The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-12-04
nfftAI OF GEN. BRAGG.
..s,x o,s owS ooRRssPospyST.l
ARsy oF TsNxEss sF,

" ,,i,h therc is but little excuse or Pailia
''' che fr,i tine dnriag onr struggle for Ea
'''' :. ,,o.ndsnce oar defeat is chargeahle L
"'''' =. ts.nselyes, and not IN the blnnder- a
/" .s.,pr, Of tBeiF leaders. II Is difficult 10
J." -,s!lze how drieai 50 complete coui
...e,red ou ground so favorable, uoiwith
,tas ibs g5ea; disparity In the forces of 'h'
,,.,.ls afmie.. The ground was more in Oh
.nsn!twas al Fredericksburg, where Gsn
..+,s,t f.. said TO have estimated that Lee
ass eGual TO 300, 900 mt.. Aud Yet ~
-,..t the bat,le of Fredericksburg and lost tha
Missionary Ridge.
a,t ift us take ap the painful narrative az tn
,...oaips and see hoo his great misfortune,
= ,als gfieyous disgrace, has b"tallen the Con
,-J-rats arms.
isosani Mountain was evacuated last night. ;.
ling M longer important In ns after the loss !.
i,saut ur Niils's Valley, and no longer tenshl'
,.7si such an overwhelming force as Genera
,aai had concentrated AROUND Chattanooga
- g!agg abandoned also The whole al Chaiia
ii alley, and the trenches and hreastwork
-,lI along the foot ot Missionary Ridge an,
49, The vniiey 10 The base of Lookout. an,
..l his troGps up 10 the top Of the ridge. |
8, f,gbd nrctssary 10 extend his right well tii
.sttS lhp fhiCknInaug3, uettf ais mouth, In con
...rg. ui the heavy forces which the eUeIus
E.H
5..,,-spe aud Missionary Ridge approach nearer
..-p other a. one goes up, OF rather down tiit
4..g The width oi which al so-,e points does moi
- aus iCuTili 6i mile. across tits valley,
4. slDusi an open plain, VARYING from a fourth
..-t.r 10 u, miles In width, the Federais OF
-.,fin tns assault, the.T ranks exposed to al.
TOR, aFe rom The Iidse While In The plain and
IT, i,fsItry ffe when they attempted the ascent
Ht Ail OF iuonhtihl'
"5,.,rIr ntce,lon that can be urged against our
,,in n htn np hen J
,r.,if of the former, and The former the result
,.--lusfanc9s beyond our f0nirot II being ne
.s,yf.,s ~ H. guard the passes la the Ridge and
.t.rrn ID Ihe length Of the line presented by
..,.av Th, hdse varies IN he light from iohr
, tIildItl feet, and l-'erossed By several rnads
,sgniIt ftGgi Chattanooga. The western side
,,t5 The enemy AGs steep and ragged and In
.,.4t!,crs almost bare, he timber having been
'.sy; {.r frewooI. Our Pickeis occupied the
,,sq,fwsrEs 1r.ow, while the infantry and arti-
I srrr aisitlhilied along the crest of the rida-
r.a VI Farian's Gap almost 10 the mouth of the
m .ssnaisi. distance nf six miles or more
-. .5tiuH O. The natural strength OF the position
/ ar tgd lhfOwn up breaslworks along the rid &c
s.tl-vrF the ascent Is easy
Tee f-irfa army was inRsiiatied under Grant ,
rt .el. Hooker. and sherman, and did moi nuG
b.. tsr than ss,bhd veteran troops. The Con
.-.-f..s srni,. under Bragg, iiaf,er, and Breck-
t.,. hd not number half so many. Long
.--... Virginia divisions ana other uonps
= srHt Es l.isi ! ititliHtS-ft. ft'u tnfSN
..4t Brr-yBt. win Their steaiy leader al
4 gsgfat If them. We should have won victory
..ag.. t.u f,lrtf is our defeat has been. AS II
nn.a- ought 10 haye won the day, and should
t.t llup 80 II our men had done as we'll as usual.
