Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-07-11
FR0N MIDDLE TENNESSEE.

degree the States of Mississippi Alabama and Georgia.
FROM MIDDLE TENNESSEE.
Accounts reach US from Middle Tennessee through
the Chattanooga correspondent Of the Atlanta Appeal
to the % instant The following is The Appeals letter
The channels of information from the frontsre most
difficult and uncertain. The Press Association has now
no regular reporter anywhere nearer the army than
Chattanooga aud the press and the pubic Of the South
depend altogether upon the rumors oil passen
gers from Middle Tennessee for information. The
Superintendent of the Associated Press reporters has
Withdrawn Mr.. Butler at the very moment when he is
most needed
The latest information have from the army Of Middle
Tennessee is that Bragg has changed his eute front,
and one wing of the army is thrown round upon Dech
erd parallel with the line Of the railroad The head
quarters of the commander nchief at present at
Decherd. TheHew movement was evidently to guard
against the danger of being fnked as the enemy were
pressing heavily our right ard throwing forward in
that direction large des' Of mounted infantry to
get into Braggs rear and make ds upon the Ma willie
and Chattanooga railroad. 1t has been intimate that
Bragg would perhaps fall back behind the Tennea &c to
prevent these movements.
1t cannot be denied that Bridgeport, in a mili'ary
sense is one Of the best il not the BEST position or
defence in the Confederacy. If Bragg bad only fallen
back to that position months ago. halt his present my
would have been adequate TO hold the enemy in check
and the balance might have been sent TO Gen. Joe Jo u
ston aud render the campaign OF that comandecip
Mississippi certain success As il is, forced 10
the conclusion that Gen. Bragg could not establish
better line Of defence, and in more mpregnabe posi-
ton than at Bridgeport. The Tennessee is no creek
1t is no RlppahannOck, nor even Potomac, but
mighty stream, deep and wide, and across which =
passag &c of an army by bridge, or pontoon or ferry
would be perous in the extreme, with viglant opp
nent watching from the opposite shore.
For the past two or three days this community has
been exercised by most exravagant natu
such as the crossing Of the mountains by numerous and
strong bodies Of Yankee raiders with designs upon
Bridgeport and Chattanooga. General jackson, the
commander of the department, has been vigilal and
energetic The ci izens have held meetings TO organize
for home defence and think we are prepared for an
emergency The cooler headed of the village place III
faith in the of the raid 1t may be true thatthe
Yankees are coming, and 1t may not Such thing Il !
probability less force than three thousand Yankees
would never get back across the country. The naur
position of Chattanoogs, with its surrounding mountains
and rivers and creeks renders the most mpregnabe
and rad proof town OF the South No neWsfrom Brae
up 70 this morning.
correspondent of the Atlanta Intelligencer writing
from Chattanooga, July 8, says:
By mastery strategical retrograde movement, Gen
Bragg has outwitted Rosecrans forcing him to follow
our army across the mountains and leaving his bass
of supplies over seventy FIVE miles in the rear, great
exposed to our cavalry
Our army has fallen back to Bridgeport, with fore.
at Stevenson, at the junction Of the Memphis anc
Charleston road thus protecting Huntsville and prevent
our army being hsnked-a chain Of hills being in our
'front.' aud the river at Bridgeport. only eleven miles
distant, in gu. rear.
Rosecrans has been Joined by Burnsides forces, and
all the troops garrsoning the posts from Louisville to
Nashville.
Our retreat for the last two days has been coEdlctd
with great skill, the enemy following up and skir
mishing having been continuous The enemy holds
Decherd, which gives them Winchester aud Fayette
ville
Every confidence is felt in Gen. Bragg, his present
position giving him great advantages the enemy
Gen. Morgan is in Kentucky With clear road before
him. so that may expect to hear of good news
The Appeals Chattanooga correspondent writes, july
9th, as follows:
The army of Tennessee, now the army of The Tonnes
see is across the river nd the magnificent bridge at
Bridgeport is second time destroyed, behind retreat
ing army The streets of Chattanooga agln resonnd
with the echoing tread of troopers and tn old familiar
Jingle of spurs and rattle of hoofs unreasantly dis
nct. The place is full of soldiers, and almost every
other house had IN respective corps of staff officers
and the hotels are crowded with refugees.
Gen. Bragg is seriously indisposed, and while tempo
rary relieved on this account the army is under the
command of Senior Lieut.. Gen. Polk.
Thus far the retrograde movement has been success
fully managed ana lever straSsers tha usual msrked
the passage over the mountains Considerable loss was
sustained in camp and garrison equpage on the roate.
Wheeers escape from shelbyville, il represented as
having been most m raculous. At one time, shortly
after the Federal dash on the place, the General was
completely surrounded, and by only succession Of bold,
desperate charges through line after line OF the Yankee
cavalry, did he succeed in making his escape Together
Nith lis staff, he was hoty pursued and plupging into
the river with their horses they reached the other bank
amid shower Of bullets
Subsequently, Wheeler's division engaged the enemy
between Alisonia and Cowan, in which he Yankees
were severely punished Some Of the accounts state
when the Yankees crossed the river Elk, our boys liz
terally made the water black with them.
hear nothing this morning of the whereabol s of
Rosecrans but presume be did not follow further than
the foot of the mountain.
Tie military situation is still wrapped in mystery
While the troops, especially the Tennessesns,
what dis ppointed at the withdrawal from Tennessee,
they do not at all seem dis irited.