Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-01-27

thdt SNeHluS, IookIng forward 10 start on
horseback for the scene of operations before
daylight the following morning, About nine
o'clock light ominous pattering was heard
on the convass roof at is rain!" was the
exclamation, and looking out from the tent,
the heavens showed all the signs of a terrible
storm. From that moment we felt that the
winter campaign had ended. 1t was a wild
Walpurgus night, such as Goethe paints in
the Faust while the demons held revel in
the forest of the Broken. All hopes that it
would be a mere shower were presently
blasted. 1t was evident that we were in for
regular northeaster, aid among the toughest
of that rough type. Yet was there hard work
done that fearful night One hundred and
fifty pieces of artillery were to be planted in
the position selected for them by Gen. Hunt,
chief of artillery-a man of rare energy and
OF high order of professional skill. The
pontoons also were drawn down nearer to the
river, but it was dreadful work. the roads,
under the influence of the rain, were becom-
ing shocking; and by daylight, when the
boats should all have been on the banks, ready
to slide down into the water, but fifteen had
been gotten up-not enough for one bridge,
and five were wanted!
The night operations had not escaped the
attention of the wary rebels. Early in the
morning signal gun was fired opposite the
ford, reminding one of that other signal gun
fired by them on the morning of Thursday,
the 18th of December, when we began lay
ing the pontoon opposite Fredericksburg,
and which was the token for the concentra-
ton of the whole force at that point 1t
was indispensable that we should secure all
the advantages of a surprise; and though
our intention was thus blown to their ears
early on Wednesday morning, we were, new
ertheless, fOrty-eight hours ahead of them,
and with favorable conditions should have
been able to carry our position before they
could possibly concentrate.
Accordingly desperate effort was made by
the commanding general to get ready the
bridges. 1t was obvious, however, that, even
if completed, it would be impossible for us, in
the then condition of the ground, to get sin
gle piece of artillery up the opposite declivity.
1t would be necessary to rely wholly upon the
nfantry-indeed wholly on the bayonet. Hap
PLY, if the rebels should prove to be in strong
force, the country is too thickly wooded to adj
nit of much generalship, and it was hoped
that our superior weight of metal would carry
the day.
Early in the forenoon 1 rode up to the head
quarters of Gems. Hooker and Franklin,
about two miles from Banks Ford. The
nights rain had made deplorable havoc with
the roads. The nature of the upper geologic
deposits OF this region affords unequaled ele-
ments for bad roads. The sand makes the
soil pliable, the clay makes it sticky and the
tive together form road out of which, when
it rains, the bottom drops, but which is at the
same time so tenacious, that extrication from
its clutch is all but impossible. The utmost
effort was put forth to get pontoons enough
into position to construct bridge or two.
llnuhlp and trnlp of bOrSac and loc
were harnessed to each pontoon boat. 1t was
in vain Long powerful ropes were then at
tached to the teams and hundred and fifty
men were put to the task on each boat. The
effort was but little more successful. They
would founder through the mire for a few
feet-the gang of Lilliputians with their huge
ribbed Gulliyer-and then give up GREATNESS.
Night arrived but the pontoons could not be
got up. The rebels had discovered what was
up, and the pickets on the opposite bank
called over to ours that they "would come
over tomorrow and hell us build the bridge"
Thursday morning saw the light struggling
through an opaque envelope of mist, and
dawned upon another day of storm and rain.
1t was curious sight presented by the army
as we rode over the ground, miles in extent,
occupied by it. One might fancy some new
geological calaclysm had o'ertaken the world;
and that he saw around him the elemental
wrecks lett by another deuge. An in
describable chaos of pontoons, wagons,
and artillery encountered the road down the
river-suppy wagons upset by the road
side--artillery ''stalled" in the mud-ammu-
milton trains mired by the way. Horses and
mules dropped down dead, exhausted with the
effort to move their loads through the hdeous
medium. hundred and fifty dead animals,
many of them buried in the liquid muck,
were counted in the course of mornings
ride. And the muddle was still further in
creased by the bad arrangements-or rather
the failure to execute the arrangements that
had been made. 1t was designed that Frank
Inns column should advance by one road and
Hooker's by another.
Early this morning the army was ordered
back to its old camping ground, and about
noon the infantry began to pass by these head
quarters. The lads trudged along tired
enough, bnt jolly withal, and disposed to be
quite tacetious over the ''mud campaign"
whose odd experiences will doubtless long
form the theme OF conversation around many
a camp fire.
Thus ends an enterprise which had every
human promise of success, but which has
. been banked and brought to naught by
causes which mortal ken could neither have
foreseen nor prevented. The fatal part play
ed by the elements needs no comment.
Whether this drawback might not hare been
overcome By rigorous effort and hearty coop
GRAFTON on the part Of the military leaders, is
q question much mooted here. There are
those lcho assert that, had 1t not been for the
apathy Of those in high places of military
command, lce might still hare carried the day.
This question, however, is one more fit to be
brought to another bar than that of these col
umnS.