Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-12-18
WOrtester Daily Spy
The War News.

day before they were relieved by the arrival
of Gen, Sherman and the retreat OF Long
street,
81 have chance to send a letter. but
whether it will get through or not, is more
than Fcan tell. Johnny Reb has got us cut
off from all communication, but now and then
party undertake to 90 round to the Gap,
but they don't take many things with them
We have been having some exciting times
here, snd l suppose you have heard all sorts
of yarns about us, but don't believe only
what is favorable for us. Almost all Of the
Union men left the city, and made their way
for Kentucky, when the rebS marched on to
the city the stores were closed, and things
began TO look as if we were going to skedad-
die, but still we are here. bought pair of
boots for $i2 that they asked me $50 for,
week before.
We had splendid sight here one night.
Our picket line was just outside OF the city,
and they had orders, if they were driven in,
to set fire TO the buildings, so that the rebel
sharpshooters couldn't use them. They were
driven in, and for about mile you could see
nothing but burning buildings | got on the
roof of one of the highest buildings in the
city, and had a most splendid view. On clear
days with a glass we can see the rebs busy at
work digging. We had grand laugh, one
day, 10 see Johnny skedaddle. He was plant
ing battery so as to throw some shells into
the city, and was hard at work in getting his
piece into position. When he had got it there
one of our batteries had the impudence to fire
a solid shot at it, which struck the axle; and
the way that gun went whirling in the air
was a caution. We then fired few shells,
and johnny skeaddled, and gave up all idea
of keeping battery IN that place.
Last Sunday morning the rebs made des-
perate charge on Benjamin'u battery. We
just moved them down with grape. Long
street told them they could take it in one
charge, aud that they might have all they
wanted in Knoxville. They made three
charges, and desperate, too, they were, but it
was of no use-they were badly whipped
They lost brigade of men, killed. wounded,
aud taken prisoners. The ground was flled
up it'll the dead rebs. Our company are
hard-looking set. The nights are tremendous
cold, and having no overcoats, it is rather
hard On us.
THE WAR BALANCE.
A writer in the New York Evening Post
says it cost him considerable labor to CON
dense the following exhibit of military results
from the long and sometimes not wholly clear
report Of Gen. Halleck =
During the year our losses were:
Killed ...........,.lO,O79 IGuns.............. 40
Missing. 2O,6U Small arms....... $40
Wounded .........5l,7lS
And 1896 men reported under the heads of
sour LOSSES" CHILLED and wounded" or kill
ed, wounded and missing"
Our captures were;
Golors.......... 81 Boats l5s
Guns.............. 265 HorseS..............1,17 5
Small arms. ...... .44oZ9
Besides in place "large stores,' in an
other Cartridges" and in another in the Ian
guage of Gen Grant EARNS and munitions
of war for an army of 10000 men,"
From This it appears that our loss during
the year IN killed, wounded and missing was
81, 7703aar.
If the rebels' killed and wounded. of which
we have no account in this report, bear the
same proportion to prisoners thas ours does
their loss during the year must have been
enormous, reaching to over 100000 men"
ADMIRAL WILKES REBUKED.
1t is reported that admiral Wilkes is very
FESTIVE under the rebuke administered TO him
by the secretary of the navy, on the score of
his preventing the capture of the Alabama by
detaining the Vanderbilt in the West Indies.
The admiral is preparing letter to the sec
rotary in vindcation of his conduct. We
shall be interested IN seeing the process by
which he escapes the responsibility which the
written orders from the department appear to
cast upon him.
DISTRESS AT CHARLESTON.
Letters received ! Washington, Wednes-
day, from an officer of the blockadng fleet off
Charleston, says that the shells from Gil
more's batteries on Morris Island are thrown
into the western suburbs of Charleston, and,
by the aid of glass, the locality and effecto
their explosion are easily dscerned. Desert
ers say that the city is almost Abandoned but
few persons except soldiers remaining in the
place. The stores are all closed and the
goods removed. The Mills House, one of the
principal there, has already been struck
three times by our shells. The house, in con-
sequence, has been closed. Divine services
in the churches was suspended some weeks
since. The poorer classes, who have been
driven out of their houses by our fire, have
erected temporary habitationS three or four
miles back Of the city, to escape its coming
DOOM. Destitution prevails. Half rations
are issued daily to the poor by the rebel
commissaries.
OUR PRISONERS IN RICHMOND.
The Washington correspondent of the New
York Times says an effort is being made to
give to Gen. Butler full authority to negot-
ate the exchange of our prisoners now Ian
gushing in Richmond. Its understood here
that he has expressed his willingness to un.
deftake it, and his confidence in his ability to
erect IL. IL Is, moreover, understood tidt he
will he acceptable to the Richmond author-
ties as a negotiator, and that they will be dis
posed 30 treat on the basis of considering all
our captured negro soldiers not claimed as
slaves by their owners on the same footing as
our white soldiers
GEN, MC'CLELLAN's REPORT.
The report of Gen. Mcclellan, which is
now in the hands of the printer, blames the
war department for the il-success of his Pc
ninsuia campaign. He says, had he received
the proper reinfOrcementS at the proper time
he would have captured Richmond. He Is
reticent about his failure to follow up Lees
demoralized army after the battle at Antictam.
1t is understood that he censures Hooker for
his night at Williamsburg, and that other Off
GERS, whose testimony before the war commit
tee damaged his reputation as a military com
ma neer, receive their distributye share of
condemnation.
THE DEATH OF A CHRISTIAN HERO.
Gen. N. b. Sanders, who was wounded in
one Of the late battles in East Tennessee. and
died soon after, was Kentuckian, who grad
uated at West Point in 1856. He was wound
ed in a close hand-to-hand fight with the enc
my. After his wound had been examined the
general asked, "Tell me, doctor, il my wound
is mortal" The doctor replied, SANDERS, it
is a fearful wound, and mortal. | am very
sorry to say it, my dear fellow, but the odds
are against you" The general calmly re-
piled, "Well, | am not afraid to die; 1 have
made up my mind upon that subject. l have
done my duty, and have served my country
,r-o1l 7 nn,lI Il, ~