The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-11-27

Anything from Gen. brsgg's army II interesting
Just now. The army correspondent of the s'hari.s-
ton Cosrir gives view Of the position Of affa,rs
before the battle Of Lookou, Mounsai. which viii,
enishseu readers relative 10 the sttuatton n Il
then stood. The writer h COMBATING the desuon.
ent viewa" which looked upon the loss Of Lockout
Valley ~ q disaster:
Firstly Lookout Valley has never been oecupIed
ade-that of Gcnermi l.aw-,he obect of ,xh'e,,
was simply To picket the Tennessse. watch th,.
noven.ents Of the enemy, aud cover the rrreat nf
osf shafpshooHrs and skirmishcrs (whenever at
tacked) engaged In harassng the wagon trains run
nin9 10 and from Chattanooga In the rear
SECONDLY. We could not extend our lines beyou,
Lookout Mountain - the left because of the dis
. ie!egrauon OF our forces which would be necessa
ss'y 'hSoiVed ia such u movement, and the cOnse
qnent weakening Of our tines elsewhere. The
dlmcu 0f transporting troops or supplies across
tne mo'i"tain within point blank range Of the guns
OF Moccasin Battery, was In Itself "a bar to the
permanent occupation Of the Valley. From this
cause alone II was found almost impossible to fur
nish regular ratioDs 10 even the single brigade OF
General Law, every pound having to be carried a,
night, Ia pahnieTs, on the backs Of mules.
Thirdly. The advance Of the Federals from
bridgeport was known to General Bragg from thu
start, and progress was reported from hour 10 hour
as the troops marched up the valley. (Fhis fact
learn ffom one Of the signal othcers.) COnse
guentiy there was no surprise and no lack Of time
for adequate preparation to give them battle Roth
Generals Bragg and Lonestreet were on the SUM-
mia OF Lookout Mountain, observing the move
nsents Of abe enensy above and be ow-the six
Thousand at Browns Ferry, who had already
crossed the Tennessee from Chattanooga, and the
eleven thousand more, VINO had siIn,lItY ne0,,siy
started, and were advancing from the opposite Al
rection. The object of the Federals was penc-
trated at once; and if these officers fully possessed
OF all Information bearing on the present and fu-
ture, with plans Of operation elsewhere already
matured In their minds, adjudged II prudent TO al
low the enemy to pass unnOtested, II was a con
cession with which no one here or elsewhere, who
desires to mantain public confidence, and unite
and inspire the popular heart, ought to find FAULT
Fburfhy. Had an attack been made on the col
unns ct the enemy while In motion up the valley,
beyond doubt 1t would have preciptated a general
battle. KcnfOTccments would have poured out of
Chattanooga across Browns Ferry three times
more expedItiOusiy than we could have thrown
troops across Lookout Mountain, (through n de
moraIizing fire,) and sweeping down on our rear,
or even encountering our front in the valley, would
have rendered the result Of an engagement, to say
the least, doubtful Granting success, however,
what would have been accomplished? The defeat
OF two corps OF the enemy-thc ret .niiOn of n val
ley whose occupation would have weakened our
line and been of no permanent or practical benefit
the loss OF i've eight thousand men with Jut com
mensurate advantages, at a time when every strong
right arm was Indispensable 10 the service, and the
grand issue involved In the investment Of Chatta-
nOOga would not have been directly effected In the
slightest degree. 1t Is true that without the valley
Tic CcucIdiS WOuIu nave DttIi cOtnDeIItu 10 feIV
for the ratOns on wagon transportation over noun
tain roads, and that eventually they may have been
forced to retire to some point near their base OF
supplies; but this, II not prOblcmatcal, is mega
tive result. II the FedeTas had determined to hold
Chattanooga, they would have done so In spite OF
mountain roads and bloc kaded railway to Bridge
port We have not, therefore, been s'outgener-
allied by the enemy" and their movement was moi
"masterly in conception and fruitless In execu-
lOn." II was by simple concession on our part
than they were allowed to pursue their purpose
reopen communication with Bridgeport and estab-
lise themselves for the winter; and future develop
ments will prove the correctness Of the judgment
by which that concession was made.
