Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-12-12

50U6 OtNdVtoF 0F lCe0ek k1T00pS-1HetF. GtT0Itg
Position -Egaeir Great I'anic--Zaeir Loss
in 6rtuqy
4 respendenesi Richmond Dispatch.
ARMY OF TENNESSEE,
/ sCHIOK4MAUGA, Nog. 20, Midnight. :
The Con nfederates have sustained, TO day,
the most ignomtnious defeat of the whole
war-a defeat fof.which there isabut little
exchsesor palliatioh. For the frst time
during our struggle for national -indepen-
dence, our defeat isschargeable to the
( troops themselyess ssand-not to tho blunders
or incompetencylo of their leaders. 1t is diff.
1fcuft for one to realize how a defeat so.
complete could have occurred on ground so
favorable, notwithstanding the great dis
parity in the forces of the two hostile
'armies. The ground was more in our fav-
or than 1t was a. Fredericksburg, where
Gen. Longstreet is said to have estimated
that Lees army was equal 10 300, 900 men.
And yet we gained the battle Of Fredericks-
burg aud lost that of Missionary Ridge. :
But let us take up the painful narrative
at the beginning, and see how this great
misfortune, If not this grievous disgrace,
has befallen the Confederate arms,
Lookout Mountain was evacuated last
night,it3 being no long ger important teips
after t6e'lOss lofH0okOut or Wits Valley
and no longer tena eagainst such an over
whelming force as General Grant had con.
eentrated around Chattanooga. General
Bragg abandoned also the whole of Chat
tanooga Valley y,y,and the a trenShesland
breastworks running along the foot of
Missionary Ridge, aud across the valley to
the b6besof Lookout, aud moved his troops
up to the top of the ridge. 1t was found
necessary to extend his right we'll up TO:
ward the ChiCkAm0uga, near its mouth, Ia
consequence of the heavy forces which the
enemy had thrown up the river Ia that dt-
rection. The Tennessee and Missionary
Ridge approach nearer to- each. other as one
goes. up or rather down the valley, the
width of which at some points does not ex-
ceed ne.tourth OF u mile. Across this
Eyalley, now almost an open plain, varying
| from;a fourth of a mile to two miles In
| width, theF Federals advanced to the ASSAULT
ltheir ranks exposed to an artillery hre
] from the ridge while 10 the plain, and to
the infantry fire when they Attempted the
! assent of the hill or mountain.
The only objection that can be urged
|. against our line was its length and weak
! ness, the latter being the result Of the
| former, and the former the result Of cir
.lcumstdnces beyond our control, 1t being
necessary for us to guard the passes In
i the Ridge and conform to the length OF the
line presented by the enemy, ihe Fage
varies in hight from four TO six hundred
ilfest, aud is crossed by several roads lead
ling out from Chattanooga. The western
/ side. next to the enemy, was steep and
Irugged, and in some places almost bare !
the timber having been cut away tor treT
I-wood. Our pickets occupied the breast
/ works below, whileSthe infantry and artil-
llery were distributed along the crest OF the
ridge, from McFarlsn's Gap almost 20 the;
mouth of the Uhickamauga, o distance or
! six miles or more. In addition to the
/ natural strength of the position, we had
/ thrown up breastwofks along the ridge
wherever the ascent is easy
The Federal armY3was marshallea-unaes
Grant, Thomas, Hooker and Sherman, ana
1 tdidEnot number less than $4,000 veteran
ltroops. The sCohfederate army, under
Bragg, Hardee and Bteckihridge, did not
| number half so many. Longstreetsi Ntr-
| oinia divisions aud other troops had been
| sent TO East Tennessee. Had. these been.
4 present. with their steady leader at the
'IhradS of them, We should-haye won 9
lgietofy quite aSscomplste as.onr defeat has
fbeen. As it was, we ought to have won.
1.-The day, and should have done so II o1r
Il men had done as Wellfas usual. Possibly
4 a mistake was committed when Longstreet
twas sent away, and possibly u would nave y,
.Iheen better not toehave accepte0 oettle W.
iEdsy. but have retired last sight Senera
4 Bragg thought, however, that there was
l.not time, after the loss OF Lookoot,to e. ges
4 his army safely over the Chickamauga last
3Inigbt. antiIhat 1t would be better, oocupys
ing so strong position, to tight 1t out out
\ Bnt what could besexpscted from a oattls
skv,here the odds were so muchagainst him
q Not only did Grant have thtse to one ~
4 numbers, but the geographical conhgura-
ii ttion of the ground, in msneuyertug an
!. aEmv. was as favorable as he could desire.
4 lNatnre had provided an ample profession
far his Hanks and rear, and rendered MS
ifront almost impreguable. he possessed
Itbe additional advantage Of being aole 70
maueuyer his sarmy upon the cord OF
semi circle, while sBrsg SO could move ohsy y
Rnt let us proceed with the battle, the
skraprest, most singular and nqsst 81
hcnnfliet Ia which our arms have been en-
Igaged. t.E... .,o...s 4,
a ,va- -heayv. lines .of, battle, and spmeume e
n ,,S4eSe by large teseFye toEc9e4s; 81
, Inns ssne atie Was magnificent .as ytewsd
/, lif1om the crest of Missionary Ridge. he
+ 7l,aayanoesi FIRST against our gut VIII
B Sshont "a, O'Clock, where: he aeneolnless
ii tbst snperb soldier, Lieut.. Gen. haF9ee
tho eommanded on the right, whilst ma
iSr Gen. Breckinridge commanded on tne
4 lisf HAtdee's c6mmepA e@hEasea 5Sle,
hnrnets. Walkers, (eommanded oy zen
Gist. Gen. Walker being absent,l gheas-
hsSn,s. and StGgenson yistens, ftseA -
;nTida e & amhfAeed his old DIVISION sotn
Janded by Brigadier General Lewis! STEW
arts, part of BueknsE ssa ls5,s ''GE nm