The Portland daily press., 1863-11-25
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Portland Daily Press.
FROM CHATTANOOGA.
Rebels Rating Back to ChicLo-
manga Station.
A GREAT BATTLE INEVITABLE.
Successful Reconnaissance by the Fourth
Army Corps.
CAPTURE OF REBEL RIFLE PITS.
Capture Of Two Hundred Rebel Prisoners.
Federal Troops Gained Position Of Great
Importance.
CAPTURE OF REBEL RIFLE PITS.
Federal Troops Gained a Position of Great
Importance.

CINCINNATI, Nov. 24
No further news has yet been received from
Gen. Burnside. Cannonading is still heard
great battle is anticipated between the
forces of Gen. Grant and Bragg to- day.
The Commercial has special dispatch,
dated Chattanooga, Nov. 23d, which SAYS
"Deserters last night reported that the rebels
were falling back to Chickamauga Station
Their artillery has been withdrawn from our
'front.' The whole rebel army is apparently in
retreat.
IA reconnaissance this afternoon reveals that
the enemy are apparently In force between us
and Missionary Ridge.
Seen. Wood, in charging up Orchard Ridge,
carried the rifle pits under severe musketry
and artillery fire, taking 200 rebel prisoners.
We now hold all the high ground this side OF
Missionary Ridge. Our troops are IL line of
battle, and will lie on their arms tonight.
Hard fighting is inevitable"
WASHINGTON, Nov "a.
The Star of this evening has the following
account of brilliant preliminary movement
by Maj. Gen. Thomas:
Chattanooga, Nov. 2}.-The reconnaissance
in force made by Gen. Thomas has been COM
pleted in the most brilliant and successful
manner. The troops employed were the divis-
ions Of Gems. Woods and Sheridan of the 4th
army corps, under the direction of Gen Gran
SSi. 4hC oAySCb vi tuG uOftIitul WIS nOt
only to ascertain the strength of the enemy
but to occupy two big knobs in front of our
left, half way between our lines and Mission
airy Ridge. The principal attack was made
by Gen. Hazens brigade, commanded by that
General, supported on the left by Gen. Will
locks brigade and on the right by the-whole
division Of Gen. Sheridan. The entire field
was distinctly visible from Fort Wood, on the
front of which Gen. Hazen's line OF battle was
formed and as the WHOLE army was under arms
with Gen. Towards corps formed in solid
column as areserve to the attacking force, the
spectacle was one of magnillcence.
The field being commanded by the heavy
guns of the fort, only one battery was taken
into action This was planted on an elevated
knoll, on the centre Of which Sherdans line of
battle was formed before the order to advance
was given. The troops moved out OF their
positson just before one O'Clock in the after
noon and remained in line three-quarters of an
hour in full view of the enemy. At last every
thing being ready Gen. Granger gave orders
to advance, and Gems. HaZen and Wiocks
pushed out, simultaneously. The first shot
was fired at two in the afternoon, and in five
minutes the lines of Gen. Hazen were hotly
engaged, while the artillery of Fort Wood and
Gen. Thomas were opened on the rebel rifle
pits and the camps behind the line of battle
The practice Of our gunners was splendid. the
camps and batteries of the enemy being about
mile and three-quarters distant, but our fire
ELECTED no reply, and it was soon evident that
the rebels had no heavy artillery in that part
of their Entertainments at least Our troops
rapidly advancing as If on parade, occupied
the knobs upon which they were directed at
twenty minutes past two. Ten minutes later
Willocks, driving across an open field, carried
their rfle-pits in his front, whose occupants
fed as they fired their last voley and General
Sheridan, moving through the forest that
stretched before him, drove in the enemy's
pickets and halted his advance, i'm obedience
TO orders. on reaching the rife-pit, where the
rebel force was awaiting his attack. No such
attack was made, however, the design being to
recover the heights on our left but not to as
sault the rebel works.
We have taken about 200 prisoners, cap
tured mostly from the Alabama troops, and
have gained position of great Importance.
Should the rebels still attempt to hold
Chattanooga Valley, with these heights in our
possession, a column moving to turn Mission
airy Ridge is secure from flank artillery. The
rebels fired their small cannon only during
the affair.