The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-12-13
DECEMBER 13, 1868.

I 80 NONA - w AOAN e4G NAA1
capped destruction. Unfortunately Fer
gerson's battery Of four guns, belonging
TO Walkers division, was captured. The
horses were in q very bad condition and
unable to keep up with the column, and
hence the disaster. The greater part Of
the men and horses escaped. You will
be astonished TO hear that the horses in
the artillery seryice-ths most important
in the whole arnY-sre most neglected
fact, however, which QuarteFmasters
and even artillerists, seem incapable Of
compromising. The loss Of the battery
occurred soon altar dark, and not far
from RinggOld. The trains were brought
out three miles this side Of Ringgold, aud
the teams fed, while the army occupied
the pass just outside the town. Three
companies Of the 18th South Carolina,
acting as special guard to Ferguson's
battery, were dispersed, and many Of
them taken prisoners.
NovEMBER 27-The trains were now
! put in front and directed to take . left
hand road to Dalton, passing near Ca
toosa Springs. They moved at midnight,
the troops at daylight, following in the
direction of the railroad by Tunnel Hill,
SO IS 10 cover the trains. The roads
were very bad for SEINE miles, the teams
overworked, and suffering for forage and
rest saw . mule lie down when the
harness was removed and go as soundly
to sleep in two minutes IS an infant, and
that while hundreds Of wagons and
thousands of men were marching by
within few PAGES Of where it rested.
Oloberne was now intrusted with the
command Of the rear guard to-day,
Walkers division having been relieved.
The Federal pursuing column, number
ing, it is estimsted, about 10000 men Of
| all arms, assaulted him before be reached
Tunnel Hill. This column consisted Of
picked troops, who moved rapidly and
fought CALAMITY; but Cleburne succeeded
in restraining them whenever he en-
cOuntered them. Bot they were becom
ing quite troublesome; so he ambuscaded
them by concealing his forces, including
his artillery, until the enemy got within
few PAGES OF his guns, when they
poured grape and canister into them with
the most destructive effect. The road
was filed with their dead and wounded.
Our infantry then sprang forward from
their covert on either side Of the road,
and literally moved them down by their
WELL directed shots The enemy fed in
confusion, leaving $50 prisoners and
three flags (the latter taken by the artil
lerists) in our hands, ana nom 1000 to
500 killed and wounded in the road.
The Federals kept at respectful dis
lance from Pat Oleburne after that, and
were five hours marching one mile on cur
track.
A prisoner, taken near Ringgold, re
ports that 0sterhaus, of Sherman's corps,
is in command of the pursuing column.
lie says that Osterhaus crossed the
Chickamauga on hastily constructed
bridge, and that Grant was building .
wide, substantial military bridge st Bed
House Ford, by which to cross over his
whole army, and that he intended TO
make clean sweep Of the Confsderates.
The last achievement the beaten hero Of
Shiloh will find more difficult than be
imsgines. -
The trains had reached Dalton in the |
afternoon, and were parked and the teams |
fed. The troops arrived soon thereafter |
aad went into camps. II was just at this |
point when my frugal meal was being |
prepared, and the first paragraph Of this |
rambling letter was being indited, that
an order came for the trains to move on |
70 Resaca. The roads to this place are |
pretty good, though almost impossible in
some places. Several wagons were lost,
and q good many mules killed on the |
way, not by the enemy, but by the great
holes or CULTS and quagmires in the road.
l saw no pioneer corps with the trains.
The tesmsters were left 10 take care Of
the wagons as best they could. l am
not certain that it would not be an event |
ual berefit if we should some day lose a
! train perhaps the authorities would |
then see the necessity, recognized in all |
other countries, Of organizing an efficient
corps Of engineers, including pioneers,
bridge I'd boat buildirS, etc.
It conlAenced to rain at eleven O'Clock, |
and by day it was pouring down in tor
rents. The roads, already heavy enough, |
now became indescribAbly bad. II was
. horrid night. Bot q poor woman, the |
mother Of ten children, her husband and
oldest son in the army, gave me shelter
at one o'clock, fire TO dry myself by,
and bedGto rest upon, not forgetting .
bundle Of fodder for my horse. A dozen
others attracted by the cheering light
seen through her window, applied for
admittance, and room was foand for all
in that humble cabin. God bless that
good woman and shield her husband and
L.. 81 fho haNAia haId
The light in her window Was not hid
under bushel. Alssl how the poor do
shame us by their charities
1t is now three o'clock, and the army
has not yet come up. The rain will
probably stop the pursuit Of the enemy,
at least for the present unless his well
organized pioneer corps enables him TO
keep il up. Our future line will probably
rest upon the COosa and its eastern
tributaries.
But in conclusion. The bctGe Of Mia
sion Ridge was = great misfortune, not on
account Of the loss Of men, which was
inconsiderabIe, nor the loss Of territory,
which was far more serious, but chiefly
on account Of the loss Of the moral
strength and confidence Of the army and
the country.
Let rs not, then, add 10 our calamity
by beginning . war Of abuse and con-
demnation against the chief Of the beaten
army or the head Of the Government.
Let as rather strive 70 reEnimste the
hopes of the people and the army, brisg
fJrward all our strength and pray that
heaven will yet give Us the final victory.
In few days l shall prepare q review Of
the whole campaign in Northern Georgia,
beginning with the evacuation Of Chat
tanOoga, In Ser tember, and closing With
the present retreat; and, while / shall
not gloss over the errors Of any one,
shall be able 10 show that General Bragg
has had most difficult task 10 perform
that be behaved with unsurpassed cour-
age on the field, and that. IL be has been
unfortuuats, be has also been devoted 10
the cause. SALLUsr.
The London Times has long and fa-
yorable notice Of Mr.. HawthOsns's work,
/ aOay ola Uoue0 Il oDana fhea.