The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-11-17
FROM CHATTANOOGA.
jFKOM OUH OWN CORRESPONDENT.
x Army OF TENNESSEE,

ARMY OF TENNESSEE,
Missionary Ridge, Nov. llth, 1863.
TIE good weather CONTINUES, aud the roads have
improved very much The nights nre cold and
t,o,ty. and the days bright and sunny, with just
.uoucl. Of sharpness in the atmosphere TO render
exercise pleasant aud 10 make one feel az If he
would ENJOY a march of fifteen or twenty miles
over the frozen roads. It IL not probable that
Gen Bragg and Gen. Thomas will fail to avail
,h.n selves Of the good weather, ii either Of them
con,.,o ,pla,es active operations. We know that
Sherman. who commands the Fedefai auxiliary
Amy of the Tennessee, has reached Huntsville,
,n his way 10 Join the ARMY Of the Cumberland,
a,Cbattanoosa. He AsdertOok to r. pair the Mem
phs and Charleston Railroad as he advaiiced; but
the destruction of the track by Lees and Roddy q
cualry, who fell back before him, Was so Gem
ulpre that he finally abandoned tue work, crosse
lhe Tennessee river at Fi"renee, and marciea
across the country to Huntsville, where he had
arrived at our last advices. By adopting this plan
he viii be able to reach Bridgeport sooner tian
anticipated at IRe time last referred I" MS
suoyements. Indeed, II Is now believed that ne
ssiii succeed in forming junction with General
Thosias by the end OF the present month, soon at
-ef which Il is not improbable that forwarLInove-
ment viii be undertaken, with the hope, II may
sp "f occupying the country lying north and west
II the west braneil Of the Chickamauga, prepara-
aory 10 an invasion Of Georgia early next spring
Should such be the expectation Of the enee,y we
rave no fears that Burnside will be able TO join In
Tle movement this winter Gen. HFaeg mas al
ready taken steps u completely checkIlale Tue
Fcderals In East Tennessee. This they KNOW W
this time quite well As We do.
Reference was made in my last letter to the con
dition of the horses in iis army, and 10 the neees
.lty of exercising care and economy IN inc use of
sxiAx :hn "a III l1lssra
hs;e been destroyed during the war and of the
mrseat limited supply. This nscessity grows
stronger every day, being In proportion 20 the JOSS
ri anlu,aii in the service, tho further contraction
nf hur ayai.tle territory, aud the rapid deterafa
iou Of our rail.rays. Every possible effort should
be made therefore 70 preserve the horses we have
aud TO increase the stock; sI, to this end, team
Stes ar,ilierisfs, cavaiTymen, apd all those per-
sons having horses in the service, sDouiu oa Ie
Alufsd To taks as good care OF them rs eoesibie,
while all brOcd mares should be exempte" Z. csb
,miressment. II necessary. 0fdefa ~ this enee: !:
,hnaii BIZ ISSUED fOm the War DHl~f, ana all
inohnied officers instructed 10 see ti.! sy ~, ~, :,
saey,d In the meantime, every facility shouia
BE extended to farmers and others who may desire
40 engage in the h,sincss of raising horses "i'"
phHies.
An mpressmeut of horses for this army Was Fe-
eeu,iy ordered In Georgia. The horses were
much needed at the time, but could not the de /.
hiand have been supplied from other sources, an"
That, too, without increasing The nun0er Ot hoTses
w ht iru. lhe custom prevails III tiiIS ntMJ VI
allowing all general officers above bfigadtefs to
nave escorts. Therc Is one Major General who Is
reported to have an escort Of forty mounteh ineb,
ana another one an escort OF Que hun0ted an"
sxenty five. a ut.-General who was iatesy
hrTs Is said tn have had an escort twice as humer
aus ~ the latter. Some have one number, and
~oiae aaoiher, according to their fancy or vanity,
"ts you ysease. In other words, we have Basbaws
'ih one ,an, aud Bashaws with two tails, ana
siashaws with three tails. These cavaicades dave
Lier rfguar officers, aud consequently we near ni
Majors of Horse" ans HCaptains oftiorsc''-om-
eos whaiiy unknown ~ the Jaw. lndecd, 20 9ni
versa has this practice become uat one seiuoN'
meets an ofeer ridiag alone. Seaiiy Al o1 thcn'
nave one OF more orderiics following aitef iDeni'
ia'inding captains and lnaiTs Of artillery, quar-
iefHtasters, conmissafies, kt.
he Commander In Chiet IL entitled ~ ana re-
aaes an escort. especially in time OF bauae, Wie"
III. necessary for him 10 communicate fre4pepsIy
with all parts Of the field but nO other Officer nos
,rrsfeisihs ascparate command does need an escon.
Hny ticn should not these kites be shOrn OF ,hflI
'ls, these gcoiry dis,noppted, and trusty mMsNe's
paced Ia their hands, and their horses turned over
~ the artillery companies aud the Quartefmast stee $
nsr'tI'enff such caudni eppend.scs are oI no
."', o' use, either 10 the officers WHO ny tb'm Vt
10 tiis army. TN the contrary, the horses have 10
oe led, and their iidess xubsisied and paid, jnst as
=. 'hey rendered the most valuable service; !; Whife
"as'h' and iea,ns, which might otherwise DC pro-
a"y employed, are required, To transport thes
asppies ana camp equipment. tpaee0, tney are
!.
"eNiy three years have carried their m1skets, and
aa' saa'e ttseis, upon their heroic ssuldcrs-.a
,anaaio2i exhibition II military vanity, ~hicn,
snsh pSfdonabe under some CIRCUMSTANCES, ls
"ao'iy out Ut place ai tine like this.
'eSa, thsscfofs, Of ordering the iase isnpsess-
d,.,.' " horses, II would bavs bee9 wiser - nave
k'aa'sd these gentry. kneh escorts are un.
ta""a "a the army Of Northern Virginia. Een'l
a,. a'.'e IN the army has m eseaTt-a snsGA pisr
"n'sn never goes with kisa except IN battle,
,ae nen are used rs coaress; MI 0t!sef 0cn-
o.s ' oAictn are restricted 70 the legal nHMbcr Of
asr"lss, or eoariets ~ we call them II the re
ssfe Carried siii further, mad Oll3cers were
uesA " abe os two horses af n,pst, IL ws.tij be
aa,nl ns ssiier nat merely hecaase the nHpstef 0i
sIs ~. !. fsplAt dininlshag, hus On ncr0vni Of
o..... asfd satpiy ~ fstags and sueaMs VI trans
@sssssisJ.
so.s s sisA to al, srsG lie Sseesy ri 0ne likely
OF ~. sA iafosaet, lhas The waafss " Dhe supply
8rs~ - s'sssev ss5aeiag ibs atseatioa of GeH.
1Akaree.