The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1863-10-14
Chattanooga Letter.


From a private letter addressed to
Geo. E. Hubbard, Esq, we are permitted
to extract the following, to which all will
uuhesitatingly give credence, as they rec
ognize the author, H. Harvey Pratt, who
but recently resided here.
CHATTANOOGA, Ten, Sept. "a, 1868.
al declare, how fast time has flown
since left Grand Haven! 1t does not
seem possible that it is more than two
years since | enlisted in the 4lst (Ohio),
little expecting then that l should be still
in the service at the expiration of two
wears. A few weeks hence l am conf
dent will point much more clearly toward
the termination of the war than it has at
any time appeared hitherto. The result
of the movement now 10 progress will be
greater than any made heretofore. The
division of Lees army, the sending o1
Johnson's troops to reinforce Bragg here
aud then their failure in defeating our ar
my, which, up to this time, has fought
them without the help of a single man, as
a reinforcement, must prove exceedingly
disastrous to their cause.
They attacked the army of the Cum
berland on last Saturday with the utmost
confidence, entirely sanguine of success
with an army nearly double that of Gen
Rosecrans, on their own admirably choseI
ground, and, after a terribly destructive
battle to both armies, in which we helC
our own ill Monday morning, we quietly
fell back to better line of defence il
front of Chattanooga, where we def
them to attack US. Since then the!
have lain in our front making no impor
tant demonstration, allowing us to forti
fly our position until now we occupy al
almost impregnable line of defence, ou
reinlorcements meanwhile being SO mucl
nearer, and our supplies being removed L
safe position, while the only explanation
sufficient to account for their inactiviL
must be a want of ammunition, an arm
too badly cut up to resume ofensiv
movements, or the hope of receiving rein
forcements enough faster than Gener'
Rosecrans to justify them in it. Unles
they now fall back | can not conceiv
what they are doing. We occupy a pc
sition we can hold, and it can not b
flanked, and they must attack us in OF
: front and be defeated, or they must ia
back, which, in reality, will be acknow
edging defeat.
i The battle has been the most desp
t rstely contested one ever fought, far e,
= ceeding that of Stone River The fa'
of the country has been such as to pr
5 cludo the use of artillery almost entirel
= and the fighting has mostly been done
:, close range, hand to hand, with muske
= ry. Men from Lees army acknowledl
u that our western men don't dri
IS as they expected-in fact don't kno
q when they are whipped, and ultimate
come off victorious. The rebels repc
Y of the engagement is as follows:
l. ave attacked the enemy, drove the
y back and now occupy the battle-grouu
A. having captured $500 prisoners and
s. pieces Of artillery"
w. On the other hand, we have taken
=, 500 prisoners and Is cannon. The usi
=, ~ of their artillery so little, and keeping
#; in their rear is the only reason they Il
- so little. Nineteen of the pieces we Il
: we're lost by the rebels making bc
=. dash into our lines, on the right, and cs
Ill turing them while in rank. So l und
nd stand. 4 4
= You will get more minute details
It. telegraph, ere this reaches you, but
u u. those have seen they are strangely
Id correct so far.
to Yours truly, H. HARVEY PRATT.