New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-12-02
From an Occasional Correspondent.

From AN Occasional Correspondent.
WASHINGTON Nov. 20, Ie63.
II the private adyices received to-day from
Richmond have No, originated in the excited mind Of
some Rebel and fol the purpose OF misleading pubie
opinion they would certainly carry with them the I'M
preston tina, the character and results Of the battle oil
Chattanooga have been strangely exaggerated But as
II is custom as well as policy with The Rebels to give
20 their reverscs Interpretation calculated tomain'ah
among The people confidence in the ultimate triumph
Of their cause the explanation they give OF that battle
III not surprise any one II is consequence Of their
system 70 make facts suit their purpose and TO write
history in their own way without any regard 10 tue
yeracity OF the account they circulate.
According to my informan,'s account which trans
init 20 YOU for hat it is worth the military authorities
in Richmond tina, the battle Of Chattanooga is
not battle but simply an engagement between bragg
outpos,s aud the whole Union forces. Bragg they say
had already commenced retreating. when three regi
menis scattered along his line on lookout Noun
tain come on Missionary Ridge for the purpose Of con
ccaling his movements came In contact with two strong
divisions II the enemy and dispersed or captured
A. TO the main body it was before the battle com
nencod it, way to Dalton. In accordance with an or
der Of the War Department issued ten or twelve days
ago Immediately after the demonstration against Gen.
Burnside By one of Braggs divisions had been decided
upon.
In order 10 understand this strategy. says my in
formant YOU must be aware that this last operation by
considerably reducing Braggs forces, had cranped his
means If attack and reduced him 10 absolute passive
attitude Tie departure Of Longstrcct with 1000 men
the flower Of the army had brought down the amount Of
bis troops 20 about so 900 Now If from this num-
Der you deduct aboa 10 900 Georgia militia whose term
of service had expired you must come To the CONCLUSION
that all the effective Bragg could muster did not
reach 10000 soldiers. scattered upon front several
miles in length compelled by the nature OF the soil and
the topography Of the country TO watch over several
gaps garrison fortified points. to build up lntroneh
ments and TO supply by the rapdy Of their evontons
the deficiency Of the number.
Tie Rebels were beside laboring under another
difficulty that Of providing the army with material
Of siege, with ammunitons and provisions, through
broken roads deep ravines and steep hills Impractical
bic wagons. Every piece of artillery. every powder
chest every barrel of -four. lad to be hauled up with
immense labor and loss of time and am told that III
many instances the Rebels failed in carrying pieces OF
artillery to the appointed place and that the supply oil
provisions than once shared the fate OF The guns
In snch position with his army reduced and his war
material incomplete it would have been the giehtestioy
for Gen. Bragg entertain the idea Of coming
Gct with Gen. Thomas reinforced by Gems Iiookorand
Sherman, and led by man whose name alone was IN
the hearts Of his soldiers, synonymous OF success in
this emergency council Of war was held between
Bragg, lis corps commanders, and several superior
officers who all came to the conclusion that retreat had
become indispensable. Their opinion having been
transmitted to Richmond. Gen. Bragg received the
order to fall back between Dalton and Atlanta to give
up the offensive and assume the defensive by concen
rating upon some points more easily deichslpic ana
more accessible to trains and wagons.
This retreat, says my informant had already com
mcnced. Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge had
been stripped Of most of the guns defending them,
when General Grant who, in the estimation OF The
Rebels, had with him $1,000 men, gave the signal
Of the attack The three regiments could make resist
ancc and did not make any, until they had reached the
lower part OF Missionary Ridge. There they made n
stand in the belief that Gen. Bragg who not far
distant would TO thor rescue. But. deceived In
this expectation aud overwhelmed by crushing force
they gave way and He'd in all directions. In this affair
the Rebels acknowledge loss Of 800 killed and wound
ed 800 prisoners. and 10 guns, left by Bragg
oount OF their bulk.
As regards the movement of Gen. Longsirect, the
Rebels have n story which greatly needs confirmation
They say that when his division detached from the
main body. the authorities at Richmond had been al.
,scd Of Meade's intention attack Gen Lee. and that
he sent for the purpose Of reinforcing the latter
and not it has been said OF marching against Burn
side. who was already surrounded by Gen. Johnston.
Whether this story IL true not il is obvious that by
advancing in that direction Longstrcet would come
the State Of Virginia, and could. according TO
circumstances either remain in front OF Knoxville. or
push forward for tie headquarters Of Gen Lee, with
whom le has very likely by this time made his Junction