The New York herald., 1862-02-03


for gray hairs-and that the crows feet not very
strongly marked in the outer angles Of his eyes that
satisfactory II not let his friends come and zee him.
and judge for themselves. ,.l - ,-..--f 4. ,.ratl
FROM xANAssAs--TuE CONDITION or TIE ROADS
APPEARANCE OF THE RyBEL cAMPs-rHE FORTS
DILAPIDATED, MLDEwED AND wEATEERBEArzs.
Especial oi the 1sn 81 ,ssc
Rain snow seet mist. fog, mud. and the state Of the
weather generally have for the time being monopolzed
the advance and the expected battle" Since this mi
SCRABBLE spell Of weather set in the has quiet
~ laid asde and IL 10 the first time since last July
that week has gone by without Of the federal
forces advancing and being such great piece Of
ing its readers will feel very grateful TO hear such piece
OF intelligence trip down 10 Centrevle last week
quite an event. considering tho state the roads are In
my friends and tho opportunity had OF noting the
change IN the scene since last travelled over the road
The old tents In cases dapdaed, mildewed and
weaherbeaten which had stood the snnshnes
o. the summer campaign, have given place to conorts-
bic cabins, which have quite on air Of neatness
and home comfort, with their stick and plaster Chin
neys and their one window Of six and four lights and
their plank door. In some cases the ends Of tho
logs are sawed Off and tho little villages look quite habit
able until you cast glance down at the pavement. To
supply the windows OF course every deserted house be
tween Cenreve and the outside Of the lines had fur
nsh its quota In this connection anecdote related
0f old dy, who took her Knitting and went OF to
spend the afternoon with friend Great was her con-
sternaton upon returning TO find her house minus the
windows. AS no smoke was coming from the chimney
It was drawn upon as deserted property.
business and buste even the old buildings seem to have
Frightened up and put on an air OF Importance much
as 70 say am or was headquarters" Now another
Incident and am done. Even in this vicinity have
frequent visits from the noble soldiers }" mine host
meek. unsuspicious, invalid minister Of the gospel calls
them, and many meal bundle OF straw and other kind
they receive from him. and his faith in them could
not be shaken by such instances The following until
day or two ago
s'afassa, dem hame strings gons.n NJ r e..
"Iame strings gone, Frederick; where they
gonef'' ~ rH 4'
AN Mes.
more" Ma.nt ~
ru tut Frederick the noble soldiers of taking
But there was the turning point. Soldier No.
dropped IN to get his dinner, deposng his gloves,
and bucket Of butter, just purchased tho hall table.
Soldier No. camo In also but hastily the
ble returning to the sitting before any else
When tho family and soldier No. came in the other had
Disappeared also gloves and bucket This led to some
suspicion, and search made to II anything else
was missing 1t discovered that small noroc-
co bag, containing poremonnaie with twenty dollars,
was also gone, belonging 10 the lady Of the honse Mine
host moraized the fraty of in general and the
delinquency OF this noble soldier in particular and con-
tainted himself by quotng;- E&'
"as who steals my purse steals trash,'
but st as this trash could very We'll help to supply nu.
merous household comforts tho good lady WAS not SO
easily won over TO the philosophy Of the quotation It is
to add OF the hundreds Of soldiers who have
been hsrc since the 21st of July these were the first
things ever taken from the house. tf
HPLosIoN OF A REBEL LABoRAToHY-Loss OF LIFE.
~ ltTOtn Tue klenmOnQ l5pltCh, Jan. ~.
We regret that have this morning another accident
70 record from the handling Of materials war though
10 far as at present advised there loss Of life All
quarter past eleven O'Clock yesterday morning cxplo
sion occurred at the laboratory at the foot
Of Seventh street, which, though fatal Is very pain.
