Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-03-17
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0Nurtester 59atIp Spy.



The letter of Mr.. Russell in the London
Times of the 18th ult. is of unusual interest,
being graphic and sketclly, and with but few
prophecies Wemake few extracts =
PROBABILITIES OF AN ADVANCE.
Gas the condition Of the roads and of the
country in Virginia continues as bad as ever,
1t is likely that Increment of the army of the Po-
tomac oW take place until iUinter is ouer, unless
the general is bold enough to trust to bridge
OF frost, which may break when he is in the
middle OF it, and leave him fioundering in a
sea OF mud. Il 1t is possible that the
military committee may have been satisfied
by the promises OF action to come, or it may
be that the general does really intend to throw
the corfederates off their guard, and make a
dash at them one OF these fine frosty days.
The thing could be dOne-just dcne-by NOV .
ing the whole force off suddenly, making a
forced march so to arrive in front of The en-.
emy's lines by daybreak, and by concerted
plan, under fire ct the numerous field artil-
lery, breaking his line in the center or over
whe ming it on either flank. Such marches
as that from the camps on the lines from the
front of Alexandria around by The Chain
Bridge to the position at Centerviile, have OF.
ten been made, and have ended in successful
battles. To make such an effort now, it would
be necessary TO have hard frost and Ger.
tainty OF its duration for day or two, and
there should be, also, some reasonable Ger.
tainty OF success in the attack.
THE POTOMAC AND TIE CRIMEA CoNTRASTED.
The ride from Washington 10 MunsOu's
Hill has places which bid iair to rival that ia.
NOUS dip in the hill on the Balaklava road,
between the Col and KadIkol. But how differ
ent the scene beyond the long line of french
es, the smoke wreaths of the cannon the ex.
4
houses of the city, tile lines of the fleet. and
the symmetrical masses OF the guardian forts.
How great the contrast between that lifted i'll.
clad army of our soldiers. meeting death and
disease without Il murmur in the face of II e
enemy, and tn comforts of these troops who
have even TO fight!
COMFORT OF THE AMERICAN TROOPS.
: The American soldier is lightly eqllpped,
his knapsack is by no means burdensome, he
wears no cross belts instead OF hide and can
vas sandals he has we'll made boots and shoes
OF leather When sick he has medicine and
medical attendance. and unless he is at some
tororn, sickly post like that at Beaufort,
where iniudicious correspondents have reveal.
ed the existence of great sickness and some
neglect, and have thereby nearly subjected
themselves to the Kindness of an expulsion by
Gen Sherman he is well treated IN illness
and has as fair chances as any invalid in The
world OF recovery In addition TO his ratious.
it is suggested in congress that he shall ha v,
Crackers, butter, and cheese! Certainly, it
will not be from any want of all care and com.
fort that the northern soldier proves unsuccess.
full. At nilht, enormous fires blaze in the
camps, and the guards warm themselves by
pyramids of blazing billets enough for a hun
dred yule fires y n
In the other tents not thus provided the
soldiers have shown ingenuity in making
themselves comfortable. Thus, they construct
a fire. place by cutting hole in the earth in
side the tent, and thence pushing a small
covered gallery outside to the distance of two
or three yards The shaft is then pierced
and q couple Of empty barrels placed one
above the other, and coated with clay, estab
lish draught and serve as 4 chimney for the
fire inside the tent. The abundance of wood
gives the soldiers means OF flooring the tents
fitting them with shelves, making bedsteads
and chairs, and, above all, OF raising stockades
round the sides of the tents TO keep out the
wind They are also clever in constructing
stables OF the branches of frs. pines. and
evergreens, and in making screens of the sam,
materials round their camps and their tents
which sometimes affect artistic forms and
expand into decorations, triumphal arches
wrea'ns WIN inscriptions over the entrances
lilo a. CHRISTMAS ,hny ,rora r.rt;"nl.rly
effective and prettiy arranged. Suffers