Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-07-30
Army correspondence.
For the Gsllipolis Journal. =
Carr EEAR ELK RrvER. Ttss., I
July s, 1867

Q July o. loo3f
DEAR HARPER: By examiuhe
msp Of this State. finding the siiisc
Manchester. then take the road i45din
: to Winchester or Dechsrd. yo6 wi
cross Elk river. aud three miles zen,
Of that stream is, as near as I cad te
! you, where the subscriber now csmp
: After leaving Manchester. from eher
I LAST wrote you. We marched for tn
lahoma. encountering The enemy,s oul
posts shout six miles out. s1&zafte
y dri7iBs thsr uile xI,b, 30 losk u ou
5s ~ - . itbi
y ise I'd: s. lbs ssssI ssroseho]5 Tul
1sbofass shsfs Bragg Hss 5ouifed
and a We supposed, waiting tot y. in
tending to "welcome rs with Hood
hands to hospitsble graves" Ths
night, June 2sth. we conId bekE th,
whistle Of the locomotive, iadiyS tins
that the road bad an usususf album
of extra business on hand. and Fer,
running several extra trains ..na OIL
time." Gen. Rosecrans was .esIdeptlJ
working his plans for the capture sud
annihilation Of Bragg's entire Army
In fact / was assured by citizen oil
Alabama that Tullshoma was . <ianl
man-trsp, and limited strongly thss our
patience would be rewarded IN due
time by an exhibition OF the "sbag5ng'
process On a gigantic scale, all bands
sharing in the glory.
Ou June 30th, the 89th and 926 o.
V. l., OF Gen. Crooks, command, upder
command Of Col. Fearing Of the sad,
made Reconnaissance on the TullaiIoma
road, which leaves the Manchester and
Winchester road abruptly to the sight
to within 81 miles Of T., .encolntering
the enemies pickets from the OUTSET
Finding the enemy strongly posted on
the road and in the woods, Col. Festing
returned without the loss Of q mani In
the meantime. Chattanooga RebA of
the 2Sth was brought into camp, which
informed us that heavy reinforcen3 3n,s
were passing up for Bragg, and hat
We would get a tbrsshing that wt1Id
bring us to sorrow. and tickle amazing
ly our "poor erring Southern brethren"
We rested contentedly that day be.
lieviDg that bragg was good deg,n
and knowing that "Hold.fast wss 8
better one." feeling assured that yhen
all hands we're up and this large &ng
masssd. ne shaala sasBags E-1. E%sg
and his army, after a severe and des.
perate battle. The men were 10 prime
condition. with buoyant hearts and
eager for the fray.
On the Cd, word came that Tulla
homa was evacuated; Bragg gone
skedaddled, and all we had to do was
to march in and possess this rebel
stronghold. which we accordingly |
'went and did," reaching the town at
P. NJ. July ed, the ed Brigade Of this
Division [ (Reynolds') being the first to
'nter. The rebels evidently left in a
hurry, as they left hundreds of wall
ents standing, and neglected to burn
warehouse of commissary stores
Quite a large amount of camp and gar
ison equipage, small arms, three 81
FOUNDER rified siege guns. [ one spiked
With three cornered file. ammunition.
I2 sacks corn meal, about 200 bushels
II beans, and smaller articles in larger
fell into our hands,
Tullahoma was well fortified and could
rave withstood good siege, but as my
Alabama citizen said, it was a man
rap, and could have been surrounded
{ Bragg had only waited long enough
o enable US to do it. On all the ap-
,roaches to the town extensive earth
works had been thrown up, and all the
rees within half or three-qusrters of
! mile had been cut down, the branches
'ointing outwsrds, rendering it an al
most impenetrable brush pile. Bear {
ng on all these points were placed
eavy guns commanding every road
nd field. On the north-w west side OF !
he town. just on the outer edge or su-
'urbs. was large bastion fort, which g
Vss one Of the most complete forts / c
ave yet seen 1t was about 10 feet &
Ugh and fully as thick at the base, and 4
rom 200 to 9e5 feet square; made TO {
Mount twelve "a FOUNDER siege guns,
'earing on every point Of the compass. q
Underground store.houses and msga- t
ines we're built, proof against shot or c
hell, and well capable of furnishing !
Vster for large garrison, in the centre. t
Incircling this fort Is q ditch l2 feet !
ride, about 10 feet deep. and nearly b
Ialf filed with water; whether de- c
ignedly 50 or caused by the late heavy a
aims, am unable to say. To protect '
he entrance was large stockade built
{ upright "saw-logs," and filed in q
nth dirt. A draw bridge was thrown I
cross the ditch which could be with e
rawn at pleasure. 1t was in this fort G
bat the siege guns mentioned above o
Iere found. The carriages had been y
urned, and at the time / was in the G
,rt the guns were so hot as to preclude t
he possibility of ones holding their b
snds on them more than half q minute.
'orn meal was scattered along all the e
pads leading out Of Tullahoma. and a
read trampled in the ground. Meat, d
,e quantity had no means Of Judging. q
ad all been burned. Officers and q
'edical chests were left behind Al
was confusion and betoken- 81
! a hasty and precipitste exit. No ol
oubt Gen. Bragg could have main q
lined his position at Tullahoma Tor d.