Iu " It's results u appears that at the houf named here
vas an explosion of very serious character involving
tho serious injury Of several human beings Immediately
n the vicinity; In the rear Of the establishment, in
wnat Is generally known as the seacoast ammunition
room, number Of boys were sitting in corner filling
ano rammng fuses Probably from the fact that vent
vas not properly secured the foul air got between the
fearful in its effects and quite destructive to
property. Immediately trer 1. occurred men
was completely shattered by the concrssiQn and tho
building itself TO be IRE from its efects The
boys who sat in the circle of twelve square,
burned. One, named John Fitzgerald was hurt about
me face and legs, and ono eye seemed nearly gone.
others OF the boys were injured neai bad; their
names are Robert Coleman, Robert obinson Charles
shope Michael Byron John Hartman and Peter Branders
compste the LIST but unable 10 obtain Names Two
Of the boys in flames the river and plunged in and
another ran the street with every particle Of clothes
burned or At the time of the explosion they driving
fuse; yet strange to gay, we large quantity fixed
ammunition was close by there very little damage
done to material except in the immediate neghborhood
Bcxes and kegs OF Forsecos wooden were close by
and numbers upon numbers Of loaded bombs and shrap
mel shot, and all remained unharmed The men Of the
establishment after slightly recovering from their
alarm, rushed for the Sources and finding the
building on fire, poured in bucket bucket Of water
zine situated within or eht feet of the house
and yet II was not injured in the least 10 is indeed
msrSaoie considering he number Of males and ema!es
WHO we're working there at the timo and the &c amount
cf explosive material all around that the loss
ing was SO little. - .t
The cxitement in the neighborhood was intense Tho
epeciacie OF men and women rushing the building
was exceedingly exciting; but stn arc gratiled TO
state that the accident s by no means great
reported. n r
II this affair that occasioned the alarm of nre be-
tween eleven and twelve O'Clock. r1
FEDERAL SPIES IN THE VALLEY OF VIRGINIA..
- tfrom'the Lynchburg Republican,
We understand that two deserters from the Northern
army came into General Jacksons line just about
time Of the evacuation OF Ronne and reported that the
of our army discovered by soy who
was in Winchester and breakrasted at the Washington
House the morning before our army advanced The de.
serers say that the reported tho night tho
Yankee commander General Jacksons numbers his sup
posed destination, and the OF provisions he was
20 take with him whereupon the order was given to fall
Ter few days since, those met and arrested an
2;her sPy, with whom they had been ACQUAINTED Ia tie
Northern army.
They arc now we understand engaged in pointing out
The Union men, whom they know 10 be hail fellows well
met with the Hsssians while they about Romney
have the upper hand the strongest Southern men in the
land, II you will just listen them BY means Of those
eserters ous men have already succseded in securing
several OF these double faced ger lemyn and are daily
srresting others. The SPY that ey rrescd was we
learn, 20 be hung Had not be the discoveries
made by these spes is said General Jackson would
have taken tho enemy by SURPRISE aud begged epodly
aumber, if not the whole Of them.
MATTERS AT WINCHESTER, VA.
The Richmond Dispatch OF the 20th inst says:Passen-
gers by the Central cars yesterday report all quiet
winchester and adjacent country Tho Army Of the Po
tomsc resting its oars, waiting for the enemy 20
proceeding which appeared bo as FAR from
sheir thoughts as ever Parties who have spent days
with the army speak not OF the laxy discipline but
ans negligence On the part Of officers in accustong their
men TO the details Of actual battle One gentleman who
staid 1--we days in camp Manassas says mere
guard mounting there was nothing done in military
way during that period This is strong contrast with
tbs Yankees who Try but vany by such expsdicnts
grand reviews, sham battles &C. to accustom their men
70 DANGER Though no such devices required TO got
up TO the fighting mark they should
be corstanly reminded Of the great work hand and
be Instructed daily a. 60 the most practicable mode Of
ao.na iL~--
THE BaEAKIxo OF .nE BLocxApE.
From tho Richsnond Dispatch, Jan. 291
Should the blockade DO broken 10 short tinesay In
ninety or hundred dsys--what terrible hsy2S y
will play amoug cxtortonsrs in oil branches OF
business, Cloths will drop down 10 y reasonable
nsuss, ard IL win be found that there has hsen
mr. slon mi had lReu n