Year: 1863




HEADouARrERs ARMY OF THE PoroNAC,


Saturday, January "a, 1863


To-day we bring unwolcomc hdings from
the Army Of the Potomac. The grand
movement which was to have given a
great aud mortal blow to the enemy has
failed, and has been abandoned Not for
lack OF skill in planniug not for want of
untiring labor and execution; but for the
failure OF fortune to smile upon us and CO.
operate in our undertaking. The elements
have fought against us and have triumphcd
The heavens have trowned upon the effort
aud the wind and storm have been fighting
upon the side of the enemy. Ali immense
army, good Generals, an abundance of the
best artillery, plentiful supplies, bridges,
telegraphs, and all the appurtenances of u
thoroughly furnished army were rendered,
by two days continued rain, unable either
to march against the enemy or Immediately
to return to the position they occupied be-
fore 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
forty eight hours rain.


Yet, however unfortunate tho present sit





il might have been far more inauspicious
than it is at present The movemment was
originally ordered to commence on Sunday.
Had the crossing been successfully accom-
plished at that time, as il doubtless might
have been, the position of the army would
have been far moro critical than it is at pres
ent Had the storm which has visited us
on the north bank of the Rappahannock, and
nrAVnptnH nj nj
ter we had been thoroughly established
upon the other side of the river, we should
have been unable to vancouver our artillery,
furnish the army with supplies, or advance
against tho enemy. Fortunate for us that
the storm commenced before and not after
tho crossing of tho river.


| shall be unable TO convey an adequate
Impression Of tho disorgani2ing effect of
the recent rain. Everything is thrown
into the most complete confusion. Tho
roads are no longer the channels of c9umu-
nication, and the luggage wagons sock to
avoid them and pass through the fields
and oven there the soil gives away, and
terra .fJ'md becomes quagmire under your
feet. The wagons sink i'll to the aXletrees,
and the horses slump and founder in the
mud. Twenty stout horses have been re-
peatedly seen in fiat open plain tnggng
and pulling Mt u single l2-pounder field
piece. An officer of the pontoon train to-
day Informed me that one hundred and
fifty men had been employed i'll pulling 1t
the ropes of II single wagon to draw it
through the mud, into which it had been
sunk by its own weight. One has only to
ride a half mile in it to lose much of his
confidence in mother eal tn. 1t is a strange
and unpleasant sensation for ono to ride
for several miles and find his horse contn-
ually sinking to the knee, not knowing but
the next step would find both beast and
rider fioundorinS in n slough of deSpond
from which he would gladly escape like
Bunyan's Neighhor Pliable, hut unfortu-
nately there is no solid ground to retreat
to. All along the road are to be seen nearly
buried III the mud horses which have fallen
and were left there, unable to rise or to he
extricated. The inelegant but truthful ex-
preston of the inhabitants in regard to the
soil is, that ii is rotten.


Unable to supply the army with rations
in tho usual way, details of men were sent
to Falmouth, some on foot and some on
horseback to bring hard bread to their COM
panions.


The most of the infantry have returned to
their old encampments. The regiments
still near the point where Hooker and Frank
lin were to cross will doubtless remain to
repair the roads, or to build new ones of
logs, so that the artillery and baggage wag
ons may return with them. Should a sud
den advent of cold weather freeze the soil
again, the movement may be effected with
out the construction OF corduroy roads.
There is however danger in that case that
many artillery, pontoon, or baggage wagons
may be 50 firmly frozen in the ground as
to give great difficulty in moving them.
Precautions have been taken with some of
the pontOOn wagons to draw them out of
the mud, and, by placing poles under the
wheels, to prevent them 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 ut loast had strong suspicion
that Banks Ford was the designated locality.


"What is that large pile of earth i'll the
center OF your rifle pits said one of our
men to one of the enemy.


That is lighthouse replied the
Rebel.


why don't you light it up?" interro.
gated the Yankee.


Well light up for you as soon as yo"
to put your boats across here,
retorted the gray-back.


Other remarks of the enemy's pickets
show that they were doubtless aware of
the intention. A large accession had beeh
also made to the forces Of the enemy before
We had remained two days in the position.


The whistle of their locomotives for a
day and night showed that the activity of
the enemy was bent upon some fresh move.
ment. 1t was thought that their troops
were being conveyed from Bowling Green,
where large number had been quarterod
in comfortable barracks.


Whatever regret or oonsure may be felt
or uttered because month or more of
weather unsurpassed for campaigning has
been spent in idleness, there can he no just
blame imputed to any one for the failure of
the present movement. No plan could
have been better, and certainly at no time
have all hands worked more assiduously
and energetically in carrying forward the
work. The engineers have constructed the
roads with the greatest secresy and most
untirng diligence. Two thousand engi-
neers have repeatedly been laboring all the
night in silence, so near to the enemy that
their conversation could be beard as they
sat at their game of cards around their
picket fires. Having finished their digging,
their work las been carefully hidden by
bushes and leaves, and renewed again uPon
the following night. The engineers de-
serve much praise and no blame in con.
nection with this movement.


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