Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-11-10
From our own Correspondent.
From East Tennessee.
HEADQUARTERS % BRIGADE,

Attn Division, I'D Army Corps,
Jonesboro, Tennessee, Oct. is, 1863.
DEAR JOURNAL: l last wrote to you
from Knoxville, just on the eve Of
march. Well, we took the march, and
went to London, where we remained two
or three days. London is thirty miles
from Knoxville, on the Tennessee River,
and about sixty miles from Chattanooga.
We all supposed we were going down to
reinforce " Rosey," but such was not to
be our destiny We returned to Knox
vile, and after staying one day we once
more took up our line of march for
Brownsville, Bristol, or amy other"
place. 0nr brigade went by the way of
Rogersville, while Gems. Burnside and
Shackleford, with Col Curtis brigade of
cavalry, and about one brigade of in
fantry, went by way of Greenville. We
pushed on to Rheatown, eight miles above
Greenville, with the intention of cutting
off their retreat from Greenville, while
Shacklefcrd, with Curtis brigade, moved
on to attack and drive them from the
latter place. The rebels fell back from
Greenville before Shackleford got there,
and commenced going through Rheatown
about daylight Sunday morning, October
18th. The greater portion of the brig
ade was about two miles from town, leav-
ing only the 9th Indiana Cavalry to re-
sist their passage through the town
They were too heavy for the gallant 9Th,
and they had to fall back and unite with
the rest of the column. We then ad-
vanced the entire brigade, and about
noon the fighting was very spirited The
rebels were under cammand of Gen.
Williams, and were supposed to be about
| 5000 strong. We drove them before us,
from one position to another, until Gen.
Shackleford arrived with the other brig
ade. We then drove them before US
pell NELL They made four stands that
afternoon, and we fought for over ten
miles, till darkness closed in upon US.
Our loss was about 10 killed; the num-
Der wounded l did not learn. The 9TH
Indiana Cavalry lost of their number.
Carriers brigade lost some few The loss
of the rebels we did not ascertain. The
65th Indiana went into the fight on foot,
and pursued the rebels four miles, until
they were tired out 1 think the Goth
will make as good fighting regiment as
there is in the service We occupied the
battle field on the 18th, and on the 18th
we marched to Watauga River, eight
miles from Brownsville, to which place
the rebels had retreated in force On
the morning of the 18th we moved on to
Brownsville. Carriers brigade was in
sRr1rrsnr1sR6av vt,heX-droye the enemy
ade was then pushed forward, constitut-
ing the right wing, with Col Foster COM
handing, while the other brigade took up
a position on the left wing, with Gen.
Shackleford commanding. The fighting.
until about II o'clock a. NJ, was mostly
with artillery. They had their battery
O. a hill commanding the road leading
70 town. They kept a position on this
hill for long time, until Colvin's Illinois
battery got position commanding their
guns Colvin's battery was directly in
their range, but their shots fell short
about 100 yards, while our battery could
reach them quite easily We soon made
1t too hot for them, and they were
forced to, retire. They fell back the
other side of town, and planted their
battery just where it was when we
lad the fight some three or four weeks
ago, Of which gave YOU an account in
my last letter After we fought them
for while, they finally gave way, and
retreated in great disorder Our loss
was one or two killed and lew wound
/ ed We intended next morning to ad
vance on Zollicoffer, but they fell back
during the night We then advanced on
Bristol, but when we arrived there, we
/ found that their rear guard had just gone
through town. We pushed on for !
miles and had some slight skirmishing
with them
Bristol is partly in Tennessee and part
ly IN Virginia Thus, you see, we clear
ed East Tennessee of Rebels, and in
truded upon the sacred soil" of Virgin
Ia (Please don't tell any butternuts
about this, for they will say that we
ought to have asked permission of Jeff
Davis to enter the State.)
On the 10th we fell back towards
I Bristol. and went to destroying the
rai.r.'ai, tearing up the track, burning
bril- md other vandal acts. Your
corresp,as at helped to set bridge on
fire, and had the satisfaction of seeing it