Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-01-13
GMutttster Daily Spy,
NEWS FROM THE WAR.

AN OPINION FROM "THE BEECHEs."
The New York Times has venerable cor
respondent, evidently one that has heretofore
been prominently connected with public af-
fairs, who, occasionally, writes letters from
''the Beeches." These letters show earnest
patriotism and unusual sagacity. In a recent
letter he says 1.-THE war has continued
longer than thought, or do think necessary,
if we had the craftsmanship and military mind
which assumed to exist. Why? There are
several reasons 1Chy. In the first place, the
military mind Of the country-either in the
Union or rebel armies-is by no means us
great and efficient as we supposed. There
have been several popular decisions on this
subject. Everybody took it for granted that
West Point conld furnish all the military
mind But there is one thing West Point can
not furnish-that is, military genius. There
is another thing it cannot furnish 1t cannot
furnish that wide, comprehensive mind which
grasps the clements and resources of the
country. 1t is said that when General
Lee was at Frederick he was hunting
and inquirng for a map of Maryland!
Now, Lee is a Virginian, and before he enter
ed Maryland he should have known every
road, creek, and hill in the state. Take an
Ian did not want another regiment of.cavary!
Why, such a man knows nothing of his coun-
try and its elements. Cavalry is the very
thing we need most. Who surprised and cap
tured brigade of our men at Huntsville? A
column of five thousand cavalry, who rushed
by all the pickets and then dsmounted. The
only counterpart to these things, in that re-
gion, is Kennetts cavalry-which the rebels
say. is the only cavalry they have seen in our
army Kennett is soldier and gentleman,
whom | commend to the notice of the coun-
try.
''Another of our military mistakes is to i'm
agine that every man who served in Mexico
is fit to be general There is no sort of an
alogy between service in the Mexican warand
service in this rebellion. There is not man
among those Mexican officers who will fight
as Heron and Blunt did the other day in Ar.
kansas. BY the way, that battle of Prairie
Grove will do toput in history. Those Iowa
and Wisconsin regiments which charged
Ilindman'S batteries, shonld have a wreath
OF glory. There is a military mind some
where in the country, and if we fight long
enough it will be brought out"
THE FIGHTING AT vIcKsBURG.
A letter to the St. Louis Democrat says -
"Gcn Sherman en- Sunday drove therebels be-
lOIS illuij WIZ lilIOuii llldiltSuNeTCu us
if they were too weak to dispute our advance,
and especially TO assume the offensive They
fought fiercely, but as ifunable to cope with
our massed columns, and everywhere gave
ground. On Sunday we drove the rebels one
mile and a half, took possession Of their outer
works, capturing nine spiked guns. Early
on Monday, General Sherman attacked their
central line of defense with great impetuosi-
ty. The enemy, as usual, gave ground, and
three regiments, including the fourth Iowa,
succeeded in getting within tho works drove
so - nj theII IiA0 nits and stormed
their main battery. But our troops had hard
ly gained possession here before the enemy,
strongly reinforced with massed columns,
at least ten regiments strong, charged head
hong upon them. Our boys manfully MAIN
tanned their position tor some time, auXiously
awaiting reinforcement from IIovey's COM
mand, which had been ordered by Gen. Steele
to their aid. But it appears that Gen. Hovey
could not get there, and our handful of brave
soldiers were literally crushed beneath the
massed columns of the rebels, and driven
from the ground they had SO bravely won,
acith fearful slaughter. This information L
received from the son of the late Colonel
Wyman of the 18th Illinois, who came from
the battle field bearing his fathers corpse
''Col. Wyman was shot early in the battle
on Sunday afternoon, while leading his men
to an attack on the enemyS works. He was
shot by skirmisher, who carried an English
rifle that shoots round ball with great accu-
racy and tremendous momentum. | exam
ined the ball. 1t is round, weighing about a
half ounce. The ball passed through his body,
near to his heart. He lived nearly two hours
After he received his death wound the 18th
Illinois seemed to be thrown into confusion,
and the lieutenant colonel, Gorgas, seemed
for moment paralyzed. Al this juucture
Col Wyman raised himself erect, and in car-
ion tones shouted, For Gods sake, Co..
GOrg0S, go forWaYd.' 1t acted like magic
upon the lieutenant colonel, officers, and
men,. Col. GorgaS, with fiery energy flushed
to the head Of his regiment, gave the word
forward, and with shout the brave column
rushed into the cloud where death and car
mage were holding their grand carnival"
WONT BULGE AN INCH.
A letter from Murireesboro giving an ac-
count of the first days fighting when john
sons and Davis divisions were driven back,
tells how splendidly Rosecrans came to the
rescue and saved the day, and how General
Rousseau finally vowed he wouldn't retreat
another inch. AS Rosecrans rode to the
scene of disaster, the letter says -
''Sweeping rapidly across the front a flight
of minnie balls struck in the midst of the cav
alcade. Ono of them struck Col Garesche's
charger fairly in the nostril, and punctured
it as cleany as any ringed-nosed Durham
bull you ever saw at fair. The fiery animal
flung his nose at the sting, scattering his blood
upon his master. 'Ah! hit, Garesche I? quoth
the general. My horse,' was the laconic re-
spouse, and the gallant rider, whose airness
had excited the admiration of the army,
pushed swiftly onward. A drop of blood
tiercely thrown away by the wounded horse,
crimsoned the cheek of the general, and an
hour later it gave rise to exquisite apprehen-
sions. Some one who saw the blood, fancied
it was wound, and it was rumored through
out camp that the general was hurt. Some
of the staff, who had been sent away with or
ders, ransacked the field and hospital to find
him. After an hours torment, he was dis
covered, as usual, in the fore front of the bat
tie. EXpostulation was in vain. His only
reply was 'this battle must be won"
'Rousseau, one fthe most magnificent men
on the field, with the port of Ajax, and the fire
of Achilles-no wonder his gallant lads
adore him-did not fancy his retrograde
movement. The regulars, 10th, 10th, 18th,
and 18th, under Col. Shepherd on his right,
liked it no better. Youthful Beatty, (3d O.,
commanding the 18th brigade and Scribner,
with the 9th, were also in ill-humor about it,
Init haly f,ri flor dphOmoI-