Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-02-10
THE BURNSIDE EXPEDITION.



over two weeks ago, but it is only within a
day or two that the mode of doing il has been
discovered. When General burnside left
washington, day or two before his departure
from Annapolis, he was assured that The navy
at HatSras Inlet would be in readiness 10
render every assistance in plotting the trans
port INFO the sound, that the small and difficult
channel through the swRsh would he bunyed
out, and that there would be nothing TO hinder
an immediate advance. But promises OF this
KIND are always so much beyond the actual
performance that General Burnside was pru.
dent enough to charter eight tugs at Aunapo.
lis, which were to be employed In getting the
transports into the sound. Phese tugs. al.
though chartered at double the usual prices.
nave never made their appearauce-at least
only one OF them had been reported Yesterday.
fortunately, three tugs which were ordered
from Fortress Monroe to Port ROYAL were
ODlged by stress Of weather to put in Halter
as Inlet, ard they have done nearly all the
work IN getting over the transports
1t is undoubtedly an unpleasant task for
gentlemen holding commissions in the navy
and commanding gunboats to do tug DUTY:
but hawser here and there from the gun
boats, during the gale the transports encoun-
tered just after entering the inlet, would have
prevented some OF them from dragging their
anchors, damaging themselves and other yes
sells by collisions, going ashore, bgng, and
sinking, and "various games of that sort.
which were the principal business of the fleet
for day or two after its arrival. After nearly
tortnght's sounding and "poling" in boats,
tile channel was buoyed out by the captains
OF the transports, and the vessels which have
been brought into the sound owe little or
nothing to the assistance of the navy-for the
very little assistance afforded has been reluc-
family rendered.
1t is reported that there are from four thous.
and to five thousand North Carolina troops
on Roanoke Island, under Gen. Hill, who com
manded the rebels at Big Bethel Whether
Gen. Burnside will make this the first point of
attack or not need not be stated, so long as it
is known that he intends to occupy every no.
sition OF Importance on Albemarle and Pamli-
co Sounds. The rebel papers say that "every
point is in readiness to receive him." and
there's no doubt but that what they say is
literally true. Whatever Burnside does he
will do well, and he will not issue "procIama-
ton" He has commended with difficulties and
disasters sufficient to dishearlen almost any
man, but the confidence of the division in
him Is mistaken, and when he begins his
work will be rapid and effective.
Yesterday morning small rebel schooner
under nag OF truce, was taken by one of our
gunboats in the sound, and brought to the
flagship. On board were five persons who
deserted, on the night OF the 30th, from the
seventh North Carolina regiment, at Middle
ton, Hyde county. They gave their names
as iryal Stiles, of New Jersey, who has lived
at the south four years Peter New. Davis
OF Beaufort county, North Carolina; Thomas
Blakely, OF New York, d boy eighteen years
old; Lewis Lonergon, of New York, twenty
years old; and Thomas Bulger, an Irishman,
WHO mas served tive years in the third United
States artillery, and Ave years in the United
States marines.
We are accustomed to the stories of desert.
ers respecting the bad food, no pay, democrat
ization, and sickness in southern regiments.
The men who came to us are all STABILITY
clothed in faded gray shoddy, and do not look
as if they had lived over and above we'll
They escaped by stealing row boat, rowing
down the creek from Middleton three miles
through picket guards, and seized the schoon
er which was lying at anchor in the sound
loaded with irewOod. The deserters do not
know anything about the lebel forces at other
points. From other sources, however, we
nave intelligence (such as it isl that General
Qate governor) Wise Of Virginia, is at Mays
Head ton the coast near Roanoke Islandl with
five thousand men, and that there are seven
thousand rebels on the island Reports of this
kind are immaterial, coming as they do from
deserters or runaway negroes. But niorma-
ton like the following is important, because it
is strictly correct. Thus, when tue deSerIers
were asked yesterday, "Do the rebels know
what points the expedition intends to attacz e"
the answer was promptly Yes, tour points,
Roanoke Island, NewDern, Washington, and
Weldon"
While every correspondent attached to the
division has carefully retrained from sending
this information north, and while the officers
OF the expedition, excepting, perhaps, those
who are very near the brigadier general com
manding, were entirely ignorant OF the pro-
gramme, 1t Is known even to the drum boys in
the rebel regiments And they have known
1t tor fortnight past; at places, too, compar.
auyely remote from the points to he attacked
and which are not making spe cial preparations
to defend themselves-ony regiment or two
remaining in occupation. The ease and the
rapldity with which orders are conveyed, from
Tie war department, almost simultaneously to
the generals of our divisions and to the rebels
generally are a direct contradiction of the
charges made so freely by the press, that de-
partments are dilatory in the transaction OF
business. 1t is impossible that the rebels
should have known so correctly the designs of
this expedition, unless they had received the
information from those who had access to the
official sources; and those who have watched
the extracts from southern papers, republished
in New York during the past month, must be
aware OF the superior means the southern
press has for obtaining trustworthy intorma-
ton, when the positive statements of northern
and Washington papers, as to the movements
oil our forces, are so frequently incorrect.
while the "eonjectures" merely of the rebel
journals are so often verified.
The Suwanee, which has been detained un.
til to-day, carries mail north, which consists
$50 those who put it up say OF seventy (70)
bushels of letters
1t is understood that Gen. Burnside will first
go to the Marshes, near Roanoke Island, and
anchor his fleet, beginning the attack on the
following morning. The officers say there
will be half days fighting on the water, and
probably battle lasting for two days on the
land. stubborn resistance is expected, but
Gen. Burnside is confident of success. In fact
when our troops are landed with no chance of
retreat by the boats, they will find themselves
in position where they must fight, even at
great odds, and the officers of the expedition
believe that the men will give good account
oil themselves. The Pickett, small boat
will be the flag ship of The squadron during
the battle. General Burnside will be on board
of her. There is a report that an immediate
advance will be made towards Newborn, after
the landing OF our forces, but nothing definite
is known OF the Generals plan of operations
Officers aud men are all eager for the fray.
The citizens of Taunton, England, have
Hra ~