The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-20

Fan OF the Southern Confederacv. W.
now publish the text OF letter addra.s.'5
oy Colonel Lamb to the author. callinc
attention 10 and correcting the errors
IN question:
Norfolk. Va. June Is. 1881.
lion. jefferson Davis:
My Dear Sir.-I have Just received nv
oopS OF your work on the Rise and Fan
OF tne Confederate Government very
naturally turned to your remarks in re-
gard 10 Fort Fisher a work which buu.
ana commanded until it was captured b,-
'le enemy Tn your statement %. C45)
ABOUT The garrison OF the fort there oc-
ours an error which must have been a
iapSis pernae You put Buffers troons
IN the hrst attack at $500. and then state
Ile loFt mad garrison OF about so men
nave before me my official report OF the
hrst hight written with great care on De-
Cei'-"er ~ lN4- From 81 1 find that on
december path had a total OF 92S. CON
slsuhs or Iis regulars and IA junior re-
serves thors under eighteen years.. ON
the -stn had a total OF ISL consisting
OF s-i regulars and 40 junior reserves.
in the FIRST terrific bombardment the
armament OF the land face and the pail
s4ues We're nninjuTed. and the reconnois-
sahte or the enemy was met with such
an effective fire OF grapeshot and small
arms that they were withdrawn without
an attempt az assault
IN regard 20 the last attack YOU aAv
that the garrison OF Fort Fisher had been
increased 90 about double the number OF
men there on the Path OF December. In
this light / did not have. from first to
last. over l..nO men IN the work. and this
includes t-e sick and disabled Besides
~ or t-is force. comprising the Twenty
nfst and Iwenty-hfth South Carolina
REGIMENTS arrived just previous to the
entrance of tae fort by the Federal troops
f..Fr e.
the heroic defense made by my garrison
Fiter sixty hours Of continuous lombard
H""t 10y tao heaviest armed fleet thar
ever attacAed a fertilization. and in the
'"''e OF oFer~heiming numbers.
Yours sincerely.
"WILLANI LAMB"
Mr. Davis reply TO Colonel Lamb.
ne readers of the Virginian will 70
nemoer that in a recent issue was pub
Ilshed "a copy Of letter from the non
w w. Lamp. ~ this city. 90 the Hon. JET
Ie'@"l Davis correcting errors in Mr.. pa-
VS. resent book on The Rise and Fau
az tue southern COnfederacv" fho o.
Tors I'D question relating 10 Fort Fyehe-
~ 80 OF which fertilization Colonel Lamb
WIS as IS we'll known. the builder and
ueieuuer. III. Davis las replied ia his
own handwriting as follows 70 Colonel
Bea-golr Harrison Co. Miss.
.l,.,.., ,,.. Goth June. ISL
colonel William Lamb:
Ny DFtr Si-.-T have received vours
or the 18th inst. and sincerely regret
the error O. which you call my attention
ana must suppose it has been a tvuso-
graphical mistake. and therefore have
written 20 have the MSS. examined.
As acknowledged in the work I have
written under the great disadvan. age Of
tne loss or my books and papers. 7 ala
not nave q copy OF your report: indeed.
oid not know taat one had been published
10 writing ] relied on the statement or
General whiting as to the number OF tho
GARRISON az tle first attack lie gives IL
az 90 aggregate. which would be about
bJV Total FOR "a garrison OF heavy artillery
ana probably wrote 60. either mistaken
by the copyist or the printer for $500.
FROM tho same statements or General
Whlung ] learned that the garrison NJ
the time OF The second attack had been
nearly doubled. (see Report on the Condi-
ton OF the War. 1865. VII, ID. l57-SN
nile seeking such accuracy as was prac-
ucaoie certainly did not wish to OK
aEsefate the size % the garrison. and thus
dinlnlsA Tho crVdlt due TO their her,,ic
defense The wide space which IL was
necessary Go occupy IN a work taking IA |
genera view % the wax and It's events.