Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-11-10

part Well2 Was he either whipped or out
generated! The results ofthat extraordinary
battle are too we'll known throughout the Cen
fsderacy for such q conclusion even 10 be
thought Of He was victorious to degree
which hes filled the whole country with en-
thusasm."
A friend, whose opportunities for inInr'
nation are unsurpassed in the army Of Gen,
Bragg, whose high character as 3 gentleman
of intelligence and integrity is a guarantee
for the truthfulness of his statements, ard for
whose fairness and unprejudiced disintercst>
ness we can give the fullest pledge, has sen;
us the following letter:
NEAR CHATTANOOGA Oct. 81.
send you On extract from an Atlanta pa
per which gives you an idea, but only faint
one, of the deplorable condition of affairs Gu!
here, in the hope that you may be able to draw
from it some facts which may aid you in wri-
ting upon the subject. The extract is most
bitter in its language, and as we do not know
what influences may have operated upon tho
writer, we shall not publish it.-ED. | wish
that could truly picture what the cost to the
country has been, by the command of this de-
partment being in the hands Of Gen. Bragg:
of. opportunities upon opportunities he has
neslected-to hold, first, kentucky, thea Ter
nessee, and lastly, to improve and pluck the
fruits of the victory of Chickamauga, which
Longstreet won for him.
When Longstreet took command, Oh Sunday
morning, (thc 20th) of tho left wing of the
army, he found it arranged helter skeltcr, with
gaps mile long between the hrigadcs and cy-
erything in confusion generally. The position
chosen for the fight by Gen. Bragg was most
unfarorable in case of repulse, and altogether
in favor of the enemy. The order was for
the right to begin the attack at dawn, but it
was II o'clock before itopencd, and then it
rolled along until the left took it up. In 4
very short time. to use Gen. Bragg's rwn
wcrds, the fright was disastrously rcpulscd,
and had no fight in it," and Longstrcet had
to fight the enemy entirely al ne. After some
hours of hard fighting be drove him in the wild
est confusion from every position, toolc from
thirty to forty pieces of artillery, thousands
of prisoners, and converted their army into Il!
terrified, flying mob. 1t was then that lie saw
thge by forward movement oi the whole
army that Rosecrans whole force could hc
S1DtuTGu III tWCulS u'll llIL i'b bi'r'it
Gle was between US and the Ohio, and perhaps
peace He therefore sent word to ~ hcclsr,
who..was on his left, to dash forward betwccn
Chattanooga and the enemy and cut him TO
pieces but Just as Wheeler was about to exc
quite this movement, he received an order from
Gen. Bragg, directing him to pick up arm%
and strasglcrs. Longstrcct had not heard,
from Bragg but once during the day, and then
it was to say that he was beaten on the
right. lie now sent to beg him to al
vance but tho General.in Chief declinci
doing So Then council Of generals en-
treated him to move on Knoxville, cut off
Burnside, turn Rosecrans at Nashville, an'!
90 into Kentucky. lie consented to the
move, the troops werc put in motion; but, after
marching ten miles, lie recalled the army,
without any explanation to his L!"utcnan'+,
and placed it, without an object to achieve,
before this place, where sickness AID dc:'cr-
ton are doing more than the enemy borc for.
Dissatisfaction and detection are awfully pre-
valent, and no one hesitates from the highest
to the lowest. to speak of their contempt fGs
tho commander. We all hoped that surely
Mr.. Davis would see the danger which was
threatening the country by the inanity of
Bragg. aud his arrival was hailed with joy
lie did perceive the intense feeling against
him, and called the corps commanders to meet
Bragg and himself at headquarters. When
they had assembled he began with General
Longstreet and asked what he thought of him
rs General and Of his conduct in this fight.
Cen Longstrect replied that he bad not seen
Bragg half an hour On the field before he Saw
he was not the man to command an army, and
particularly this army, as it was then situated;
that his disposition of troops was ''horr!b'e.'
and that his tactics were wretchcl tir,t la
had not the least confidence in him, and beg
red that if he was not removed that the Pre>i'
dent would send him (Longstrect,) back to
Virginia lie took down the map and showed
how Rosecrans exposed himself hy turning
Bragg, who, with concentrated army allowed
himself to be driven out of Chattanooga,
by On enemy whose army was divided into
three portions SERENITY miles aSart and unable 10 r.
ipforcc each othtr, except by a single mUnniai!
road which Bragg could always hold. The Other
Generals replied in the same manner, all saying
that they had not the least confidence in him
and all asked 10 be relieved. d. II. Hill sad
among other things. that he was personal COW
ard NJ Davis said he was grieved to hear this
deeply grieved-and that is all lie has said ol
done. Bragg is still in command, the season tn
the campaign has passed, the enemy will hold
Chattanooga as base for Spring operations.
East Tennessee with its nitro caves and Middle
Tennessee with its neccssaries OF life are lost tt
us, our currency is being circulated in fewe
square miles. and yet with all This "Pharoal
hardens his heart and will not let the people 60.
We have had, in the last three weeks, er.r
opportunities for striking The enemy a terrible
| blow by moving on Stevenson, their depot, au'
cutting of Chattanooga; bnt Bragg took two week!
to think of the plan, and in the meantime the enc
my sent thirty thousand men there and fortified
| it"
Such are the statements and reflections of gen
tleman conversant with al the facts who ha
seen and knows that Of which he writes whose
opportunities of information enable him to asc;S
/ tain the sentiment of the army.