Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-12-25
NEW SERIES-NO. 1862

The first point reader, puzzled by the
wonderful and diversified stories of Buck
ner's strength, would be apt to ask, j fhsr
could personally question some one from
that region, would be, :. How many men
has Buckner?" Judge Hollingsworth states
that his effective force is between twenty
and twenty-five thousand. AT Hopkinsvills
| there are some three thousand more, and
there is a small force engaged in fortifying
Clarksville, on the Cumberland river. These
constitute the entire column opposing the
advance of our grand army. One the other
line, at Columbus, he places the number at
| not over fifteen or eighteen thousand
The Truth about the indians.
It has been a mooted point whether Buck
ner really has Indians in his army or not.
It has often been asserted en- what was
thought good authority, but secessionits
hare always denounced il as q slander, and
declared that it was only told to excite pref
udice against Buckner, and stimulate Volun-
teering. Judge Hollingsworth sets the mat
ter at rest. He soO the indians on the cars.
going from Memphis to Bowling Green
There were no two or three regiments, how
ever, as the reports have run. How many
there may be he can not tell, but the psrty
he saw going up could not have numbered
over 800.
Fight at Bowling Green.
Judge Holdings worth does not agree with
the opinion that has recently been express
ed in some quarters that the rebels, alarm
ed at CUR overwhelming numbers. will not
make stand at Bowling Green. He thinks
that not only the temper of the troops, but
the exigencies Of the situation will compel
Buckner to meet our advancing colu mn
there. He dare not retreat without q bat
tie, beesuse he has nothing to fall back up
on. If Bowling Green is lost, all is lost, and
there is nothing that can resist our march
on Nashville The situation Buckner nov
has is well fortified. Ifhe can successfully
resist our superior numbers anywhere, he
can do it there. To fall back from his for
tifcations would be 10 cor fess hims elf beaten
without battle.
The troops there are eager for fight.
They have suffered great deal, and, in
act, two or three of the regiments are al
most mutinous now, on account of their
lack of clothing, shoes, etc. Whole compa-
nies are destitute Of shoes, and go about
with their feet wrapped up in rags. The
men have been persuaded TO bear this by
the repeated assurances that they should be
don the scene Of their sufferings now, 81
onr advance, without fight, would provoke
ma tiny. The Mississippians and Texans
are particularly indignant at their i'll treat
neut and prolonged inactivity.
PortifieatIons atNashviIe.
There is no place between Bowling Green
and Nashville that admits of defence At
Nashville they are remaking preparations tore
sist the anticipated attack, and the Judge
thinks that If We wait on them till next
year they will probably be able to make a
successful defense. They already have
gangs Of negroes at work throwing up fortis
ioations, but the blacks take it leisurely,
and between their deliberate rate Of move
ment and the natural obstacles the situa-
tion offers to constructing esrthworks, the
progress is very slow. On Capitol Hill 3
few cannon have been mounted, but now
there are no defenses that would more than
momentarily delay our army.
Where the Rebel Supplies Come
Judge II. explains how the rebels at Bowling
Green and Hopkinsvills get their supplies.
The entire region north of the Cumberland
and south Of the Green river is unoccupied
By our troops. Occasionally party Of our
"soouts' is rambling through it, but we
have no established posts of the Green river.
This gives the rebels the range Of come
eight counties, running clear up to the Ohio
river between Henderson and Paducah.
With their large force of cavalry they keep
constantly securing this country, "buying,"
after their fashion of purchase, all the hogs
end cattle they can find, and driving them
at once TO Clarksville, Tennessee. There
they are killed, packed, and forwarded by
rail to Bowling Green. Only last week
large droves of hogs were thus brought
down from Crittenden and Union counties,
bordering on the Ohio river.
Strategetic Point.
Clarksville is regarded by the rebels SIS a
very important point, and they are forify-
ing il with view 10 resist either move
ment down the branch railroad to Memphis,
or up the Cumberland river by its gunbosts
to Nashville. The foriihcations are not
complete yet, but If We wait till they get
IL