The sun., 1897-02-28
I.rr.,mlp.. wien electr,e.l b.t..rle. Of others

isrreanipss with electrical batteries Of others
or TO the various forms OF torpedo vessels.
thi-k tho small pcrc cussion torpedoes were best
adapted, because an electrical station. unless
a Sosts crew. which SouId render the mine
useless. and also because the mine with ia
battery was expensive and had on an impor-
tsnt occasion proved n failure.
n you read the southern Historical Pap~rs."
you must have observed how frequent are the
and it has been my ardent wish that all who
acted the patriots part In our conflict should
publish IN papsrs;oi The society c tnii seoouns NJ
that Its files should be arcssrvoir OF facts for
the use Of the future Historian.
you. especially the daring feat OF attacking
the nagship Minnesota In steam launch. l
Of devotion ike that Of Giasseii. but | sho sid
not have given TO the narrative the graphic Of
feet. which you. as the actor. can throw into
II. nor have shown as you may tho ofhoiency OF
/ hone that many ofncer, who performed good
selves. treated with injustice because no.
named by mo. but the rather Ind themselves
included in the general raj notice office guoted p,s a69vs:
record, will do what could not In contribut-
ing full reports OF their services.
When undertook tho task of defending cur
oauy II was with the expectation of hoatile
criticism from OR adversary and with tho
My former letter 20 you. which You wish me
70 remember. was written from q desire TO
sorve. YOU and ovinccd my es.oem for you ~
Rearetting the dissatisfied tone Of YOUR COM
munication 70 which this is . reply. am re-
iSignsdj JrrTsRsoN DAVIS.
B. AIRES. April 4, 1882,
Hon Jsrsrsor Dovts.
at hand. II was not my intention to continue
this correspo ndeDce bsyond your answer TO my
first letter. but that answer is such an agra
yated repetition OF tho Injustice YOU have
done me In your book that l cannot refrain
from callin. your attention to. the repeated
page ioa. vol. 3, you may SEQ TO what at
Drewry's Blum, and that the enemy. enemy. Ike
myself. thought II was our artillerirs and
Iihemen who disabled them and drove on tho
in the early part Of 1899. before the system
OF electrical torpcdo defencss had been psr-
The Contemplated attack on Drewry's
Blum TO which referred In my first letter to
you. and concerning which | quoted from tho
iory. occurred in 1864, as clearly shown in my
letter snd in MI, Mallor,'s words, which
m"dore mod J Jones, the leading ves.sl OF Hdmir.l
Lees hset. which was ascending James River
TO cooperate , With Gen: Butler In , tas attack
Blum, the koy to Richmond"
How widely different in date and nature
persons. confuse them. and 10 my INJURY
On the sAme pa re OF your letter you express
adapted to our lthe Confederate) condition.
aud you add that ION an Important occasion"
the electrical system proved n failure"
Thus you Ignore the TACT | called to your at
tent)n In my frat lettcr that percussion tor
pedoes closed our own channel ways against
ourselves and completely DESTROYED one OF our
Gag OF truce boats, jnst after she had delivered
. large number OF prisoners of war. an3 you
further make the assei tion that electrical tor
podocs failed on sn important oct aston. lsav-
ing to your readers the infer, nee that M de-
partment made the failure. when am salts
fed you will know the failure was at Charles
ton Anc not under my command. and occurred
during the absence OF the drunken electrician.
exploded At all. Moreover. that he used tho
Uncertain agent Of frictional electricity. which
never had any part IN the regular system OF
electrical defences.
during our Southern struggle. however insig.
nlhcant. IL not to my credit. such a. tho use Of
beer bal reis. glass demijohns." the exact
weight of sixty pounds sunpowdsr." and .
application. and which achieved its triumph in
blowing up our own shps or in the case where
a great electrical failure Is made. the inference
being that made ". your memory Is remark
ably retenti'e: but whero tho case concerns
me-such Us comaelling the retreat Of q large
fleet In tho James River. a Id preventing Its CO.
great danger TO our cause. and the complete
destru.tion of tho eneuIy'- leading ship by tho
electrical torpedo dofencos, dev sed and per
fected under ny command. and the first snc-
cess OF that system OF torpedo defences. now
adopted In Its more developed form by the whole
world. whsn yorr friend Gen. Rn,ns's beer
barrel. demiiohns. and sensitive fuses have
wholly oblivtous.
Thore letters will be published both in Eng.
land and tho United Sta'es. and will use
all possible publicity. Yours very respectfully.
HUNTER DAVIDSON.