Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-08-03

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! stores, and in few minutes she was enveloped
| in q sheet of flame Could our general now
| have thrown a force across the river the re-
treat of portion of the rebels at least would
have been cut off; but this was impossible,
and so they escaped to Charleston.
The army moved on to Elk river, which
debouches into the Kanawha at Charlestown,
where the army encamped for the night. We
would have crossed the stream at once, and
marched through the town the same evening,
but for the fact that the rebels had partially de-
stroyed the beautiful suspension bridge which
spans Elk river at this spot, rendering it I'M
safe for passage Not content with burning
portion of the flooring, they nearly severed
the strands which support the structure, and
did their work too, in the most bungling man,
ner. A more shameless piece of vandalism l
never witnessed. While the army slept
company OF sappers and miners repaired the
damage, and yesterday the army, nearly five
thousand strong, marched through the streets
of Charlestown.
The command left Charlestown at two yes
terday afternoon, and marched thirteen miles
up the river, camping at nine O'Clock tonight.
We have nearly reached the head of naviga-
ton on the Kanawha, and must soon leave the
fleet behind; Wises army is quite fleet enough
for us; 1t is now about twenty-tour hours
ahead, retrcating by forced marches Our adj
vance scouts came in sight of sixteen rebel
cavalry early this morning, and fired upon
them; but they retreaed too rapidly to be
overakeu. One of their guns was captured.
Everywhere we hear complaints that tie reb-
els have robbed stores, stolen horses and ia
ken supplies of all kinds, without paying for
them. Our army, after an Irregular, disorder
ly march of FIVE miles, camped for the night.
The valley of the K.nawha here is seldom
more than mile in width, and is shut in by
rugged hills.
GENERAL COX AND HIS MEN.
Gen. Cox who has been in Command of the
troops operating against Wise in the Kanawha
Valley seems not to be a very competent lead
er. One recent letter from his camp, dated
July 9th, says: 81 cannot close this hotter,
already too long without saying a few words
concerning this division of the grand army of
the Union. The men have no confidence
whatever in their leader, and are already in
state of INSTRUMENTATION. An Indignation
meeting was held this morning, and more than
half the brigade threatened to return. They
finally determined to go on until they met
RosencranZ, who is said to be leading the Nc
Clean division, and they insist upon being
transferred to his command Last night our
men were encamped between two high hills,
and most OF them compelled to sleep on the
bare ground, although their tents were i'll wag-
ons hard by. If Wise had attacked us last
night with five hundred men, our rOut would
have been complete. Not picket ,cas hrowa
out. This system Of carrying on war in an
enemy country, and especially when the en-
envy is thought 10 be only few miles in al.
vance, is certainly novel one, and original
with brigadier.general Cox, who, perhaps, has
adopted it as the spetdiest way of winning his
spurs"
Another letter from another person writing
at the Sane time and place, says
"Gen. Coxs brigade is in wretched condi-
ton. INSTRUMENTATION, disorganizatiOn, incl
flciency, and ineompetency, are SO palpable
that il would be wrong 10 pass them over in
silence. Several times within the sttwenty-
four hours large bodies of the men have helped
themselves freely TO whiskey and displayed
the most disgraceful drunkenness. The camp
last night was in locality atiording neither
comfort nor safety The precaution of throw
| ing out piekets was neglected in some direc
| tons and five hundred resOute, well disci-
| pinned men would have routed the command
| This morning everything was in dire contu-
| sion, and there was extreme dissatisfaction
both among officers and men, The only safe
| ty of our troops lies in the fact that the rebels
are even worse disorganized than they, and
probably dare not attack but if they were to
| do so, from one of these mountain strongllolds,
there would be every reason to fear disas-
trous result The brigade has good raw ma
terial for an army, but (of course with many
excentiopsl seems badly ofieered. Gen. Cox
| is gentleman of excellent abilities in civil life
| but without military experience. Three of his
regiments have recently been deprived of their
| coopels tone wounded and two captured), and
the brigade is certainly in no condition Tor
passing through an enemv's country.