From The Greensborough Patriot

Feb. 20, 1862 – Pg. 3

 

From the Wilmington Journal, Feb. 12

From Roanoke Island.

            This morning we had the pleasure of meeting Lieut. Smith of Wise’s Legion, who has kindly given us some details of the affair at Roanoke Island.  The most pleasing part of his information is that the number of the killed on our side has been greatly exaggerated.  Some one or two from nearly every company engaged, and nearly every one of our companies was engaged, succeeded in making their escape, after the battle had closed.  From them, Lt. Smith, obtained details of the killed and wounded and from all he could learn he could not find that our loss in killed could much, if at all exceed fifty.  The number of ounded would no doubt exceed that of the killed.

            The forces at the post, at the commencement of the fight or before its close were,

            8th N. C. Troops, Col. Shaw,                           700

            31 N. C. Troops, Col. Jordan,                          600

            1st Reg., Wise Legion, Col. Anderson,  500

            2d Reg., Wise Legion, Col. Richardson,            300

            Battalion, Wise Legion, Col. Green,                  500

                                                                                    -----

                                                                                    2600

            This is not the full strength of any of the commands named, but many were sick and had been sent off or were at Nag’s Head in Hospital.  Some were in a battery on a flat near the main land, three small companies were at Nag’s Head.

            The number that escaped, including the sick at Nag’s Head, might be incorrectly stated about 450, or at the utmost, 500.  Of these, 250 or 300 retreated along the beach from Nag’s Head, on Saturday night after having set fire to the buildings.  Some got over in a boat to the main land; nearly or quite all of those on the floating battery also got off to the main land.

            Of the loss of the enemy, it is almost impossible to speak.  They were mowed down in their attempt to land, and most have suffered terribly.  Had we possessed a field battery or had proper breastworks been thrown up, the result might have been different; or had we had sufficient force, or in face had there not been grievous mismanagement somewhere.  General Wise had remonstrated in vain with Secretary of War.  He had asked more forces from General Huger, in whose immediate department he was placed.  He had been refused in both cases, save that Gen. Huger had finally consented to let him have the two artillery companies of his Legion under the command of Col. Henninguen.  Gen. Wise ordered the batteries to march down the beach to Nag’s Head.  This, Gen. Huger countermanded, and told them to go to Elizabeth City, where there was no transportation.

            When on Saturday morning a courier from General Wise, who had ridden all night, reached Norfolk he got only a rude answer from Gen. Huger.  “They’ve got plenty of men.  Tell them to stand to their guns, and d—mn ‘em  we’ll whip, ‘em,” or nearly those words.

            Why Commodore Lynch did not carry his boats to Norfolk, through the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal, instead of running them up the Pasquotank River, is remarkable.  He could have done so.  On Saturday night a boat did leave Nag’s Head, and did get to Norfolk showing that the navigation was open.  The whole affair appears like a Tragedy of Errors.