Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-11-11

The Situation in Tennessee-Late Movements
of the Enemy-Possession Of Raccoon Noun |
tain Plan and Disposition. OF the Enemy's
Forces.
All interest centres now in Tennessee Indica-
tons are that we may expect renewal of the con.
fict there at any moment The enemy has given |
signs of new life, and the movements show that he
assuming the offensive. The struggle
for the possession of Mount Lookout and the Nash
vile and Chsttanoogs railroad has commenced:-
The enemy has taken possession Of and fortified
Raccoon mountain-an elevation parallel to that
held by our forces, and which commands portion
of the valley between it and the Lookout range
The Columbus Georgia. Sun thus describes the rel
alive position of these two points:
If we recoect properly, Raccoon mountain has
greater elevation in its range s0uthwestward than
does Mount Lookout and commands the latter some
ten fifteen miles south of the river though not
SO high by several hundred feet at the point near
the river. The enemy's batteries on Moccasin point
are some fifteen hundred feet lower than onrs on
Lookout point, and all approaches to our position,
except by flank movement on the RaccOon noun.
tain and an advance upon our rear, seem impossible.
Our lines of defence on Mount Lookout form V, i
the apex of which rests on the south bank of the
river, some 2,700 feet above the water; the line
forming the eastern side, extending back four or
five miles, and forming junction with the line on
Missionary ridge, our guns on the two elevations
commanding the Chattanooga Valley below; the
line forming the western side extends southwest be-
yond the point opposite the junction of the eastern
line with that on Missionary ridge. The abandon.
ment of Mount Lookout by our forces would not,
necessarily, cause the abandonment of our position
on Missionary ridge but it would enable the enemy
to open railroad communication with Middle Ten
nessee, and give him the quiet and undsputed pos
session of his present position in Chattanooga, which
is probably all he designs for the present Even the
possession of Raccoon mountain will enable him to
resume communication by railroad from that point
to Bridgeport, and thus enable him to establish
depot of supplies some ten or twelve miles from
Chattanooga; but in attempting to move supplies
from this new depot by wagon trains he would have
to cross the river twice-6rst at Raccoon mountain,
then at Chattanooga
The correspondent Of the Savannah Republican,
writing Of the situation in Tennessee, says:
We have the encmys forces in this quarter dis
tributed as follows: The main army at Chattanoo-
ga, under Thomas, exclusive of cavalry So 90 men;
tho left wing at Knoxville and vicinity, under Burn
side, $4,000; the right wing, consisting of rein.
forcements sent from the Potomac, under Hooker,
IL, 900; other reiRforcements from Grants army
advancing from the west under Sherman, to form
aunction with the right wing, 15,0 900. Total, o.
600. Add to this IL, 900 cavalry, and we have An
army gathering for the invasion of Georgia, under
the supreme guidance of Grant, of 1O7, 900 men.
To meet this army, to defeat and overwhelm it,
will require the best Skill the highest and the most
perseverng and united efforts of the Confederates.
The reinforcements-two corps darmie-sent
out from Meade's army under. Hooker are at
Bridgeport. They number about twelve thousand
men. One corps is commanded by Slocum, the
other by Williams. The river at Bridgeport is d.
vided by an island of considerable length. Two
pontoon bridges have been thrown across from the
North bank of the island and at last accounts prep
arations were being made to lay third bridge from
the island to the south bank. This latter work has
probably been completed by this time. Hooker's
pckets cover Sand mountain to the distance OF 3
or 10 miles this side Of Bridgeport
Sherman, with other reinforcements- supposed to
be fifteen thousand in numbers advancing along
the Memphis and Chatiester .-ffEoad from the west
Re- The .dcss he ~as at tn aeS
Jdhdson's cavalry is in his 'front.' tearing up the
road burning the strngers and cross ties, heating
and bending the iron rails, and DESTROYING the
bridges. At this rate, it is not probable that he viii
reach Bridgeport before the first of February It
will require several weeks to replace the bridge
across the Tennessee at Decatur.
meanwhile, Burnside holds Knoxville with force
OF 900 men. 1t is believed that he too, is ensa-
ged IN repairing the railroad bridges in East Tennes
see with view Of opening communications with
the main army at Chattanooga.
The question of supplies is giving the Federal
commander much trouble, General Thomas issued
an order few days ago, in which be declares that
all persons guilty Of pillaging will be severely pun
ished, unless it is shown that they are receiving
less than half rations This is significant. Some
OF his pickets have offered to exchange an overcoat
or pair of shoes with our pickets for gallon of
meal. At other points on the lines, however, they
say they have sufficient supplies.
To-day Major E. P. Alexander moved four Of his
splendid "a FOUNDER rife guns to Lookout point,
and put them in position to return the fire Of the
Moccasin batteries. To morrow we shall probably
enjoy a novel, if not profitable spectace-that Of
grand but harmless artillery duel, between hostile
batteries situated on opposite sides of wide river
the one on high bill, and the other on mountain
far above it.
Hoods division, now commanded by Brigadier-
General Jenkins, occupies the left of our lines, in
Guiding Lookout mountain. General Laws brigade
forms part of the division.
From the Asheville News
Official Report of the Second Battle at the
Warm Springs.
We are indebted TO the courtesy Of Brig Gen.
Vance for copy of Lieut.. Col Brysons official re.
port of the second fight at the Warm Spings.
AsHEvILLE, N c., Oct 90, 1863
Brio. Con. r. B. Vance:
would make the following report of the engage
ment Of the detachment from the 18th N. c. r., un.
der nv command at the Warm SPRINGS Madison