Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-01-15

correspondence Of lne Boston traveller.
BATON RoUGE, Dec. 27.-To-morrow comes
Gen. Augur to take command of our expedi-
ton. Banks will doubtless take the field him
s9lf as soon as the sugar specializing regime
is fairly settled. Gen. Currier Grover has at
present, command here. He is native of
Maine and a very thorough officer. He is
bringing the whole army under fine discipline
especially where it is homogeneous, consisting
of three years and nine months men, of yeter-
ans and raw recruits, of Yankees and north
western and Louisiana troops, of blacks and
whites; one regiment composed almost en-
tirely of convicts liberated from the state pris-
on here last August; another, not spoken of
in comparison with the last, but to show what
Gen. Grover has to deal with, is the sixth New
York, alias Billy Wilson's pet lambs. War
is grand leveler.
In an expedition yesterday by McGee's
Massachusetts cavalry, a batch of guerrillas,
led by a noted chief, Cassal, and a rebel brig
adler general, who refuses to give his name
were taken. This Cassal has been taken
twice before; once he took the oath of aliegi-
ance and was liberated, and the next time was
sharp enough to take himself off; but it is sin
cerey hoped he may not again go without his
just reward, rope and a moose.
Reports from Port Hudson justify the belief
that the enemy are very strongly fortified
there their earthworks are planned with sci
enti6c skill, and they have c0ntrabands num-
berless, almost, to execute plans. For a mile
on the river are heavy redoubts, thanked by
breastworks and rifle pits running inland to a
bayou and swamp, quite impossible. We
shall soon try the efficiency of our gunboats
again. The enemy are much more afraid of
them than of our legions. From Vicksburg
we have rumors of all kinds-good, bad and
Notwithstanding, however, reliable. The
river must rise before anything can be
done. 1t is now at its very lowest point,
but the month of January always brings it up.
dreary rain last night gives us foretasto
of the coming month. Rain, at all times I'M
pleasant, is in camp disagreeable. Your tent
is old, and transportation has made holes in
it, sparks have burned holes in it, rain has
rotted holes in it, bayonets have thrust holes
in it, and if an interval remains, shot and
shell and ball have made their holes in it. Sit
one way to write, he feels his back cool, puts
his hand there and finds small stream trick
ling down; moves, and a little shower bursts
over his newly written page. If he has been
in camp long, swears and moves again; this
time he sets his feet in mud puddle, and in
his haste to extricate them, puts his nice let
ter to his dear girl in an inch deep pond on
the table. Perhaps it is not provoking
try it.
But wind always comes with rain, and from
the time in which the memory of man runs
not back, wind has been variable. So is the
wind still, and as is the wind so is the smoke
inyour tent-where the water runs down your
back or over your paper, its smoke in your
eyes.
ga smoky house is bad enough; leaky
tent is worse" &c. Worse still, your contra
band is sure to be sick if it rains and as wood
Is cut or stolen, o misery-mud a little less
than knee deep, wood of your neighbor TWEEN
ty rods off, ak dull, hands wet and unused to
the business; When you at last get little
bundle nearly embodied in vour arms. Won
dropped it in the mud, and have brought it in
your tent, tits too late; the last spark is out.
Then-well a man must have just entered the
army and have been christian of forty years
standing-or Pm very sure he'd swear-some.
At night-Pd rather not speak of it-Tm
afraid, having to turn out six times last night