Ii Is AL error, too to suppose that tho mere pos
session OF Chattanooga Is the stake for which this
army Is cOntending, and the fact that the Fcderas
may remain undisturbed there during the winter
adds and subtracts nothing from Our prospects OF
success. In truth, there are many officers who be
ieve that we are better Off where we are, with a
rarOad at our back, than IL we We're forty miles
on the other side of the Tennessee river and de
pendent for supplies the rugged roads and faulty
wagons, which would be our bane during the win
ter.
Finally. We have not "iost the advantages of
our position" Lookout Mountain is still In our
possession, and, TO all intents and purposes, the
lines OF the army have not been changed. With
this great and almost impossible wall on our left,
effectually barring the advance of the enemy from
that direction, and Missionary Ridge, with its
steep sides, on our front, no General can ask
more desirable place of defence than that which
il now held by this army.
II the enemy have succeeded in provisioning
themselves for the winter, it is only what they
would have done, under any other circumstances,
somewhere eise-perhaps not SO favOrably 10 us
and this fact WILL In no wise, interfere with the
general battle which Is eventually to decide the
strength OF the two armies, and, probably the is
sue of the war. II Is question of fighting, and
not Of eating, with which we have to contend, and
a winters idIeness In one place or another has lit
tic to do with the solution of the problem while the
two armies confront each other intact.
Acorresp ondent of the Atlanta Confe,leracy, writ
Ing on the 3Oth, says.
notice In the few papers that and then
reach this elevated region that some despondency
is felt by those ut distance concerning the stua
ton Of the campaign which extends itself along
this great river. VIII you believe me sincere
when say that never felt more hopeful? be-
iIeve we shall winter around Nashville. If Gen,
I.Ongsreet gObbles Burnside, as | think he will,
Grant must retreat from Chattanooga. And as
sure we get him moved we will keep him NOV
ing. The prospect IL very cheerful large ar
my, an animated spirit, programme well arranged,
nothing but extraordinary bad luck will foil our
plans. Ii Is true that we need Forrest. Ii is true
that we shall miss Polk. IT Is true that Gen. Lee
would Inspire Il deeper confidence. but 1t Is
equally true that things are not so bad as they
seem, and that General Hardee's presence, his en-
ergy, his great talent fer discipline, aud his fine
mind, have corrected a multitude OF errors.
The Yankees down In Chattanooga sorry
looking set Of fellows, certain. They burrow away
IN the ground and are as muddy as minks. The
pickeis are now on mighty friendly terms They
converse freely, joke each other, and sometimes
treat. You can ride from one end of our line OF
sharpshOOters to the other without receiving shot.
Papers are not permitted to be exchanged Flags
OF truce ply daily By these, letters are frequently
sent and sometimes travel is also permitted. Mrs.
Gen. Helm passed through the other day.
A letter 10 the Atlanta Register, dated Missionary
Ridge, Nov. Is, saysi
The signal corps, under the supervision Of Cap
tain G. T.. Balm, has proven Itself 10 be valuable
organization. Lookout Mountain cOnverSes with
Missionary Ridge with expedition. Messages are
borne on the air for five aud sii miles with ce
lerity bare y to be believed The signal flag trans
mits messages and orders throughout the whole
army. Some Ofthe corps having been consolidated,
and all placed under the command OF the untiring
and indeiatigablc Balm, its efficiency and discipline
will be more perfect and Its services far more use
full The signal corps always on the Qui rite, their
flag reports every movement Of the enemy by day,
while their lurid torch Is ever watcbfui by night.
The roads are In time condition, and the wealth
eF beautiful.
The army is losing no time In preparing shelters,
every description OF hut Imaginable Is built, and
chimneys In all shapes that will vie with any.
The Marine BRiaA DE" ON THE MlssIssIppI.-
The st. Louis Bulletin gives some account of the
operations Of a Yankee "Mississippi Marine bri-
gade, under Col. Currie. II had managed to cap
iure three Confederate mails destined for the
Trans Mississippi Department. One Of them was
from Richmond, (says that paper) "contained very
important documents and letters. One Of these is
a letter from Jet. Davis, reply 10 certain parties
asking his opinion AZ to the propTiety and cape
diency OfempOWering bands TO destroy steamboats,.
He replies that he objection 10 the plan, and
cOnstTues the act Ofthe rebel Congress 10 empower
the formation Of bands for the purpose. 'Nhere
were other documents Of equal interest" Col
Curre has also captured In all 81 800 600 in
Confederate money, and fifty prisoners during the
past month. One Of the latter n going
from Macon, Ca, to Camden, Ark, with a ma