The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-12-15


Respective L9sses Ssnos The Rebsss CfOssec
q 0.e 7sDnessas--L mgstresfs Lonely 1ycpbs
Tie Paynasters.
Kkoxv LIZ, December 4, 1858.
one Of The sacred writers, have fer
gotten which, relates how certain men o.
old arose in the morning, and lol theJ
were all dead corpses. That was won.
derful but not more so than our feeling.
this morning when we arose and found
the relative position Of Longstreet and
ourselves reversed. The question was M
longer how we could get oui, but how h'
expected 70 escape cspture. And why
Sherman is not . myth. His advance
consisting Of the mounted brigade o
Colonel Eli Long, arrived, at three O'Clock
this morning, at our lines on the soutt
side Of the river, encouniering nc { rebs
picket in so doing. You may be sure VIZ
Ny last brought down events 70 tbs
Isl, and since then matttrs have beer
somewhat quiet, Immediately around
Rockville. The rebels have been srosnt
us ali the time, and, for all we know, in
heavy force as ever; but they have KEEP
their large bodies . most respectful dis.
tance from our works, their pickets and
skirmishers alone being visible, with oe-
cas:onal bodies moSing 70 and fro, the
moving of battery from point 10 point
or now and then small wagon train
Whenever any Of these were visible, we
sent them our compliments in the shape
of shells, and this occasional cannona.
ding has served to remind us that VIC
were still in 8 state Of siege.
o. Wednesday, the rebels made .
parade of planting a battery opposite the
gorge, TO the right of Fort Saunders go-
ing about the thing too ostentstiously
for dscency. Scanning their red9u5t
early Thursday morning, with . power
fol glass, | failed to discovery any guns
whatever, aud am almost certain that
they never pu! but one in position, and
took that away again during Wednes
day night II may be possible that
Longstreet has been around us in force
for the last four days, but far more
probable that he has been amusing us
with harmless demonstrations, while be
was doing his utmost to escape from the
trap in which he found himself by the
defeat Of Bragg. What General. Burn
side thought or thinks Of the matter,
do not know, but the opinion have sta
ted, is that Of many of the best officers
in the army. But, whether Longstreei,
like . prudent man, has fed from the
wrath to come, or moth-like, is still fut.
tering around tae flame that will con-
sume him, be hiss certainly up 10 this
date, no occasion 20 be proud of his a.
chievements in East Tennessee. His
campaign has been failure from the
beginning, and almost as disastrous TO
the rebel cause, as Bragg's perform
ances among the Chattanooga mountains.
We have never crossed swords with these
Wanted soldiers Of the rebel Army of
Virgins, but we have whipped them At
Huffs Ferry, Lenoir, Campbell Station
aud around Knoxville, they came az Us
in the usual style of Lees army, bu,
failed to scare any body. Even when
the I'd Michigan made that gallant bat
unfortunate charge on November "a, we
accomplished all We sought. The %
pitched the chivalry out of their rifle-pils.
and filed them up under their very noses.
Whether we ought TO have done it,
whether the price we expected TO pay,
and did pay, was not far beyond the
value of what we sought-Are not the
questions TO be considered. We did it.
and how stands the account of losses
between as! A Colonel of Longstreets:
army, captured at Utica, twenty miles
below here, by Major Smith, of the 9th
Ohio Cavalry, stated that it cost them
5000 men TO get from L0udon to Knoxville.
| do not know if he intended to include
all their losses before the city, but sup
pose no did. Our total loss, during the
same time, will not exceed 900, in kill
ed, wounded and missing. We have lost
nothing in materials of war, except q
caisson and few wagons of Chspin's brig
ade, burned by order of General Burnside,
that the mules might be used in bringing
on the guns. That csisson Longstreet
got, and it is his solitary trophy of q
campaign from which be expected 80
much. hope be got that csisson south
before Bragg's mob went struggling into
Dalton, or he found Sherman on his track
like an avenger. If he knows Of any
considerable town down south, where the
Yankees are not likely to be for week
or two, let him send il there, inscribed
ECapt1rsl N0Vepaberl5, 1868, btlotO LenoiT,
Jy General Longstreet-uqke The most Of ii
1t IS all he captured" As an offset TO
that caisson, we have three battle hags
and 600 muskets, left by its capturers
before Fort Saunders. This statement
of accounts is eminently satisfactory to
Us. and were are ready 10 continue BUSH
ness with Longstreet an indefinite period
on the same terms.
The Paymasters who arrived here just
before the siege began, under the lead of
Major Mcdowell, are radiant to- day.
They won't bs obliged 20 burn their
money, but on the contrary, have COM
menced distributing il TO the boys, who
have SO calamity earAed it do not
mean to cast any reflections on the
smiling P. Ms, when l remark that it is
a most fortunate thing that Knoxville is
lust now atterly destitute of the ardent
otherwise / am afraid some body would
have been drunk-with joy, when the
news of the arrival Of Shermsn's ad-
vance circulated about town this morning.
need not give you my crude infor-
nation concerning the dOings Of Sherman
aud Granger below, as that will reach
you more fully and earlier wa Chatta-
nooga.
This midnight scrawl will reach you
by the kindness of Captain Slower, Of
the 45th Ohio. Greet him, friends at
home, as q campaign and battle
SCARED sOldier-for that he is.
DECEMBER 8, A. M-As many expect.
ed, we found no enemy in our front this
morning. The hegira of Longstreet com
menced last Monday morning, and =
shell Of pickets have been around rs ever
since. 5000.
The deserters brought in this morning
report that the artillery al left on Tues
day, and the picksts were Withdrawn,
and the rear guard marched off At four
o'clock this morning, the retreat bsing
up the road toward Virginia. Oar forces
are now being mustered in hot haste, for
the pursuit; but as the ingenious Well
Ter remarked, on the occasion Of his
meeting Mr.. Pickwick, "Vere's the use Of
runnin' after Teller watts made his lucky,