Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-05-11
The War News.

A
Gen. Hooker's army, or part of it, had re-
crossed the Rappahannock. These dispatches
will be found on our first page this morning.
They came from New York and Philadelphia;
and in the latter city the news was fully cred
tied. 1t is noticeable, however, that the au-
thority for these reports is not given very
clearly, and that there is no sufficient
warrant for believing them implicitly.
In fact, they belong to the class of
very plausible but doubtful news re-
ports. We cannot dsprove them, and yet
we doubt their correctness, or, at least, the
correctness of that portion of them which an
nounces the capture of Richmond.
Within the last week, it has been possible
to take Richmond, which appears to have
been left almost detenceless, all the available
troops there having been sent to Lee. A por-
ton of Stoneman's cavalry went within the
city limits and found the defences deserted
Men who have arrived from Richmond since
the raid of our cavalry, state that the guard
at the prisons was composed of citizens who
managed their arms like novices. 1t is be-
heved, and it seems true, that the city might
have been captured easily at that time.
Therefore it is now very easy to believe re-
ports which state that it has been captured.
Strong wishes and ardent feelings hasten to
confirm the news without looking carefully
for all the reasons necessary to justify belief.
Perhaps Richmond has been captured. We
hona nd have full
ance of the fact we shall be ready to
participate in any demonstrations of joy,
no matter how loud or eXtravagant they
may be. The Philadelphans appear to
have had joyful time Saturday night.
They believed the news. We believe that
Richmond might have been captured, last
week, by single resolute brigade of Union
soldiers perhaps we ought to believe that
it has been captured; perhaps the next re-
ports from fortress Monroe will confirm the
stirring reports which we now treat as doubt
full.
There is something afoot in Gen. Dix's de-
partment. Troops have been sent there from
Washington. Our dispatches say so, and we
believe it for other reasons which assure us
that it is true. A letter from the fortress,
dated May It'll, says, 'the most important
movements are on foot now, and in the course
of being carried out and when completed will
be of the most vital Importance to the army of
the Potomac in defeating and crushing the
rebel hosts. What these movements are is
not for the public to know at present, as on
their secresy our success uepenus. But the
plan is deep laid and well conned over, and
cannot well fail
A letter from fortress Monroe states that
the rebel general Longstreet began the move
ment of his troops from Suffolk to Richmond
on the 9Oth of April. A large part Of his
force was near Charlottesville on Saturday
morning, May 2, the day Of the first battle.
Of course he passed over the railroad before
General Stoneman's cavalry destroyed it.
This circumstance indicates that the reb-
els had some notice or strong expec-
tation that Gen. Hooker was about to cross
the river and attack Lee. 1t was evident, as
soon as the fighting began, on Saturday, that
Lees army had been heavily reinforced, but
no one could tell from what quarter the rein
forcements had come. One report said they
came from North Carolina; another that they
came from Lynchburg. 1t is likely that some
rebel troops were sent from Lynchburg, Rich
mond, and, perhaps, from North Carolina;
but most of those sent to Lees aid came from
near Suffolk, under Longstreet. If Stone
man had destroyed the railroad week ear
lier, as he might have done, Lee would have
been deprived of such aid.
Our news from the southwest is of the most
cheering character. The army under Gen.
Grant has quit the ditch-digging strategy, and
withdrawn from its attempts to circumvent
'Vlcksburg by forcing passage through the
bayous. The Yazoo river, defended by rebel
Notifications, has made it impossible for Gen.
Grant to flank the rebels at Vicksbnrg on
that side. He has now gone below, captured
Grand Gulf and Port Gibson, and planned an
attack on Vicksburg from that direction.
When last heard from, he had sent 1900 pris-
oners to Milliken's Bend, and was in the rear
of Vicksburg, within twenty miles of Jack
son. He had defeated large force of the
rebels.
The capture of Grand Gulf is one of the
most important successes of the war. 1t will
undoubtedly lead to the capture of Wick sburg,
for the rebels will find it impossible to hold
the place, and they cannot march out and
give battle with any hope Of success. More
over they will find it extremely difficult to run
away. They can not 60 up or down the river;
and the railroad between them and the inte-
rior of Mississippi has been destroyed by our
cavalry under Col. Grierson, who has accom-
plished one of the most daring, extensive, and
successful cavalry raids that has been heard
of since the war began. He appears to have
traversed the whole state of Mississippi and
done immense mischief to the rebels. He
started from the northern part of the state,
and, when last heard from, was at Summit,
near the Louisiana line. Whether he would
JON 0eh' Grant or go to Baton Rouge was
not certain
CoL' NELSON A. MILES of the 61st New
iork regiment was not ''fataly woundedo in
the recent battles, as the disno,obo;, A.
though severely wounded he is doino vol
He passed through this city, last satnrda,, 49,
his way to his fathers residence in oi'