Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1862-03-26
OperaIfoux in Tennessee.

tltlC were BAb wv v u illtc OAutl JbiuiS ul
strategic value in that State for the rebels to
defend. Of the first Importance were Knox
vile. in the eastern part of the State, and
Memphis, in the extreme southwestern. The
more Immediately menacsd OF these points
was Memphis. and te the defence Of that
place every rebel energy was turned, and
every rebel soldier who could be spared was
sent. There were but three approaches to
Memphis Immediately available for our ad-
vaEcing forces. Oae OF these was 10y the
Mississippi river from Cairo; another via the
Memphis and Ohio railroad, from the viCini-
ty of Fort Henry, and the third, by our
forces ascending the Tennessee liver to the
southern line of the State. from thence
marching to Corinth, Miss and there taking
the railroad and approaching Memphis il
the rear. The first Of these routes, hat by
the Mississippi, the rebels. after being driven
from Columbus, proceeded to defend by cree
ting earthworks at New Madrid. which they
mounted with a very large number al guns,
snd manned by a force eighit5CE saud sircng:
they also fortified Island No. 10, shOr. dis
lance above the former point, stationed
strong body OF troops there and moreover,
brought to its defence all the available rebel
gunbOa's on the river. aud an iron-clGd float
ing battery; beside these. Notifications were
erected at Randolph aud ether Geiensible
points. To prevent our approach TO Mem
phiS from Fort Henry by The Memphis and
Ohio railroad. the rebels held possession Of
HUMBOLDT on the line Of that road. and of
the town Of jackson, Madison county, TWEEN
" miles north Ct Humboldt. but on the line
OF the Mobile aud Ohio railroad. The latter
position IS naturally good one, and, if pro-
peiIg strengthened, would prevent all ap-
pFoaches to Memphis from the Northeast
Beaur. gard himself assumed the task of for
uiyIng Jack,On, and, 10 make the work still
more perfect, he took counsel OF Bragg. who
came up from Pensacola TO give It. and for
other purposes. The other line OF approach
TO Memphis, that bg the Memphis and
Charleston railroad, running into the city
from the southeast. the rebels guarded By
foTtiiying CoTintb, Miss y and by s!atiOniug
Gen. Sidley Johnston force ct Decatur.
lAia.l-the latter body to menace The rear
Of any National force which might ascend
the Tennessee river, aud from thence attempt
Go march upon Memphis. These various pJ-
>i5ious-New Madrid, Number Ten, Hum
5olit. Jackson. aud COrinih-lOrmeI grand
defensive sem circle guarding Memphis ard
according Il TIC rcCels. block 4 cur arpr0 .cI
IL every direction, except by a long march
through ! kansas. Alter having thus fOrs!-
led every route 10 the menac.d iowa. q
r-! g. -ewsgzpeCs announced is iupTe-na-
a5i--y. and tn citizens @: Aemphis pro-
I'D q 90 wrrE themselves "a 20 = frenzy Of
terror I'D apr heusio1.
IT, tTss route TO the city We have GUN
81 ,p-u : tu-- iv The Mississippi Nv
Naa;.I ,h.ch was tie most f)rEj.sb- ;
IT I-tE-lsG position UG the river, VS. a.
-s.-leG IL b. rear 81 Zen. fCp. last Thurs
j 8 sul ait e- = day fighting the rebels fed
-ra5r g. I--a i'm l',p TrhI Ct rist -. -l-.-i-s
a- III mems. -m-Uut Of ordinance ana var
material usaiuG them. Ga SGrGsT morning
-..-i ne otter o. their TClg.olds IL that
vicinity. Ind 10 10. WAS Cp-n-a: upon Iy
sac -IE boats OF Com. FOote and though. II
-le -ou7 O. cur P--sel; s"Ii.Il-c. W. hUv- I
81 received news OF it, iI4l. i looks S
.Lcuch il could net hold cut og.iu-t be
f.lc- operating against il. I IL should tall.
( ..LG tie q uguCc-Ia-EI ri JlaJ event may
ua teleET aFLeI b. fO-s W. q. to pre- tia
Ni--i-.ipTi route viii be opened az iar down
as Randolph avout forty miles above II n
pl.s- That again j. a strong position, hat
I from there O that city the defensive works
are few and feeble, and we believe thar eve
r. one Of them Is 1T the mercy Of cur nor
tlr feet. Is unlikely. however. that We
| VIII advance for few days, any further than
| No. 10, until forces in another direction are
all ready to CO operate.
IL IEEalu ~ INK lEtIE t-sAtt-t4s btA t4-J
rai!Taid TO the northeast of the city, at Hum
( bo.dt and Jackson, It looks at present as Il
| Beaursgard. Bragg 4 Co, were not to be
directly assailed, but are to be Cu'fanked
I a. thew have lately been 2. 80 many other
/ strongholis.
TIE other route to the city, that by the
Z Tennessee River and the Memphis and
| Charleston Railroad, is the one, apparently,
over which our operations are 10 conducted
{ The telegraph yesterday Informed Us that a
/ fcrmidabIe expedition had assembled the Ter
( nessee River as far as Savannah, Hardin
ccugtv. and had already commenced work
/ in tue direction OF Memphis. The land
| forces were Immanded by Gen. G. F. Smith.
who played such distinguished part IN the
sTaaa Of DynalS01. while under him were such
| Generals as NcCierDand, Wallace, Sherman
/ en- Hur but, who lead 10 uction the veterans
OF the brief but glorious campaign in Ken.
/ lucky and Tennessee. Ga arriving at Sa-
vauuah, q detachment vas a. once dispatch.
/ ID 10 d strOy the railroad bridge at PuTdy,
1 and 10 tear up the track Ct the road which
courccls Humboldt with COTingh. The gun
/ boats. IL was said, then pr0cdeded up the
! river, LrobabIY % clear the way for the ad-
vaEC- Of our troops to the Memphis aud
/ Charleston Railroad When there by de-
; struvfuE the railroad behind them, they can
. pT=vruG pursuit II Sidney JghHsOG's demon
allied mob. while by destroying the railroad
! which connects jackson With the Grand
JUNCTION. they will isolate B=aurrg4ri and
Bragg. and leave their forces in position
. where they can BE captured at our leisure
Memphis itself as probably as well defended
g the position Of the city viii ALLOW; and
/ tie railroads COHvefgiug a! it from the Gull
| S..tcs Lave undoubtedly brought up every
/ rebel soldier whO could possibly be C ere
int So vice. What that foICe may al OIut
to. it is impossible to sag but taking all
! thfcgs into consideration. We judge tia; il
cannot lie over twenty-five ,r thirty .h1u.
! sana IN. i. b..gIe we advauc- Siduev