The Abingdon Virginian. [volume] (Abingdon [Va.]) 1849-1883, 1863-01-23

sAo oon' tudG Tue transportation upon while
ne had relied, had disappeared in the dire
tlon OF Bristol. The Gen. teegraphed to Il
, agent at that place to have the cars imme2iat
~ returned, who permitted an hour aud
nan TO elapse before any reply was made
an; he then dispatched to know whether Gel
Marshal ordered them to return, and bein
answered IN the Affirmative quietly replied
s tue Oen. that he must first get an order froi
the Superintendent at LYnchburg before i
could comply. After still further DELAY, tfl
order was procured fram Lynchburg. but I'll
| transportation did not arrive until about :
O'Clock IN the evening-Col Hav kins, cen
mand waiting at the depot for it from abou
/! A. NJ. until that hour. Col Gilrner's re
! giment OF cavalry had in the mean time bee
| ordered from its position in the neighborl,oo,
OF Lebanon to join the main force at Eristo
with all possible dispatch. The cars cot Of
from this point about 81 O'clock, but were De
iayed by becoming stalled on the way iron
arriving at Bristol until between Ii aud |.
that night. The enemy had then burned the
bridge at Zollicofer and Watauga, and the
last news received from him was that he va.
proceeding westward from those points witt
the probable intention of committing farfhe,
Expectations in that direction. Gen. Marshall
mad with him at this time about SEQ inta ,,lt !
ana $40 cavalry, with two batteries of artii-
lery. - ''i-
On the morning of the 2lst, Information was
received that the enemy had turned lack in
the direction of BIountville, which made It
apparent that he had begun his retreat.
. 10 pursue him with infantry and artillery
was Impossible; and to- pursue him &. 900
strong! With but 800 cavalry with any hose OF.
capturing him, was foolish. Gen. Marshall
therefore waited for Giltner's caEalry TO come
up, which did SO about 2 o'clock in the day
having ridden a distance Of 81 miles without
mating for moment As soon els the horses
couic be tee, the command was again nut in
motion, together with Clay's and Johnson's
oattaiions, In all alb ut 500 men. The enc,
my mad about u hours the start---he Yves n,,r-
'ued, however. a distance Of so miles. and his
ear guard overtaken about Sundeyrn ON the
20 OF January, at louisville. Skiran;sbiaq
Immediately began, bat before Gen. Mef@bafi
got possession OF the town, night had closed
upon us, and tie advance guard .of the enc
NJ was pressing out at the Ga, by which
hey catered the Department. In this oa,suit
ne major portion Of the command hadtrayel-
q distance Of about 10 miles. and The
Vhole with but a single meal to eat. Pie
curse OF tie enemy was not obstrnctaa IN
my way by the people ozs the country from
ne tine they entered until they left the State
M what is still iaore renlgrkarje gaf ma |
daTecSe Contamination was received from, tIia
anne source relative to their movements
General Marshall moved entirely by his aun
augment, and from information derived rom,
- own scouts. Much Of the most i,nportant
. FORMATION he received even from this latter
purge, subsequent Developments proved TO be
Gen.. Marshalf's conduct throvchont will
ear the closest scrutinu of anv in4aIl;,,ar'.
ritlcisn1. IF the people Of the cauptry or ..ths
overs that be- are not satisfied with his IN.
eelVity, all they will have to Go will be tosun-j
.ose the shafkies that are upon him, or place
I'M IN some situation where his talents
ay nave an opportunity to Illustrate them. 4,
ives. lie has, from first to last, been han
7,eo GOWN TO aGlnInutiYe mountain district:
"a what General, either Of this or any other
untrY, ever distinguished himself n noun
IN warfare! Gen. Lee, the present cyno- !,
re OF every eye, failed signaly in his noun
IN campaigll--aiid Gen. Rosencranz. the !
'iest OF our foes, who was pitted against him.
req no better Gen. Marshall received = !
Ilitary education, and has had the military
penence OF former war. At the breaking
! OF hostlilties, no man enjoyed higher re. Z
tation than he; and now. because he, does :
rise superior almost TO fate Itself. he ,nastI +
eos De subjected 20 the petty criticism of eve
4popinJay Post Commander, maudlin editor +
9 crossroads critic, who chooses to appear in !,
int. =
nave thus traced briefly the course of .fha =
envy IN and out OF the State. [ now nro. "
se 20 turn back aud review the official ra- | !.
= OF Mag. General, 1.-THE Post Commander y d
ere the egotlsm, nonsense, and false asser- II
as taken out1of his report, l really cannot in
what would be left oft. / DON'T blame "a
writer for putting his name in print-fis Dc
parent conviction of seifimporfance IS a ii
Hcient apology for that | do not deem Of
vever, the same apology sufficient for his be
e and contradictory statements, since / an
e been taught in moral philosophy, that til
IN man makes an assertion as true. he ST;
uld trst ascertain5it to be such. / shall aG
IS BRET IN my extracts from his report as la
umstances will allow. First he saws. II
ned on the morning of the Both. that the we
ny, instead of coming from EstillyilIe 70 lit,
place, had turned to the right in the di- i 50,
ion OF Blountville, which satisfied me thew fac
aiming for Holston Bridge. Now # raj
Post Commander really did get this in. leo
latlon, why did he not telegraph it imme- 30,
Ely to his superior at Knoxville ? There ass
ample time to have ordered reinforce an,
IS even from that distance. Again, whv vi!
ne not telegraph it to Gen. Marshall al tie
lgdon Instead Of imparting this inn in
INT information, he telegraphs as fol- "
Enemy reported in twenty miles of w we,
place last night Three of his scouts were of !
lrei II mics trflm here ''--ar,l nat one tive
was said about q movement toward uol- strs