The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-01-31


From Special Cores a often Y. Tribuae.l
llEApouARr A. ~ OF ms TorogAc,
satur lay, Jan. - 1858
To-day we bring unwelcome tidings
from the Army Of the Potomac. The
grand movement which was to have given
a great and mortal blow" to the enemy
has failed, and has been abandoned.
Not for lack of skill in planning; not
for want of untiring labor and energy in
execution but for the failure of fortune
TO smile upon US aud cooperate in our
undertaking. The elements have fought
against us and have triumphed The
heavens have frowned upon the effort,
and the wind and storm have been fight
ing upon the side of the enemy. An i'm
mense army, good Generals, an album
dance of the best artillery, plentiful sup.
plies, bridges, telsgraphs, and all the
appurtenances of thoroughly furnished
army were rendered, by two days Of con-
tinued rain, unable either to march
against the enemy or immediately TO re-
turn TO the position they occupied before
the advance was commenced. Even
while six miles only from their railroad
communications, they were scarcely able
TO receive their supplies, so impossible
for wagons had the roads become during
the 48 hours rain.
Yet, however unfortunate the presen
situation, we have at least the satisfac-
ton that it might have been far more in.
suspicious than it is a, present. The
movement was originally ordered 10
commence on Sunday. Had the crossing
been successfully accomplished at that
time, as it doubtless might have been,
the position of the army would have been
far more critical than il is at present
Had the storm which has visited upon
the north bank Of the Rappahannock and
prevented the crossing, Overtaken us af-
ter we had been thoroughly established
upon the other side of the river, we should
have been unable 70 mouOnuver our artil-
lery, furnish the army with supplies, or
advance against the enemy. Fortunate
for US that the storm commenced before
and not after the crossing OF the river.
| shall be unable TO convey an ado
quate impression Of the designating
effect of the recent rain. Every thing is
| thrown into the most complete confusion.
| The roads are no longer channels Of
communication, and the luggage wagons
kand artillery seek to avoid them and pass
through the fields, and even there the
soil gives way, and terra tiJpd becomes a
| quagmirs under your feet. The wagons
sink in to tho axletrees, and the horses
slump and founder in the mud. Twenty
stout horses have beeen repeatedly seen
in Hat open plain Juggling and pulling
at single 12.pounder field piece. An
officer of the pontoon train to-day in
formed me that one hundred and fifty
men had been employed in pulling at the
ropes Of q single wagon TO draw it through
the mud, into which ii had sunk by its
own weight. One has only to ride half
mile in il TO lose much of his conf
d0nce in mother earth. 1t is a strange
and unpleasant sensation for one TO ride
for several miles and find his horse con-
tinually sinking TO the knee, not knowing
but the next step will find both beast and
rider Laundering in a slough of despond
from which he would gladly escape like
Bunyan's Neighbor Pliable, but unfortu-
nately there is no solid ground to retreat
10. All along tho road are to be seen,
nearly buried IN the mud, horses which
have fallen and were left there, unable TO
rise or to be extricated. The inelegant
but truthful expression Of the inhabitants
in regard to the soil is, thai it is rotten.
Unable to supply the army with ra-
tons in the usual way, details Of men
were sent to Falmuuth, some on foot and
some on horse back to bring hard bread
to their companions.
The most Of the infantry have re-
turned to their old encampments. The
regiments still near the point where
Hooker and Franklin were TO cross will
doubtless remain TO repair the roads, OF
10 build new ones of logs, so that the
artillery and baggage wagons may re-
turn with them. Should a sudden advent
Of cold weather freeze the soil again, the
movement may be effected without the
construction of corduroy roads. There
is, however danger in that case that
many an artillery, pontoon, or baggage
wagons may be so firmly frozen in the
ground as TO give great difficulty in mo-
wing them. Precautions have been taker
with some of the pontoon wagons tC
draw them out Of the mud, and, by pla.
eiug poles under the wheels, prevent then
from sinking again.
The enemy had doubtless became
aware of the intended point of crossing
Remarks of their pickets upon the other
side, show that they at least had I
strong suspicion that Banks's Ford wal
the designated locality.
"What is that large pile of earth il
the center Of your rife pits" said one
Of our own men to one of tie enemy.
'That is lighthouse" replied tn,
Rebel
"Why don't you light it up" inter
rogated the Yankee.
, "We'll light up for you as soon a
you undertake to put your boats across
! here" retorted the grAyback.
Other remarks of the enemys picket
show that they were doubtless aware 0
the intention. A large accession hat
been also made 10 the forces Of the enc
my before we had remained two days il
the position.
The whistle Of their locomotives for a
day and night showed that the activity
4 of the enemy was bent upon some fresl
movement II was thought that thei
troops were being conveyed from Bow
ling Green, where a large number hat
been quartered in comfortable barracks
= Whatever regret or censure may b,
felt or uttered because a month and nor,
Of weather unsurpassed for campaipnin.
. has been spent in idlensss, there can b,
no just blame imputed TO any one for Oh,
failure OF the present movement N,
plan could have been better, and Ger,
tainly at no time have all hands worke,
more assiduously and energetically il