Notes of the War,
an Eloquent appeal — the disaster at Newborn, &c., &c.
We have received a copy of a speech delivered by
Judge John W. Brockenbrough, at the
Court- House of
Rockbridge county, March 3d, on the state of the country, which is calculated to wake up the spirit of patriotism in all who pursue it. We make an extract from the concluding portion:
‘
Young men of
Rockbridge let me address you a word of parting counsel.
Your country needs your services in the tenet field.--Your own
Virginia calls, and you have your election, either to spring forward voluntarily, eagerly to obey her maternal summons, or be dragged to the field where an empire is to be won or lost--
under compulsion! Oh ! do not wait till the hated conscription tears you away from the dear ones at home.
Are you husbands!
Then you cannot so well attest your devotion to your wives, as by rushing to arms to defend them from pollution and dishonor!
Are you lovers?
Your sweethearts will buckle on your armor, and bid you go where glory waits you, and spurn you if you hesitate.
Are you sons?
I heard a noble woman say the other day: ‘"I have four sons in the service, and it one of them were to hesitate to re-enlist for the war I would disown him, disinherit him; he should be son of mine never more, never more!"’ Oh!
how I loved that Spartan mother for that noble sentiment.
The mothers of
Rockbridge, I know, will emulate her example.--Then, my young friends, wait not for the draft, but volunteer!
Oh, how I love our noble volunteers!
With 400,000 volunteers in the field, we can defy the world in arms!--Go forth, then, noble champions of freedom, and sheathe not your avenging swords till the hated foe is driven back from the sacred soil his presence pollutes!
We will endeavor to give further extracts from this admirable address hereafter.
’
The Affair at Newbern.
We have already hinted at some prospective developments in connection with the fight at
Newbern, but they have been brought to light sooner than we expected.
The Raleigh correspondent of the Petersburg
Express writes:
‘
We had not recovered from the deep mortification of the fall of
Roanoke Island, before we are called upon to lament over a more disastrous and disgraceful defeat at
Newbern.
I say disgraceful, because, if the accounts which have been received here be true, the defences and management of our army about
Newbern have been most disgracefully conducted.
Our men and subordinate officers, it is said, acted most gallantly; but when the time of those highest in authority is spent in idleness and drunkenness, and the defences and management of the army almost wholly neglected, what kind of a victory is to be expected of men, however brave they may be?
I understand that
General Gatlin has been ordered to
Richmond, and no doubt an investigation of
his conduct will be made.
We have no positive information of our loss at
Newbern.
It is generally believed that it was not very heavy.
One or two of our regiments have not yet been heard from, but, from the positions they occupied, it is believed they are safe.
Reinforcements are continually going down, and it is expected that another fight will take place.
’
Another correspondent asserts that the enemy's vessels were piloted up the river by a number of traitors, through a channel left open by our troops for the convenience of transporting army stores.
The
Captain of a Yankee company was taken prisoner and carried to
Raleigh.
We append some further incidents of the evacuation of the town:
‘
The celebrated Gaston House and other buildings, among which is the
Progress office, were burned by order of some one in authority, before abandoning the old and beautiful town of
Newbern.
Many beautiful private dwellings were ransacked and fired by the
Yankees, among which was the one in which resided the family of
Graham Daves,
Private Secretary to the late
Governor.
It is the intention of
Gen. Branch to make a stand at
Kinston, where, no doubt, our troops will play havoc among the ranks of the invaders who are brave enough to rout them from the sea shore.
Our troops fought bravely in endeavoring to keep the enemy back, but were overpowered by numbers, and it became necessary to fall back.
Col. Vance, a brother of
G. B. Vance, former member of Congress, and now also a Colonel in the C. S. A., cut his way through the ranks of the enemy with but slight loss.
The cry was, ‘"victory or death."’
’
The latest intelligence from
Nashville is furnished by an Atlanta contemporary as follows:
‘
The
Lincoln force around
Nashville numbers some fifty thousand troops, to which additions are being made daily.
They are engaged in repairing bridges on the Louisville Railroad, but are doing little or nothing in the way of fortifying the city or its approaches.
Their pickets extend some six miles in nearly all directions, so that ingress and egress are difficult.
The city is dull and gloomy, nearly all business being suspended — a few retail stores, here and there, being all that are doing anything.
General Buell has made his headquarters at the house of the cashier of one of the Banks, while his staff occupies the residence of
Col. V. K. Stevenson.
The Union sentiment is quite weak, and the Lincolnites are very much disappointed.
They meet with far less sympathy and support than they expected.
A skirmish took place on Sunday morning, not far from the city, between a body of cavalry, under
Colonel Scott, and some
Lincoln marauders, resulting in the killing of thirteen of the latter, who by their uniforms were designated as members of the 3d Iowa regiment.
The skirmish occurred within three-quarters of a mile of a body of 5,000 Federals, and our men retired upon their approach.
