Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-02-07
Operations in North Carolina.

From the Wilmington IN. c. journal, Jan. 2S.
The enemy evidently contemplates stimuli
taneOus advance upon all the lines he has Sc
lected for an attack, and this at a very early
day. Under the impression, perhaps, that
Longstreet has gone TO Tennessee to reinforce
Bragg, thus weakening Lees army, as well
as that the same army has been further weak
ened for the purpose of strengthening our
lines in this state, Gen. Burnside thinks the
time has come for striking the ''rebellion" a
mortal blow on the Rappahannock, and in or
der to make that blow effectual Foster is to
try his hand in North Carolina in the way of
cutting off railroad communication and rails
ing the blockade of Wilmington by capturing
the place. About this Foster expedition; or
these Foster expeditions, there has been
good deal of justification. Either the wealth
er, or trouble in their own camp, or news of
the means provided for their reception at the
different threatened points, has delayed their
movements, perhaps, with the view of
providing additional means of offence to
counterbalance the additional means of de-
fence which they have ascertained to exist.
One or all of these causes may have operated
to prevent their moving as per programme;
or they may have only been making teints, so
far; but we cannot disguise from ourselves
the tact that within few hours sail of Will
mlngtOn, the enemy has the most formidable
combined land and sea force he has yet sent
out against single seaport, numbering over
one. hundred transports, at least two ''MOni-
tors. and possibly other less formidable iron
clads, with some eighteen or twenty heavily
armed wooden vessels of war; the transports
being sufficient to carry twenty five thousand
men at least, while similar force may be
sent overland. This latter proposition, al
though highly probable, is mere conjectural.
May we not, in view of these facts, expect the
enemy's feined movements to be soon changed
into real and formidable attack? Have we
any assurance that the storm, when it does
burst, will not burst upon us? On the con-
trary, have we not every warning to put our
house IN order and be prepared tor whatever
may come, not indulging i'll false security,
because the attack has NOT already come, and
therefore felicitating ourselves with the notion
that it cannot or will not come at all.
We do not say that the formidable prepara-
tons now made or making at Beaufort are GER
tainly designed for the capture OF this place,
or that they may not possibly receive another
direction. They may hare reference to
Charleston, but the appearance Of things Ger
family gives a strong prepOnderance Of freight
to the opinion that indicates this point as at
least their first destination.
No doubt the enemy would much prefer to
get possession of the railroad at Weldon, or
even at Godsboro, but he has found that, with
our troops moving on an interior line, we can
always concentrate sufficient force to repel
him at any point distant from his base of ope-
ration8 and Of transportation, to wit; his
fleets. Hence is rendered probable his attack
on Wilmington, since in such attack he may
expect to receive the assistance of his navy.
The same cooperation of ships or gunboats
will determine the character and direction of
the spring campaign in the southwest, now
that the rivers OF that section are or will soon
be in boatable order. We may expect the en-
envy to make all the use of this arm lie posi-
bly, can during the next three months and a
half, and hence may we look for seaboard at
tacks and river raids.
Let us hope for the best. The night of our
fierce trial draws towards a close, and day is
at hand; but once more, for short time, the
gloom may close in apparently thicker and
more iInpervious than ever. But out of this
darkness will come light, which will grow
brighter and brighter until the perfect day.