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:"’
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 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.