Civil War fact of the day. On this day in 1864, CSA Maj. Gen. W.H.C. Whiting, worried about the defenses of Wilmington, NC, wrote to Sec. of War James Seddon asking for more men. HEADQUARTERS, Wilmington, September 8, 1864. Honorable JAMES A. SEDDON, Secretary of War: SIR: I have your letter of the 5th instant. The subject is matter to me of constant anxiety, and I have so often called the attention of the Department to the points on which you touch that I fear I am considered as importunate or needlessly apprehensive. The troops that are here have never been in action in the war. They are far too few for the garrisons of the forts, and ought at all times to be supported by veteran infantry, both to make the defense effectual and to permit them, as heavy artillery, to attend to their guns and drill. There are no infantry supports at all here, and the small garrison has to perform constant outpost and picket duty, to the material deterioration as practised artillerists. It must be remembered that the development and extent of the defenses here has been very greatly increased, I should say trebled, since I assumed command, yet there has been no increase of force at all to defend it. The permanent garrison of Fort Fisher should be 2,200 men; of Bald Head, the same; of Caswell and Campbell, 800 each. You will see what I have by the copy of a letter to General Beauregard, which I send you. I agree with you, that only upon troops and officers thoroughly tested in their constancy, familiarity with danger, and invincible courage, can reliance be placed. Can you give me such? The warning of Mobile is before us. There is no place in the country now more important than this; there is no place now more liable to surprise, and yet the force here is now less than it ever has been during the war. When Fosters expedition was being fitted out for this place, at Beaufort, and which was afterward directed to Charleston by the attack of Flag-Officer Ingraham on the enemys fleet, it was not thought sufficient to send me 8,000 veteran troops to aid the garrisons as a supporting force. At the present time, and warned of the danger, I have nothing but a few hundred boys and old men, utterly inefficient and unreliable, as experience has shown, and totally inadequate. It has now been three weeks since the Senior Reserves have been summoned for the defense of Wilmington, and in that time 324 have arrived, destitute of everything. The whole system of defense here has been placed and predicated on the presence of an army corps as a support. This has been urged and demonstrated in repeated memoirs on the subject. Indeed, no other system is practicable, and without it the position would be no more tenable than the Richmond defenses without the support of the army of General Lee. I have felt this matter very deeply and given my most constant efforts to make the most of my means. I have refrained of late from addressing most urgent appeals to the Department, because General Lee deprecated my doing so, lest my opinion, getting abroad, might tend to discouragement. You tell me to scrutinize closely the composition of the forces holding the forts and the character and qualities of the officers, and to make sure that I have in both material thoroughly reliable. As I have said, these troops have not been in battle. I can only add they are at present unsupported. I believe they will do well; but you know what is acceded. Colonel Lamb, the commandant of Fort Fisher, is a most excellent and vigilant officer, full of skill and courage. I have every confidence in him. Is there not some mistake as to the identity of the officer of whom you speak in your letter? You give the initials as E. W. The officer here is T. M., in whom I have entire confidence. As for the Senior and Junior Reserves I think they would rather interfere with than aid. The little boys are prostrate with all the diseases of children and too weak to bear arms. Their officers, made by election are entirely ignorant. These are the facts, and to you I see no use in disguising them. It may well be imagined that personally I shall leave no effort untried, knowing that if I lose this place, whether with troops or without them, I myself am lost. The matter of the quarantine is important, and I will endeavor to carry out your wishes and procure some relaxation of the regulations, as I have labored to do heretofore. The fever is represented, however, as very bad in Bermuda and Nassau, and the very name of it is terrible to this community. As the question of the defense of Wilmington may shortly become interesting, I beg to refer to my correspondence on this subject, both as to the mode of attack, probable lines and disposition, and of forces required. Very respectfully, W. H. C. WHITING, Major-General.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 13:05:25 +0000