New-York daily tribune., 1863-11-25
TENNEANRR.
people.

TENNEssRR.
1t is nearly week since We heard that Gen.
Burnside was attacked by heavy Rebel force,
shut up in Knoxville, and closely besiegcd.
Aware that his army was only one wing oiGcn.
Grants, the public has waited, not wholly with
ont impotence, TO hear that the main body at
Chattanooga was bcstirring itself III aid of its
beleaguered comrades. The news Of yesterday
afternoon. therefore, though not particularly
complete in itself, was received with gadncss as
evidence that Gen. Grant was awake and at
work, not too late TO rescue Burnside.
Concerning the movement Of which We print
the account this morning, not much can be H.
ferred from the dispatch which the Washington
authorities sent over the wires. II is spoken OF
as q reconnaissance in force, bu, We presume
will be fonnd to have quite another significance.
There may have been need of q reconnaissance,
for we have reports ndpositivc statements that
the whole army Of Bragg is IN retreat, and
it has even been suspected that his main
strength would be- found not at Chattanooga
but IN front of Burnside at Knoxville. To
verify The presence Of a considerable Rebel force
mus, have been one object Of Gen. Grant. II be
had any doubt Of il. yet there Is nothing IN the
account that has reached us Ia indicate decisive
~ tha, bis advance developed the eucmy's posi-
ton. We mas suppose, therefore that II had
some other purpose. for thcrc was 10 contest
serious enough 10 b. called q battle. And Il II
were neither a battle nor reconnaissance We
cannot bc far wrong in supposing II icini.
The position a, Chattanooga was IN some re-
spccts greatly 10 thod.aadyaniagc Of The Rebels
Longs,rccts corps, IL, 90 strong. occupied the
western slope Of Lookout Mountain, scparatcd
by tha, mountain from the Ies, Of Bragg army,
and connecting with il only by mountain road,
few in number nddl.cult Of passage. In front
Of Long street lay Hooker recently rccaiofcod
by Sherman. They two wofe undoubtedly
stronger than Longtifcct alone; but tho latter
was 70 well fortified that be might reasonably
expect - hold bis works TIL help could arrive.
II. however, Gen. Thomas should move from
Chattanooga, when Hooker aud Sherman as
saultcd Longstrect, Brhggs attention ghI be
too fully occupied t. permit Inn to take care OF
his left. and II Lonestrcot had 20 fight his battle
alone, he must yield in tie oad TO tie might Of
numbers. Or, II ho were rccni0rced, Hooker
might be REINFORCED also. and, from tho nature
Of The ground more promptly than Wa possi'
bic for the Robclf.
Is,hen an attack upon Long7ircot was in con-
temptation, nothing is more probable than such
a movement as this fcint Of General CrGnger's.
lie ha. pushed directly out from Chattanooga,
rather os,cntaiionsly perhaps, sc!zing upon two
prominent points in The valley west Of Mssion-
ary Rid e, and threatening, but not assaalting,
The Rebel line OF riGe-pi.s beyond. All hat was
appar,rly accomplished was 70 drive IN The
enony's pckc's along lire Of some length, and
TO occupy the ground which they held. The
effect ofthemaneuyer, however, is "A challenge to
Eragg, which lie cannot overlook, ard which VIII
keep him in position east Of Lookout Mountain
while the attack Of Hooker and Shomas might
be progressing or preparing against Longs.rcct.
In that ease we may look to hear at any mo-
nent Of a battle, though probably not at the
point toward which this column has ad-
yanced.
On the other hand, it IL possible that Long
streets Corps las been withdrawn from LooA-
out Mountain, AID either united with the rest
Of Bragg army or sent to Knoxville. And 1t
is still further possible that Bragg himself has
gone with his main army to attompt the rccoy-
cry Of East Tennessee. Desertcrs confidently
report Longs'rcct near Burnside, though OF hl5
troops We have heard no mention. j. seems
unlikely that they should have been v. hdrawn
unseen from the slope Of Lookout Mountain,
which they occupied conspicuously. II ought
10 be still more improbable that Gen. Grant has
allowed B.agg to slip away from hin, and
reach Knoxville in time to crush Burnside, unless
with ,he certainty that he Is able to make such
a movement fatal one for The Rebels. Should
Brace in such case find himself ftubbonly re-
sisted nj Knoxville, he must also expect 10 find
Gen. Grant operating promptly and effectively
mon biz rearand nauk. His only hope OF success
or oecoue would lie in an immediate victory, and
tbe consequent pofsession Of Tie keys of East
Tennessee. The hazards are 80 great that VIC
incline 10 bGicye, on Mc whole, ina, Bragg Is
stil either near Chattanooga or in retreat
Southwark, and We see 10 reason to doubt that
Durnei9e viii be able 10 hold Knoxville TIL
decisive battle il fought by Gen. Grant. II thai