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The New York Herald of the 15th.

The waste of composition and labor exhibited in the columns of this paper in its issue of the 15th inst., is truly astonishing.--Three whole pages are devoted to the ‘"Brilliant victory at Roanoke."’ The first page contains an elaborate map of ‘"the Scene of the Great Success of Gen. Burnside and Commodore Goldborough--Roanoke Island and its Rebel Batteries."’ Then follows the accounts of the battle extracted and published in our issue of yesterday.

The second page is devoted entirely to the publication of the names, regiments, staff officers, and commanders ‘"who won the victory."’ In addition to these details of every regiment, in which the names of every field officer is paraded, biographical sketches of each individual are given, so that even the most searching curiosity is thoroughly satiated.

The third page is almost exclusively devoted to the ‘"Naval Section,"’ giving minute descriptions of the officers and of each gunboat and steamer.

We subjoin short sketches of some of the ‘"Heroes:"’


General Ambrose B. Burnside.

The Commander-in-Chief of the expedition, Brigadier General Ambrose Everett Burnside, was born at Liberty, in Union county, Indiana, on the 23d of May, 1824, and is consequently now in his thirty-eighth year. In 1842 he entered the West Point Military Academy, and graduated in 1847, with the rank of Second Lieutenant in the Second United States artillery. In September of the same year he was transferred to the Third artillery, and was attached to the rebel General (then captain) Bragg's company, with which he marched in the division of General Patterson to the city of Mexico, and there remained until the close of hostilities. With this company he also was engaged for three or four years in the Indian border wars of New Mexico, distinguishing himself in an encounter with the Apache tribe, in August, 1849, near Los Vegas, where he completely routed them, killing eighteen and taking nine prisoners, besides capturing a number of horses.

He retired from service in October, 1853. Shortly after his retirement from the army he turned his attention to the manufacture of a breech-loading rifle — well known as the ‘"Burnside rifle"’--invented by himself, and possessed of peculiar and superior merit. During the administration of Buchanan it was submitted to Secretary of War Floyd, who gave assurances that it would be adopted. It transpired subsequently, however, that Floyd had made a bargain with another inventor, with whom he was to share the profits, and General Burnside, who had incurred considerable expense in bringing his weapon to perfection on the strength of Floyd's promises, was consequently involved in some pecuniary difficulties, from which an upright and honorable character and persevering industry have since entirely relieved him. He sold the establishment in Bristol, where his rifle was manufactured, to his brother-in-law, who has since carried it on and furnished a considerable quantity of the arms to the Government. He was, subsequent to this transaction, connected with the Illinois Central Railroad, in company with General McClellan. His position was that of President of the Land Office.


Flag-Officer L. M. Goldsborough.

Flag-Officer Louis M. Goldsborough, commander of the naval part of the Burnside expedition, was born in the District of Columbia. He is a citizen of the State of Maryland, but received his appointment in the United States Navy from the District of Columbia.

His first entrance into the Navy bears date June 18, 1812. He has consequently been nearly fifty years in the United States service, over eighteen of which he has passed at sea in the various grades of the naval service. Among others, he commanded the Marion, thirty-eight guns, in 1842, at the time she was attached to the squadron of Commodores Ridgely and Morris, as Brazil. In 1847 he commanded the Ohio, seventy-four guns, and afterwards commanded the Cumberland, forty-four guns, and the Levant, eighteen guns, at the time those vessels were attached to the squadron of Commodore Silas H. Stringham, in the Mediterranean. The Cumberland was the flagship while under his command. His term of service on shore is about twelve years, and he has been off active duty about eighteen years.


the Federal gunboats.

Names.Commanders.Guns.
BricknerAct. Mas. J C. Giddings1
CeresAct. Mas. S A McDermaid2
ChasseurLt. Com. John West.6
Com. BarneyLt. Com. R D Renshaw2
Com. PerryLt. Com. C H Finsser2
DelawareLt Com S P Quackenbush3
GraniteAct. Mas. E Soomer1
GrenadeCom. W B Avery3
Gen. PutnamAct Mas W J Hoskiss2
HuzzarAct Mas Fred Crocker4
HunchbackLt Com E R Calhoun4
HetzelLt Com H K Davenport2
J. N SeymourAct Mas F S Welles2
LouisianaActing Master Holker4
LockwoodAct Mas S L Graves3
LancerAct Mas B Morley4
MorseAct Mas Peter Hayes2
PhiladelphiaAct Mas Silas Reynolds1
PioneerAct Mas Chas S Baker4
PicketAct Mas T P Ives4
RocketAct Mas Jas Lake3
RangerAct Mas J B Childs2
Stars and StripesLt Com Werner8
SouthfieldLt Com Behm4
ShawaneseAct Mas T S Woodward2
ShrapnelLt Com Ed Staples3
UnderwriterLt Com Jeffers4
Valley CityLt Com J C Chaplin5
Vidette4
WhiteheadLt Com French1
Young RoverAct Mas I B Studley5
Total guns94

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