The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-07-25
Army. .Correspondencs.
CANT NEAR WINCHESTER, TENN.
,July 4th. 1863.

the LIST inst, we left our canp-from where
l wrote you last-apd pushed rapidly down
the Winchester aoad to cut off the retreat
ing rebel forces, who had been driven in
by our troops, from Braggs right wing.
We had not got over mile from camp
before we fell in with body of rebel
mounted sharpshooters, and two pieces of
artillery. A brisk skirmish ensued, and
was kept up thereafter for the greater part
of the day by spells. The rebels would
not stand our fire, but would push forward,
select their position and fire a few rounds,
and then run. Our battery would soon
hoist them out, ami they would proceed
again to the next place; and in this way
we drove them nearly ali day. Sometimes
the fighting was quite brisk. 1t would
then slacken up for an hour or more. The
day was exceedingly warm, and, rs the
whole brigade had to march in line of
battle on both sides Of the road, and
sometimes on the double quick, and the
brush was exceedingly dense. it was almost
suffocating hot, and dozens of men fell
down exhausted with oyer heat AMI sun
stroke In this condition we Wpnt about
miles and laid down in the woods for
the night just before shutdown some OF
our cavalry had desperate skirmlsh with
large body Of rebel mounted infantry
and cavalry on our right where our troops
had gone to get some forage Our cavalry
would have been badly whipped had not
Gen. Negley sent over regiment 81 IN
fantry Our cavalry had commenced fall
ing back, and the rebels were charging on
them with terrific y II when the infantry
came up and opened destructive fire, and
the rebs soon turned their backs and run
like whiteheads As the cavalry were all
sent ahead next morning to reconnoItre
and scout the country, | did not learn
what the result Of the battle was. 1t last
ed only about half an hour understand,
however, that our loss was but men and
9 horses On Thursday night the rebels
burned Elk river bridge, and as the recent
rains had swollen its banks full they ex'
pected to delay US for some time. We.
however, moved forward to the river next
morning Here we found that the enemy
was strongly posted on the other side,
where they had strong stockade at the
end of the bridge, and two redouts on
the top of high bluff As soon, there.
fore, as We came in view Of the rebel re-
,lonts, they opened on us from their bat
teries on the hill and their sharpshooters,
who lay concealed in the thick nnderbIush
below, also commenced firing at Ms. But
our boys soon made it SO hot Tor them
that they were glad to get out o! the
brush and we got ten . and IL Founders
10 bear on the redouts which also soon
put stop to their barking By the mid
die of the afternoon we had driven the
rebels entirely from the river A force
under Rousseau, and Stanburys cavalry
division were sent across the river above,
and part OF the lst division below the
bridge, who pursued the rebels through
II l. 4 ..
Minnyl.e road, where We are now encamp
ed Here they had very severe engage
ment 1t lasted for several hours, and our
loss was Il killed, and the rebels left some
20 odd dead lying on the field. What
the number of wounded ! have not been
able TO learn. Our advance came up ju-t
as the rebels fell back. During the morn
ing we had intended 10 push on down the
Wipche ter road, and expected the enemy
would make stand there But on get
ting over the road 1t vas ascertained that
Bragg forces had cut "A road through the
woods ard svamps. and had attempted to
secretly get out OF our way. Around
where they had their battery, there seem
ed TO be no real road leading into the
woods, bat wagon tracks ran IN ever di-
rectIon. But as we got into the woods "A
short distance, We soon found that these
tracks all conyerged into one we'll defined
road. 1t mad raiHed nearly all the fore
noon very heavily, and the ground vas
quite soft. This rendered it impossible
for our artillery and teams to follow the
same road and We were obliged 10 cut new
ones. The whole distance, about miles.
lay IN rough ler.l sIvanlI.y fnrazt and by
the time we got through, the teams were
nearly broken down. In many instances
the wagon would siuk into the mud until
the axle would touch the ground, and the
mules would mire TO their bellies. The
men had TO put their shoulders to the
wheels. and with main strength raise them
out Although we made but miles this
day, it Cas very severe, Doth ON men and
teams.
.surday. yaLg 5th-We are Row lying IN
the woods at the foot Of the Cumberland
mountains. They are high range OF
beautiful ridges, running III a northeast
and southwestarly direction. S;nce ieav-
ing our camp on the HcMinnv vile road,
we have met with no more rebels. They
have now so got the start of US that it will
be difficult to catch up with them until I!
we reach Chattanooga where 1t IS thought
they will make a desperate stand Our
advance-the l04th Ill, and the SSth Ind |
regiments, went nearly to the top of the !
m ountains yesterday, but bad 10 return !
again on account of the distractions the !
rebels had put in the road. For several !
miles they have cut trees and rolled large /
rocks into the narrow, winding road, SO |
that it will take Us several days to clear it |
out enough to get our train across
The Tennessee rebel troops are said to |
be much dissatisfied. Hundreds of them !
are deserting-many of them come into /
our lines and give themselves up They
say the forests and hills are full Of them,
but that they are afraid 10 give themselves
up for fear they will be sent north as pris-
oners and held there and exchanged
They want TO get out of the army and 60
home and attend to their suffering families.
They think, as soon as the rebels are
driven out Of the State, they can live in
peace, and provide enough to subsist their
families through the next winter. All
along through this portion of the State,
the farmers have put in large crops Of
wheat and cora Should the armies now
leave the State, there would be plenty to
subsist the people, and they would have a
large surplus. The wheat and rye crops
are unusually good The whole country
this side of Murfreesboro is poor, and but
little improved. The people live IN mis-
cradle log houses, and, although they seem
TO have lived here many years. few have
over 40 or SO acres cleared. The fences
are dilapldated and poor, notwithstanding
the whole country is covered with a dense
forest, except the scattered clearings
During all the fighting we have had, the
l04th has been in the thickest OF IT, and
hey behaved most calamity. They have
established a name of which they may
we'll be proud. All the officers have con-
lucted themselves well, and they enjoy
e a. 1
They have had about the hardest part of
t ever since we left Tullahoma In the
brigade the different regiment have taken
urns in the advance 1t was the lOIth's