Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-02-21
NEWS FROM THE WAR, sc.
GENERAL HOOKER.

GENERAL HOOKER.
letter from ''near Falmouth" published
in the Boston Journal says:-"Of course
something must be said about General Hook
er, and really he appears to be the right man
i'll the right place Confident himself that
lie can command success, he is gradually in
spring the officers and men with the belief
that they must act in obedience to his COM
mands, and the business-l like manner in which
die Is advancing lire men over the sef-pre
serving strategsts, shows that he means sac-
ton, always action His selection of General
Butterfeld rather than a West Pointer to
head his staff, shows that he intends to follow
the example OF Napoleon, who developed mil
ltary talent, and rewarded good conduct by
promotion. In few short years. or rather
months, the French threw out from its ranks
MaSSena, Murat, Jourdan, Soult Lannes.
Augereau, Bessieres, Kellerman Lefevre
Ney, Mortier, Luchet, Burne, Victor. and
multitude of others, little if at all inferior to
these celebrated commanders nor can it be
doubted, that had it not have been for the
West Point incubus, the army of the Potomac
would have furnished men not less calculated
to lead its brigadeS to victory. Already the
idea is becoming prevalent here, that dead
qcood is to be Topped, and that soldiers only
will command soldiers, under lighting joe
General and field officers who have kept out
Of fire, begin to think their vacations gone
while ambitious sergeants look forward to the
fights in which they will earn their shoulder
straps.
The Providence journal publishes the an
neXed extract from letter dated Feb 10,
written from the ninth army corps, by an Of
fcer of superior intelligence Hooker is
leyeling all opposition that meets him. |
Inv,
months as | hear now. The great grumblers,
"a and -, have left; numerous smaller
fry have been kicked one side; this has made
the 'hoi polio (the prvates) careful. If
burnside had only ruled with a rod of iron,
he would have succeeded far better. There
is nothing so good for semi-secessiOnists as
wholesome punishment. Part of our army
has gone gone south. | hope one corps, at
least, will be sent to Rosecrans. We shall
then have men enough to whip any force the
rebels will bring against u.s."
GETTING wHIsKEY UNDER DIFFICULTIES.
A correspondent of the New Haven Courier,
writing in camp near Fredericksburg, says ::
"Any officer holding a commission can buy of
the brigade commiSsary one canteen full at a
time-price % cents-provided he is posted
on the formula. The application must be
made in the form of petition, asking per-
mission to purchase and pay cash for it. After
subscribing his full name and satisfying him
self that each and every required letter is
dotted and crossed, the applicant hands the
document to the commander of the regiment,
whO-if it is of the required dimensions and
properly tolded-'approveS' it. At this Juno
ture it becomes necessary to buy horse, as the
nextmoye on the programmes made towardth the
briUn1p pnmmaudpr-a distance If about t,Un
miles. Some are fortunate enough to hire Il
horse for this expedition for one dollar per
hour. Arriving at his headquarters, an order
ly uShers you bareheaded into the presence of
the commanding officer, when you trembling
ly pull out your hopes and fears and place
them in his hands. 4 general scrutiny of
manuscript enSues. A minute draft of the
document is noted the genuineness OF auto
graphs canvassed, and the probabilities of
forgery discussed, until one begins to feel like
adetected horse thief, and is only kept wait
ing to learn the exact number of years he is to
beincarcerated. If the signatures of the brigade
commander is obtained, the applicant backs
from the premises, and unless he is a man OF
unusual perseverance he will very likely &c
back to camp discouraged, and with his ambi.
ton tor ''snnle' pretty thoroughly fizzled
out. IL, on the contrary, he is one who
laughs at misfortune and meets difficulties
only to surmount them, he will start off in the
direction last suggested to him, viz the d.
cisioa headquarters, to secure the counter.
sign of the diCiSjoB commander! With.
out this last signature the expedition is
fruitless, and to obtain it requires a Jour.
ney of about three miles. If the general is
in, he will usually grant the request prompt.
ly and if away, he will most always sgr
when he returns at night. After swimming
about in this manner through large portion
of Eastern Virginia, he takes his coll ection o
autographs to the brigade commissary, pays
his twenty-five cent stamp, shoulders his can
teen of whiskey, and returns in triumph t
camp. One OF these expeditions is usually
sufficient to convert a person of ordinary am
bition into an ardent advocate of the Main
law doctrine
ONE OF THE HEROIC WOMEN.
naval command should be bestowed OF
the heroine of this achievement. Among tn
American vessels captured by the pirate Ret
ribution, was the American brigantine j. z
Ellicott Of Bucksport, Me-, A. Deveraux
master. Her officers and crew were take
On board the pirate and placed in irons.
crew was DlaCed on hoard the brio ponsiStin