Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-12-05
From Gen. Hallecks Report
The Army in VIrginia-Its Strength and
fS TVeakneSS

mOntnS, that While our soldiers have general
ly fought with bravery, and gained many i'm
portant battles, these victories have not pro-
duced the usual results. In many instances
the defeated foe was not followed from the
battle field, and even where pursuit was
attempted it almost invariably failed to effect
the capture or destruction of any part of the
retreating army. This is a matter which re-
qulres serious and careful consideration. A
victorious army is supposed to be in a cond-
ton to pursue its defeated foe with advantage,
and during such pursuit, to do him serious, if
not fatal, injury. This result has usually
been attained in other countries Is there
any reason why it should not be expected in
this! 1t is easily understood that in a coun-
try like that between Yorktown and Rich
mond, or the thickly wooded swamps of Mis-
sissippl and Louisiana, that retreating force,
by telling trees across the roads and des-
troylng bridges over deep and marshy
streams, can eventually prevent any rapid
pursuit. The one, in a few minutes, blocks
up or destroys roads, which the other cannot
clear or repair tor hours, or even days. The
pursuer has very little hope of overtakng his
| flying foe. But this reasoning is not appca-
BILE to Maryland, and the greater part of Vir-
ginia, Kentucky and Middle Tennessee. 1t
must be admitted that to these theatres of war
the rebel armies have exhibited much more
mobility and activity than our own. Not on
ly do they out-march us, both in advance and
retreat, but on two memorable occasions
their cavalry have made with impunity the
entire circuit of the army of the Potomac. If
it be true that the success of an army depends
upon its EARNS andits legs" ours has shown
itself deficient in the latter of these essential
requisites.
This defect has been attributed to our enor-
nous baggage and supply trains, and to a want
of training in marches. There is no doubt
that the baggage trains of our armies have
been excessively large. Every possible effort
has been made within the last weeks to reduce
them. But this is no easy task. Once ac-
customed to a certain amount of transporta-
ton, an army is unwilling to do without the
Injuries which it supplies in the field. BY
the recent increase of the army ration, which
was previously larger than in any other coun-
try, considerable amount of transportation
is employed in moving provisions and sup
plies which are not necessary for the subsst-
ence of the soldiers.
An examination of the returns of the quar-
termaster general, few days since, develop
ed the fact that the army of the Potomac, in
Guiding the troops around Washington, most
of which are without field trains, had "a, 900
animals, and that 5000 of these were employ
ed in transporting ambuances and hospital
stores. In addition to all this the roads,
streets, and wharves are encountered with
private vehicles used for the transportation of
suffers stores. No matter how large the
main body of the army may be, it can never
move rapidly with such a mass of impede
ments, and yet speculative projects are al
most daily urged on the war department to in
crease the immobility of our armies in the
field.
Again, our troops, especially those in the
east, have been very little accustomed to the
march, at least to that kind of marching usu-
ally required by active operations in the field.
Absenteeisp Is one of the most serious evils
in all our armies. Hundreds of officers and
thousands of men are almost continually alb
sent from their commands. Many of these
are really stragglers and deserters. In re-
gard to officers, the evil is being abated by
summary dsmisSals, and if the law could be
stringently enforced against the men it would
soon put an end to assertions. But Struggling
on the march and in battle can be prevented
only by severe and summary punishment in
ncted on the spot. III this and many other
important particulars, our military laws re-
quire revision and amendment. They are
mostly enacted for a small army and for times
ofpeace, and are unsuited to the government
OF the army we now have, and the war in which
we are now engaged.
Our Forces i'm south CarOILna-CoI. Hig-
ginsOn's Arrival-GOOd Works by GEN.
SaxtOn.
Correspondence of the n. Y. Tribune.
BEAUFORT, Nov. 28.-''The brave cham
pions of liberty" in South Carolina, soldiers,
superintendents, and teachers, doubtless are
receiving the deep and heartfelt sympathy of
friends at home for the deprivations and trials
to which they are subjected in this land so re-
Gently redeemed from "a horrible and awful
and still held under the terrible dispensations
of war. But, friends, we are getting used to
it; spare your tears.
We have ''crisis' at least every twenty
four hours. Ten days since the steamers
Darlington and Ben De Ford went out with
two companies of South Carolina volunteers
to forage along the coast. They returned sue
cesstul, with so much excellent pine lumber,
saw-mill saws, &C., that it astonished our
clerks and wise men out of all mathematical
calculation, and they figured 1000 worth
up to $l25,OOO in less than no time Never
mind The colored soldiers fought well-that
is everywhere admitted.
Then came news of Gen. Hunters appoint
ment. Was there not Joy among us? Next
arrived the colonel of the South Carolina vol
unteers. more than nine days wonder in
any other country than this, that man so
brilliant should put himself at the head of a
negro regiment always pronouncing the
word negro as if spelled with two g's). Some
OF us did not wonder. Some of us thanked
God, in the depth of our hearts, that s.the
hour and the man" had come. The negroes
need men to lead them and men and women
to teach them-not tops and imbeciles, nor yet
spectators, who, unable (for want of capaci-
ty) to earn three hundred year at an honest
calling, have decided to commit Il worse than
theft upon the country by offering colored
regiment and 'making sacrifice of them
selves" at thousand or two a year. Colonel
Higginson stayed not one day in the city. lie
landed in the morning, and at eve was with
his regiment Under his hand the work will
be well done.
Thanksgiving went on grandly, whites and
blacks, citizens and soldiers, entering into the
festivities of the occasion with great gusto.
There were religious meetings on the planta-
tions and in the towns, dinners and suppers,
short rides, social gatherings, balls and frol-
les, and more of the latter than could be de-
sired. General SaXton and staff spent the
morning at the Pope plantation, and attended
service at the Baptist church, which is in the
central part of the same island. There was
gathered from one to three thousand people,
to give thanks for freedom. Oh, it was a
great day for all. The colored sung their
ownhymns, and then joined with teachers and
superintendent in singing:
Our country, tits of thee,
Sweet land of liberty.
1t is now country, indeed, to them. A
NJ 1