Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-11-02
FROM THE ARMY. OF TENNESSEE.
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF TIE WMGl
Army OF TENNESSEE,

ton of the weather, which, after Dlessng the army VIZ"
two days of almost warmth, has suddenly prov
ed recreant to it's fair prdMise and now tOrments us
with cold, searching North wind which recalls the
severest hours of winter
Our troops, provided most o. them are with but
single blanket rise from restless Sumbers all unreshed
and the day lsgs YEARLY around the camp fires The
woods disappearing rapidly before the thousand axes
AT work, and in little while barren hisdes and de-
nuded fields will greet the vision OF the observer An
army is great gotymdHd and wherever it rests, the
nobea forests and tdest pastures fade from sight
in the capacious swallow of the satisfied monster
We are much better of however, than our antago-
mist opposite All the prisoners and deserters concur
10 the statement that not only regards ratOns, but
warmth, the Federas are the verge Of suffering,
Around Chattanooga there little or no hreFood on
this side Of the river and they have been compelled to
have recourse the railroad ties rs dernier resort
few weeks more, perhaps days, and the l.st vesge
of that essent al adjunct to soldiers life wood, will
have disappeared The army will then be forced to rely
upon the forests in the rear OF Chattanooga the OPP
posite side of the Tennessee, and to draw thererom
evert stick consumed. How much this simpleitem may
affect the issue of the campaign considering the teach-
cry of the river in every RAIN the instability OF the
bridges and the employment OF the wagon trains in
provisioning the army is question not to be forgotten
in discussing the position aud intentions OF the enemy
The attitude of the Feierals remains unchanged.
There are various SaoAt that strong reinforce
mens have arrived at Chattanooga, but none Of them
have been confirmed by concurrent testimony. Indeed
upless Rosecrsuz anticipates attack from US,
templates an attack upon us-and his sagacity and our
A add In hia
sent numbers would be futile II more than probable
that the several corps on their way to cooperate with
him. will take their poitiOs in another portion oil the
vast field Of campaign which the next spring will open
His tanks and require TO be protected and various
strategic points and lines of operation to be seized and
held before he can again assume the offensive
1.-THE great art of war" says Napoleon, in his peculiar
and lucid STYLE Consists in knowing how to separate
in order to subsist and how to concentrate TO fight
The Federal General has already shown tendency to
de- concentration 10 the movements preceding the bat
tie of Chckamsug4. The present. status Of the enemy
with corps here and corps there, and corps in
another place, still indicates that such ia bis favorite
idea Relying upon the various lines of railroad for
rapdity of transportation when the eliminating point OF
the campaign arrives he hopes until then to mask his
designs in puzzlng from the ken of the Confede
rate commanders. Whether in the inal hour Of his
need, these helps will be at hAndwhetber with NapO
leon-ke Skill he combine his forces at the moment
most valuable aud the eveement Of the struggle
remains to be decided.
Uuquestionaby the campaign about to open will be
the most important of the war; not alone regards the
vast interests at stake in the protection of Georgia and
her sister States, but in respect of the magnitude
of the field, the number of forces engaged,
the strategica combinations that will result, and the
general military interest involved IL will resemble the
grand campaigns of Europe, in which detached armies
were moved ike men upon chess board, to accomplish
the one single object of the game and foe The first time
in the war the great battle that will result may if vic
tory for u.s. exert decisive influence upon the question
a, ISSUE II successful We shall the last pow
erfnl concentration Of forces the enemy bring
against u.s. Rosecrana, with his reinforcements from
Grant and Meade, represent the bone and snew of
our ot-srcken antagonist and total defeat of these
is the total overthrow Of the principal clement Of oppo
sition with which contend
Time and sober judgment having eficed the traces
of disappointment that followed upon the heels of our
recent victory because its advantages we're not pursued
the sentiment of the army appears to have subsidized
into the belief that Gen. Bragg did all under the cir
cumstances that lay iu his power While men foresee
with regret the wonderful political results of the battle
cf Chckamsuga that eludGd our grasp, they now re-
cognize the fact that had demorazed the entire
Federal army-tbe right well as the left-Ee could
not with our lack of transportation and army material
have pursued the retreating columns than two
or bree days march beyond Chattanooga Indeed, it
IL already doubted whether Rosecrans having retired
from the field e4rly on Sunday and organized rear
GUARD to occupy the Notifications in front and
then erected and thus the passage of the river
We could have made headway beyond our present posi-
ton without an immense sacrifice Of liie
Chattanooga was a fortified base like Arlington
Heights, and unless the Federal army was something
more than demoralized-for instance, stricken with
panio-a few bravo madniug the works would
have as easily held pursuing column in CHI ok then
now. But night was at hand the orders of Bragg had
not been fully carried out; three fur valuable hours
we're lost in ideness in the morning, aud little more
NAMED to be DONE but to occupy the field and advance
our 'front.'
The mere possession of Chattanooga could have added
little to our strength and are already enjoying all
the benefits which would pertain to the occupation
We should have been sheed out in six hours from the
opposite bils.
AT this moment the Federals paying three times
the amount of expenses attending campaign which
would have been involved had driven them back to
their original ine-even to Nashville ITSELF This, how
ever, ia not the point in question. Money with the
Yankees is drug--cOst nothing Could we have pur-
sued the enemy to distance that would have compen
sated@ for the venture? We could not. Aud this
being the case, uuquestiOnably better off as an
army, with railroad at hands than if twenty, thirty or
fifty miles distant aud dependent during the winter
wagon transportation.
During the last three days the enemys batteries have
shelled Lookout Mountain more t6an usual. Whatever
appears in sight is fred at unceremOniOusy. -Four balls
were put through "Gravcn House" half way up to the