The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-10-08
Rifblunnh 4ispatft.
TBuRsDAY MORNING. =. :. .OCroBER 8. .ss.
faom GENERAL sRAse's aRsY
[rRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. |

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Sept. 80
No change has taken place In the situation
Of affairs since the date Of my last letter, ex-
cept In the extcht aud character of the enc.
my's works in and around Chattanooga, and
Of our own. The town is completely invest
ed on the South side Of the Tennessee river
by Gen. Bragg's forces. We hold Missionary
Ridge In front Of the place, Lookout Noun
tain and the Nashville and Chattanooga rail-
road on the South side, and the valley be-
tween Lookout and the Ridge. We alsocom-
our lines rest upon the river above and be-
low the. town, just as do those Of ROsecrans.
The enemy continue to work day aud night
like beavers. They are building bomb proofs
for their artillcrisfs and their supports, and
providing every other means of defence one
can imagine. Their efforts are not limited
TO the South side of the river, but extend
also to the North side, where they have plant
ed batteries on the heights overlooking the
river and the town, and In some cases con-
structed trayerses to protect their gunners
from the cross fire of our artillery. If we
should get possession of the place, there
fore, we should still be exposed to the fire OF
the batteries beyond the river.
The outer front line Of the enemy is cres-
cent-shaped, the two horns of the crescent
resting on the curves Of the river above and
below the town, and is the complement to
the semi-circle described by the river in their
rear. Their whole line, therefore, including
the river and breastworks, assumes the form
of a circle, or rather CT an ellipse. The Con-
federate line conforms to their exterior line,
and consequently Is crescent in fLrm.---
These facts are as we'll known t0ROsecrans
as to Gen Bragg; for the high hill in rear
Of the town gives the former q full view OF
our position, aud therefore there can be no
impropriety in stating them here.
Reverting to the battle, aim told by citi
zens OF the country, who are familiar with
the boundaries OF Walker and Catoosa cOun-
ties, that nearly the whole of the battle oc.
cured in CatoOsa county, about eight miles
due west from RinggOld, and about the same
distance due south from Chattanooga. Ii
was some four miles below the Tennessee
line, and on the west eide of and near to the
ChickaMauga, which is spelt indiiierently
with or without ok" Our line ran north
east and southwest at the commencement OF
the struggle on Saturday; but, as our left
swung ronnd, pushing the enemy before it,
it's direction became east and west, extend
ing across the valley from the Chickamauga
to the foot of Missionary Ridge. The enc
my retreated down the valley, crossing the
ridge through the pass at Rossyille, the for
mer home Of John Ross, the Indian Chief,
aud thence to Chattanooga.
1t is now believed that our casualties
reached Il, 600, in unusual proportion OF
which will fall under the head of compare
.ively slight wounds. We lost but few pris-
oners, including four surgeons, who were
sent b-ck this morning, together with thir-
teen wounded men. The work of paroling
and returning the enemy's wounded who
fell into our hands still continues. We cap
tured fiity-three surgeons and some twenty
five or thirty chaplains, who, understand,
will not be returned until the enemy shall
release such Of our surgeons as are now con-
fined in tue prisons of the United States.
Lieut. Gen. Polk and MajOr-Gen. Uindman
have been relieved of their commands by or
der OF Gen Bragg for alleged disobedi.
cnce of orders. It is reported that Gen
Hindman was ordered to occupy certain
pass in the mountains Oh Friday, and thus
prevent concentration Ofthe Federal forces,
which he failed 10 do in time; and that Gen
Polk, who held the right, was ordered to
open the fight ut sunrise Sunday morning,
instead of 10 o'clock, the hour at which bis
guns first opened.
Gov Brown, of Georgia, arrived here yes
terday, and to-day he is visiting our lines,
accompanied by Gen. Bragg, Gen. McLaws,
and Gen. Walker. SALLUsT.