Two papers are published in
Nashville — the
Banner, from the office of the old
Banner and Whig, and the
Times, from the
Union and American office.
Both are said to be bold and outspoken, and the latter particularly saucy.
’
Affairs in the West.
Memphis papers as late as the thirteenth were received last night, but they contain very little news of interest that has not been anticipated by telegraph.
That it is the purpose of the enemy to get possession of all the lines of railroad connecting
Richmond with the cotton States, has long been apparent; and as a part of this programme, a vigorous effort is in progress to advance upon
Knoxville.
The danger calls for prompt and energetic action on the part of the
Government.
The following is the latest dispatch in the
Memphis papers concerning the great battle in
Arkansas:
‘
Clarksville, March 12--A gentleman just arrived, who left
Van Buren yesterday morning, reports that
Gens, Van-
Dorn and
Price, with their armies, are safe at
Boston Mountain.
The baggage train arrived at the mountains safely on Monday evening.
Gen. Gordon, of
Mo., brought up the rear with 6,000 troops and one battery of artillery.
He had hard fighting with the enemy a short distance north of
Fayetteville.
’
From the coast.
The
Savannah papers, of the 18th, contain no additional news from the
Florida coasts though they have some details of the landing of 3,000 of the enemy at
Jacksonville, where they are erecting breastworks.
The citizens, before leaving the place, are reported to have burnt all the saw mills, the
Robinson block, the
Judson House, and other buildings.
The
Yankees succeeded in capturing four guns, which were placed on a point below the town.
How a Christian soldier can die.
The
Central Presbyterian contains a biographical sketch of
the Rev. Dabney Carr Harrison,
Captain of company K, 58th Virginia regiment, who fell while gallantly leading his men in the terrible fight at
Fort Donelson.
We copy a portion:
When the sun rose on the morning of that bloody Saturday, it saw him already in the thick of the battle.
Through seven hours of mortal peril he wrestled with the foe. With dauntless heart he cheered on his men. They loved him as a father, and eagerly followed wherever he led. Their testimony is that he never said ‘"go on,"’ but always ‘"come on," ’ while ever before them flashed his waving sword.
At length they saw with fear and pain that his firm step faltered, that his erect form wavered and was sinking.
They sprang forward and bore him from the field to die.--‘"He had warned a good warfare, ever holding faith and a good conscience."’
With reverence I have taken in my hand the hat he wore in the battle; with tears and a swelling heart have I gazed on it. It is pierced by four balls.
Three whistled partly through and did him no harm.
The
fourth, partly spent, marred that beautiful brow.
But these were as nothing.
He calmly fought on. A more fatal aim sent a into his left breast, above his heart, through his body.
His men did not know it. He still cheered them on. Another deadly aim drove a ball; through his right lung; just where, can not be told.
His face was to the foe and his step onward even when, from loss of blood and exhaustion, he began to sink.
Yet he did not die till the next day. Like his brother seven months before; like his sister, seven days after; like the little one is whom we had given his names, he was to be on the Sabbath, with the calm of the eternal Sabbath filling his breast.
He was carried to
Nashville and tenderly nursed by faithful men.
Only two incidents of his dying hours have reached us Calling for one of his manuscript books, he took a pencil, and, with trembling hand, feebly wrote these words " Feb. 18, 1862, Sunday--I die content and happy, trusting in the merits of my Saviour, Jesus, committing my wife and children to the
Father and mine.
Dabney Carr Harrison Precious legacy of love and prayer!
Precious testimony of faith and blessedness!
When he felt that death was just upon his, he gathered up his remaining strength one more effort.
Resting in the arms of one of his men, and speaking as if the company, for which he had toiled, and suffered, and prayed so much, was before him, he exclaimed, ‘"Company K, you have no
Captain now; but never give up; never surrender. "’
Thus was his last breath for his country, for the young Confederacy, whose liberty honor, and righteousness were inexpressively dear to him; for which he wept, and prayed and made supplication in secret; for which he was content to ‘"endure hardness as a good soldier, "’ and then cheerfully to die.
These dying words beautifully connect themselves with those of his brother Peyton on the field of
Manassas, and taken together, they have a special fitness to our country's present need.
When the Second Virginia regiment, fighting on our left at
Manassas, was broken by a sudden and destructive flank fire of the enemy, and by the unfortunate command of its
Colonel,
Peyton and a few officers of like spirit, rallied a portion of the men and led them in a perilous, but splendid and victorious charge.
In the midst of it, however, he fell, shot like his brother, in the breast--Two of his men bore him from the field.
His face was radiant with heavenly peace.
He spent a few moments in dictating messages of love, and in prayer for himself, his family, and his country.
‘"What more can we do for you?"’ asked the affectionate young man who supported him. ‘"Lay me down,"’ was his answer, ‘"I am ready to die; you can do so more for me; rally to the charge."’
