Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-10-15
INTERCEPTED LETTERS.

The annexed official letters from the ins;lr-
Gent Gen. Beauregard Were captured by Gen.
Buell. a few weeks since, while being transmit
Ted Tor file TO Brig Gen. Thos. Jordan. Assistant
AClutant General of the rebel army at Chatta-
nooga, Tennessee. They have been withheld
10y the General-ln-C Chief until the alarm that
their publication might have created has passed
away, our forces having been effectively con-
centrated 10 meet the demonstrations recently
made in pursuance of this plan:
Gen. Bedureqdrd to Adj't Genl Coopsr
tConfidentiall MOBILE, (Ala.,) Sept ), i62
General: Under the supposition that on the
restoration Of my health i would be returned
TO the command of Department No. =, had pre-
pared, whilst at Bladin, (Ala.,) plan of opera
lions in Tennessee and Kentucky, based on my
knowledge of that part of the theatre Of war
But, hearing that my Just expectations are to be
disappointed, have the honor to commune ate
IL TO the War department, in the hope that il
may be OF service TO our arms and to our cause.
1t was submitted by me to Gen. Bragg on the
I'd instant.
By looking at the map it will be seen that the
forces operating in that section of country will
be separated at first by one river (the Tennes-
Cumberland); hence they will be unable to sup
port each other, being unprovided with pom
toon trains; but their operations must be- more
or less dependent on or connected with each
will first refer to those in East Tennessee,
and then to those west of it.
In the first case ssour objective points, must
be, first Louisville, and then Cincinnati. How
best 10 reach them from Chattanooga, with Buell.
Al Huntsville and Stevenson, is the question
Ii is evident he has the advantage Of two bases
OF operations-the Cumberland and Tennessee
rirers-and that if advance towards our
collective points without getting rid of him,
we would expose our lines Of communication
with Chattanooga. We must, then, give him
battle first, or compel him to retire before u.s.
Should he retire on Nashville las the newspa.
pers say he is now dong, we win be advancing
towards Louisville; but, should he venture on
FLORENCE or Savannah TO unite his forces with
Rosecrans or Grant, we will have TO concen-
trate enough OF our forces from Middle and
East Tennessee TO follow him rapidly and de-
feat him in a great battle, when would be
able 10 resume our march as before indicated.
We must, however, as soon as practicable,
construct strong works TO command the Ten
nessee and Cumberland rivers, for otherwise
our communications would be cut off by the
enemy as soon as these two rivers shall have
risen sufficiently 10 admit the entrance Of their
gunboats and transports. The best position for
said works is about forty miles below Forts
Donelson and Henry. not far from Eddyville:
where these two rivers come within one-and "a
half miles of each other. i am informed there
is at that point commanding elevation where
a strong field work could be- constructed for a
garrison of about $3.50 or 5000 men, who could
hold ont with ample provisions and ammmi-
tio NJ against large army. Under>the guns of
this work, and along the bank of each river, a
series OF batteries armed with the heaviest
guns &, 9, and 10-inch, and rified guns) could
be constructed, bearing directly on distractions
placed in each of said rivers.
When Louisville shall have fallen into Our
possession would construct work there for
the command OF the Ohio and the canal: and /
would destroy the latter as soon as possible. so
completely that future travellers would hardly
know where il was. This would do as a re-
turn for the Yankee vandalism in 'attempting
TO obsruct forever the harbors OF Charleston
and Savannah.
A detachment Of our army could. I think.
take Louisville, W hile the main body would be
marching 10 Cincinnati; but if we could get
boats enough it would be shorter to go up the
Ohio III them.
10 keep the command of Cincinnati, would |
construct strong work, heavily armed, atCov-
ington.
Now for the operations in Western Tennessee. !
The object there should be 10 drive the enemy /
from there and resume the command Of the 1
Mississippi river.
For these purposes l would concentrate ra- !
pldly. at Grand Junction, Prices army and all 4
that could be spared from Vicksburg Of Van Z
Dorn's From there i would make forced =
march 10 Fort Pillow, which j would take /
with probably only n small loss. IL is evident |
the forces at Memphis and Tazoo river would |
then have their line OF communication by the !
river with the north cut of; and they would /