Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-10-29
THE s1TUATIoNQAT CHATTANOOGA.
Correspondence Of The NeU York Tribune.

the N0rthf The haners OF pubic oplnionedtors and
correspondents by mail and teegaphseem to be- vany
essayng to grasp by substituting ancies for facts OF
all the stories that have been printed upon the subject not
reflects the exact TRUTH but all reveal less
faulty judgment thoughtless observation wlful mis-
representation. e#
Unquestionably it is neither easy to ascertain wise
to disclose the whole truth in regard to the peculiar stu
alton Of military matters in this quarter at the present
time. When single careless phrase may result in great
public peris and caamities, it is perpexng question
with the writer for the press what to say and what not
1t would, beyond all doubt, be better in the face of the
fact that in and about Chattanooga lies loyal army
enveoped by the largest host obeying the commands Of
the rebel Government and hence still 10 critical posi-
ton, if allusion revelation whatever was made
through the Northern press to the present condition
prospect of the Army of the Cumberland But to mislead
the loyal public il relation to it is certainly less mis-
chevous than to describe the realities and possibilities of
the situation without While do not propose to
crice public interests by doing the latter shall not
hssae to destroy Of the deusions that appear to
prevail in the North in connec ton with this subject
1t is true has been announced by the General COM
handing and echoed through the land the object for the
possession of which the third campaign of the Army
Cumberland against Braggs forces undertaken is in
our hands. We hold Chattanooga at present. What re-
mains now to be seen is, ohether hold eTma-
aeny Over three weeks this object of contention has
been the resting point of the army that struggled
successfully for it's undsturbed occupancy the banks Of
the Chckamauga For nearly three weeks have the vic
tors in that obstinate and sangunay cObct held it in
close embrace Precious weeks they were aud we'll inn
proved The numerical difference betwte the contestants
for the prize has been equazed with the artificial strength
added to the natural defensive capacity of the locality by
the uninterrupted construction Of Notifications The work
of mparBg by organization cohesion to aud
revivng the somewhat broken spirits of the shattered
ranks OF the defenders has also been carried out great
extent The enemy had not ventured serious demorsta
ton against our position.
Nevertheless no man of common and reflection
that has famiazed himself by personal observation with
the geographical characteristics of this part the theatre
of war, and knows the offensive and defensive capacities
of our forces as to numbers and supplies will take upon
himself to say that there is positive absolute certainty
of our retaining possession of Chattanooga The cam.
pagn commenced with the crossing Of the Tennessee river
is not over Ga the contrary 1T is just in it's most
critical and decisive stage When the army tod on the
south bank of the Tennessee more certain that
Chattanooga would fall into its hands than it is now that
will be able to hold it; and this not because the enemy
overwhelmingly superior in numbers that they may be
able to in another great trial of arms be-
cause they have it 10 their to dsodge by other
means than that Of greater strength.
have already demonstrated in former letters that
while Chattanooga is srategically important point it is
not safe To hold securely involves the necessity
Of holding the Tennessee river for fifty miles to the right
and lett Of it, As army had crossed at Bsle
font Stevenson and Bridgeport it was virtually master
of the place For the reason, when was forced
back into it, after the battles of the 10Th and Goth umo
the question to hold it rested upon its ability not so much
to repe attack from the front retain con oil of the
river below There not force enough at the command
of Gen. Rosecrans protect all the ords and roads lead
ing from the south bank to his depots aud lines Of
munication on and along the river Hence his principal
danger was the contingency of flank movement by
tached column Of the enemy the route that be
took to leave Chattanooga With the arrival Of reinforce
mens that danger passed away The failure of the enemy
to make the movement affords good evidence only
their off nsve strength greatly weakened in the bat
Ties but also that it really never was as far superior az
ported
The most direct danger in view Of the temporary state
Of partial dissolution oil the army was of course front
attack The few days delay of the enemy in closing
with around the town. gave us time to avert il with the
axe, pick aud shovel But although checked an as
saut by infantry we powerless to the dam
threatening from their artillery. That with Mission
airy Ridge and Lookout Mountain their possession they
The latter effectively against us, they amply
proved by their csnnOuade on the 5th the word
effectively although they did little actual damage at
the tme for their proectles l into camps all along
ne and it must be the veriest tyro war that will
assert that by TRIPPING their guns, which they have it
doubtless in their power to do they could not by
nonsde of week, annoy and damage beyond endur-
1t would be the first instance the history Of
Of large army Of unshetered troops maintaining its
stion under proracted and heavy artillery fire. That
the enemy have yet abstaned from subectng us to
trial than the 9th is mystery that am not
able to solve
still other ways left open to the enemy draw us out of
Chattanooga From Chattanooga to Knoxville the dis
lance s one hundred and ten miles That this long line
cannot be successfully guarded against attempt to cross
the Tennessee in force either by Gen kotecrans Gen
Burnside is evident fanking movement to our right
H. already stated longer practicable for the enemy
But there nothing to prevent TO left in tho
mentioned direction until to-day Since midnight the very
gates of heaven to be opened and the pour
ing down in ncessan the roads be not rem
dered mpractcabe by it will in all proba bity the
hundred and twenty pontoons the enemy have built
Chickanauga Station put to before long somewhere
between here and Knoxville. IL would certainly be the
beet move they could make 1t would give their army
the benefit Of the crops Of the rich valley OF the
Tennessee 1t would throw it between Rosecrans and
Burnside and compel the latter to beat hasty retreat
to Kentucky to escape annhlaton. And lastly il would
force this army to abandon Chattanooga and hunt up the
enemy for battle north OF the Tennessee.
last element Of uncertainty the duration OF our
occupation of Chattanooga s formed by precarous
lines of communication We have had three bridges across
the Tennessee Two Of these rendered mpractica
BILE by the rise week ago, and had to be removed
The other again used until this morning when the
danger its being carried away by the great rise now to
removal The third built during last week and al.
fords the only Of communication with the north
bank That il is insufficient for our immense trans
ton need hardly say.
Again the roads to evens0n our supply depot are 30
rugged that hauling suciency Of supplies over them ia
attended with difficulties the character OF which only those
can conceive who have passed them. The present
the river is rendered unsafe by rnQ from
the south bank.
IL natural for the enemy to attempt to cut the long
thread Of raroads-over three hundred mleshat alone
connects us with the North by diot Of cavalry raids Ii
is to be hoped that cavalry will prevent the mischief
contemplated by the bands Of Wheeler and Forrest now
again loose in Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky
Ii they should succeed in breaking railroad connexions
for any considerable length &c time retrograde
hy our Enrcea canp ha ;dad