, with all
of its resources and greenbacks, has failed to pay
promptly the hired defenders of the Stars and
Stripes.
The abolition Senator from Massachusetts,, Mr..
Wilson, in Il speech ON this subject, Ia the Z. D.
Senate on the lOth, said-Mr. President Congress
presents u strange spectacle to the country. We
owe To the armies OF the United States millions OF
dollars Many of our officers haze not been paid
eli Tor months. Many OF them have put into the
hands OF their commanding officers their resigna
tons, and are imploring the Government to accept
them, Tor the reason that their families are suffer-
ing 1t home, while they are not paid what the
Government owes them. This is the condition OF
our armies This is the condition OF the families
of our soldiers and officers. We have not paid
them, and we have not the means TO do it--at any
rate, as rapidly we ought TO do it.
ESCAPE OF MAJOR vENABLE.
The Charlottesville Chronicle announces the arri-
val there, on Friday last, Of the gallant Major Ven
able, of Prince Edward, attached to General Wade
Hampton's stall, who was captured on the 9th Of
October last, near Monks Neck Bridge Dinwiddie
county. He has Just found his way through the
lines, having escaped from the cars soon after his
capture. He remained in the North several months
lie was on a railroad train with number Of
prisoners about six miles from Philadelphia going
some twelve miles an hour, when he effected his
cape by eaping Qeet foremost) through the win
dow lie fell on pis head, his Overcoat having caught
in the framework OF the window but was not
seriously hurt lie walked to Philadelphia, his gray
uniform concealed by his Overcoat. lie proceeded
to the Walnut street Theatre to reconnOitre, where
he found that gray was the prevailing fashion for
gentlemen, and subsequently felt little apprehen-
sion Of being discovered.