, 1863-09-21
Chicago @ribu1rt.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER Fl, 1858.
TIE GREAT BATTLE.

AA% A44NEAAAAAAE VI AAE Ek4el6 Ill xENEl H.
fairs, the zeal with which they have been
:uassing all their available forces in that
quarter, give to the situation in Northern
Georgia an importance surpassed by none
In the history Of this Tar thus far. The
great battle has begun. Our Washington
special states from Rosecrans' official bull
1etin, that fighting commenced on Friday.
The later and more circumstantia1 report
IRON Crawtish Springs, on Saturday even
ing, announces that there had been seven
hours ofve1y severe infantry fighting On
that day, with va1ying fortunes, and no
decisive result attainod. The battle was
TO be resumed yesterday. The engage
1nent was confined chiefly to musketry
firing, from the nature Of the locality,
being level and giving no commanding
cminenecs, and, besides, being thicNy
ovcrgrown with small timber For this
cause, il is stated, the artillery bore only
small part in the days work. The list Of
casualties, as far as reported, gives
many wounded in proportion to
the number killed. Among the
former is Col. Bradley Of this city, Acting
Brigadicr General. The rebels made the
attack in force. Hill, Polk. Johntson and
Longetrect were all there. The whole
Zine seems to have been engaged, and the
enemy strove desperately to carry their
point Of getting between Rosccrans and
Chattanooga. They were foiled in the
first days work. It is too early to write
OF the prospects. It is too late in the his
tory Of this war to fight battle with ink,
at the time it is being fought on the
field We cap only hope and cherish an
abiding confidence in Gen. Rosecrans and
his noble army! II he and they carry the
day, The coup dc grace is given to this infa.
NOUS rebellion. The last grand rebel army
will have been defeated. The Gulf States
1ic open and entered upon, and the old
1'ag, On its way southwark, will soon be
REFLECTED in the waters Of the Gulf It is
certain destruction to the Coufederacv to
1e beaten below Chattanooga, and We
1ore and believe their hour is near.
1t is not pleasant TO contemplate what
we have staked on the result: Ha repulse
ryertalies us, East Tennessee must iney-
5tably wait yet another while for her day Of
redemption, and thewave Of war will surge
back toward Murfrecsboro and Nashville.
The rebels hare a great object to achieve
in driving Burnside out Of East Tennes-
see, as the possession Of that section gives
Cur General base from whence to oper-
ste against the very heart Of the Confed-
eracy. and severs the great Southwestern
artery leading from Richmond through
Virginia and East Tennessee into Georgia,
Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and
Texas. The possession Of East Tennessee
is highly important to the Federals. and
<ita1 to the rebels. Hence we look for a
desperate effort On the part Of the enemy
to wrench it from U.s. It is more than
One hundred miles from Knoxville,
Burnside's headquarters, to Chattanooga,
52osecrans' headquarters. The wings Of
each army may communicate, but are too
lar apart to give each other much support
Our Louisville dispatch states that Ill is
quiet ut Knoxville. It's probable that the
rebels are concentrating thur whole force
against Rosecrans. It will be desperate
struggle, probably one Of the most desper
ate of the war. The whole country will
;urn with a feverish interest to catch the
first details Of yesterdays fighting. Avic-
tori there will I'LL the land with rejoicing.
Southern Unionists and loyal men Of the
North will be jnbilant for the rebellion
4yill writhe in death agony. God grant it
may 50 prove.
LArEn.-At one o'clock, this tMonday)
morning, dispatch comes to hand, from
Louisville, announcing that our army,
under Rosecrans, has been badly beaten
in the battle Of yesterday, and has retreat
ed to Chattanooga. The telegraph gives
7,s no particulars Of the disaster.