Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-11-05

Our Army correspondence.

has also been ordered away from Us; and, al
though our nex commander il not a stranger. YET
he il an officer With whom We have much to
learn The honor. the reputation and the victo
ries gained by the Army OF the Cumberland have
given il a prestige that i interwoven With the
de.tinies Of the officers and men sho composed
IL. and Who conducted il TO the eminent popularity
IL can boast; remove the principal OF them. and
the result must necessarily be afeeble represents
ton Of that power which carried so much terror
TO the rebel hosts and their cause.
The 2uth and 2lst army corps have figured
largely and performed their parts well and faith
fully in the campaigns of the Army Of the West;
they have maintained an honorable position as
the chief constituents Of that army that never
was defeated from the first. Now they are no
more. Like many brave men Who formerly
sweled their ranks. they have fallen whilst brave
ly battling for their country's rights. The bri
gades of which your readers have heard so much
will greet YOU no more; the new organic ition ha-
swallow ed them by detail; their prestige has been
divided into many parts and distributed; 20 that
their future operations can only reach YOU from
the stranger detachments with which they are
now compelled TO serve.
There is much of III feeling among officers and
men here against that unfortunate correspondent
Of the Herald, Mr. Shanks His report indeed
in very bad taste. Running away from the
battle field, as he did, uumindiul OF the changes
which might occur at any moment, altering
thereby the whole aspect Of affairs. was an act
very discreditalle to any man. much more TO one
who was about t0N.ve the elements of popularity
or censure of good men to the world. He must
evidently have confined his observations TO the
of the army altogether. where nothing but
confusion and tumuItuous excitement usually
prevails. The rear OF a retreaing army contains
the elements of Generalization seldom felt or
known in the front. even when an enraged enemy
presses upon il The supernumeriries. the non
combattants-al,hough they may all be brave
enough. as Shanks no doubt was not 10 confess
their fears, vet their chief anxieties to avoid
danger, and the first slightest intimation of it
impresses them with the necessity to seek shelter.
which they will instantly perfurm regardless OF
all system. rules. thereby adding to the gener-
al confusion an irresistible impulse sweeping
everything before it, Mr.. Shanks must have
found himself in that position in the Army OF the
Cumberland which. unaccustomed to retrograde
movements, might have been attended with more
confusion than the emergencies OF the case really
authorized and "a the molly throng of wounded
men, teams and teimsters loose horses, hangers
on and negroes were pressing to the rear in an
irresistible current. he must have found resistance
hopeless and allowed himself 10 be forced into
Chattanooga, with little time for correcting his
hasty notes taken upon the field in the heat and
tumult of battle
How Mr.. Shanks succeeded in crossing the
river on Sunday the 20h. Is really quite remark
able There was but one small bridge. and that
was jammed all day aud night OF Sunday with
the wagons OF the army containing supplies aud
baggage The bridge, too, was SO narrow that
il must have been n dangerous proceeding to
walk alongside OF n moving wagon upon IL Ii
must have been there that he was confirmed in
the idea of the disasters of our army, is mas
since been reported here that n certain non com
missloned officer, out OF breath in the last agOnies
of despair, communicated to a gaping crowd the
dismal intelligence that he heard Gen Rosecrans
tell the boys that all lost and they should get
across the river fast they possibly could.
We doubt not but that officer and the correspond
ent travelled together. although nothing has been
heard of the Of Mars since he passed through
Stevenson, making good time toward the North
IL Mr. Shanks has not reiincuished the service
for good but purposes to return again to the
field. let him be advised by one who has had some
experience in war, never again To trust himself in
the rear of fighting army. The front is the
only place To arrive at the facts in the case, and
it is the only place where individual of ~
Gus temperament can hope TO retain his mental
equilibrium. There can be no shutting there no
equivocating circumstances will there present
themselves from which errors can spring: there.
too. no false or inexplicable moves can be made;
and. except the curling. graceful smoke. giving
the air slight sulphurOus faint, all will he MS
clear the sun at noonday-or to n martial
expression, The sun of Austerlitz Besides.
after the first fire Is over, reporter would become
inspired, filled with enthusiasm beyond the
power of all other causes of emulation the
pride and circumstance OF glorious war would
lend a yigor To your genius which. communicated
in your reports, would set all New York in
dazzle Of glory. But il is needless for me to
continue this advice further. presuming that Mr..
Shauks will at once adopt the grand idea, and
never more permit himself to be enumerated
among the stragglers in the rear Of all army.
The results OF the late great battle has not
proved as disastrous to our army as was at first
supposed We quety and very peace IDLY occu
py Chattanooga, vet whilst our cunning Toe sits
upon his airy perch upon Lookout Mountain.
watching carefully. aud from day to dtv giving
us an occasional salute % remind Va of his august
presence. He has very kindly permitted to
entrench ourselves effectualiy, for which purpose
the fair proportions OF his town has been success
fully distorted TO our use. contributing much Ia
Our comfort and security The hotels. churches.
and other public buildings hire. afforded ample
room for hospital purposes. whilst many of the
finest residences have opened their luxurious ca
pscities to the accommodation of the officers aud
the men have not been unmindtul of their com
forts. and have appropriated brick as well as
lumber. and constructed for themselves very
comioltaOlt |CNtOduSc from the uemOllSne1
dwellings of the chivslry.
Since the sggravating effects of Shanks' lie
mOrazing letter has passed by, the army has
subsided into calm indifference as TO the enemy
and everything else Were il not for the great
want of supplies from which We are now suffering.
a merrier set OF Yankees never disturbed the dull
echoes of this abode of chivalry than we would
be, but this unsuitable want. with the wet weather
we have had, intermingles with our daily enjoy
ments in a manner by no means agreeable There
can he but little doubt now that most il not all
of Longstreet's army has been Withdrawn
Whether they have gone To virginia can not
tell There il vet large force confronting u.s.
and keeps watch over all our movements They
have been making some singular changes within
the past few days. which has an ominous signif
canoe and as we are allowed 20 surprise on their
operations flank movement TO gain our rear
may be reasonably suspected IL the should sue
coed, with strong force, IN gazing position
upon the north side OF the river above or below
W.. the evacuation of Chattanooga by our forces
will be inevitable aud a retreat on Murreesburo
the only alternative left Us A very sn Ill adli-
tiona rebel force between here and Stevenson
will effect our communication SO a. 10 cut off
out supplies and compel us 20 fall back That
they do not intend 10 assail our front J. fact
well settled nov; they have allowed the time for
the success of such demonstration 10 pass by
long since. and although they occupy all their
strong positions between u and Chckamaugs,
vet they have very complacentlv behed the pro-
sfeSslon q: our works under their mountain bat