ta,..a, q mistake was committed when Long
,Irrt ~ semi away, and possbi. IL would have
s-sl bevf not 10 have accepted battle TO day, bnt
ll,- frsrd last nighr. Gen. Bragg thought, how
a,r. that there was not time, after tie loss "t
| lnBtGt, to gci his array safely over The thicha
ll4gl ia-i night, and that IL noui be better oc
ru!as 20 .lsDHg position, to fight 1t nnt. Eut
lll eanid br expect from battle where tne odds
| a,,r - r.uch against him Not only did Grant
ag- arrc 10 one in numbers, but tile geographical
yta-gIatloH ol the ground, In u!aH9uvetihg All
| lA,, was Is favorable as he could desire. Ma
Hfs had provided an ample protection foI his
aAs, and rear, and rendered hi- front almost i'm
| A-.Rats iIe posse tssed the additional advantage
b-lA. able 10 HaGpuvfe his army uuon The cord
# s.'m-clftt, whilst Bragg could move Only
ayJHfae arc.
Ballet Is proceed with the bat'ie, the strangest,
u'. Singular and unsatisfactory confiict In which
p.tsas have been engaged.
G1I. teplpyri HE immense masses In Two hcaVy
-urs battle, and sometimes In three, supported
b arge frserge forces. Tue spectacle was mag
Ulsrl - viewed from the crest OF Missionary
Sass He advanced first aganst our right wing,
ssg4t 10 o'clock, WhrTe he enc COuntareS Thai su-
i,ft .olet, Lieut. General Hardee, who com
a4a3s4 0u line right, whilst Major General Breck-
l41l;r clmmandrd on the left. Hlfdee's com
| 4-aj "m6faccd Cirburne's, Walkers, command
| 10 Geu Glst Cen. Walker being absent, ltheat-
-.n :, ani >irvens0n's divisions. Breci:inrdge =
eaarasel his old division, commanded by bffg. =
s'aLeais, <tewau' Is pan al buckner's ,hnd Hind
4sl : Commanded By PattDa Anderson. he enc
A!, trst assault upon Hafdee was fepuised with
| sfi slaughter, as WAS his second, though made
| s!A daubir lines, supported with heavy fe-
n'Tes. 1Er wave of battle, Ike the wave OF the
NLyu a al in,f a I.
't4i and his-ed, and struggled in vain; for the
ata'r n.n who guarded our right were resolved
'''F 10 Weld one foot 10 the hated invaders. ne
f'' against which they conteEded were fearful;
=" "aie The enemy advanced ia Two and even
~ee htassse lines, their own army consisted oi
,'l' lat long and weak line, without supports
'"'AsI not only repui,ed every attack, but cap
'fe 'r"f hags about 300 prisoners, and remained
"'4ri. 81 the ground until night, when they were
"''Fd tet!re, eaU.ing of all their guns, losing
Pfoh'tT, and bat Il small per centage OF Killed
'-@ -@S'dhd4d. The whole command behaved wen,
'44 eapreisiy thar model soldier, Maj. Gen. Gle
.'''5 tue sou 0f The Emeruid Isle, and his he
u"hlAh. Gen. iaTtee saved the army from Il
'NHo"' Gotl and added fresh iaiiTtis To MS
'n' 4iIact On tse len wing was not made until
''e' NS"h dere, a on the Iiaht, the enemy wa
Pa'Td' btI tir va- obstinate, and fought with
'SiIhf ana e"nidenee, returning 10 The charge
- ''u dsiih In The hahdSomest style, untii our
t' of!adrs near the centre, said 10 be Key
| case way, and the Federal flag was plant
' MISSIONARY Rtse. The enemy Vas not slow
'''F- himself of the great advantages OF his
" p''!ttnh. Ia Iry miutItel he turned upon
~ -"hs aad pddT. d into Them Il terrible enhiad
"hirh soon threw the Confederates on MS
~. - a"u iri' inlG confusion. Under this coniu
s ssP IN our lines grew wider and wider aud
bG,, N"a ms Wider II grew the faster the multi
rI 'i"la' '1e rushed into The yawning chasn. The
l,r'If'" eteHdrd nnlit IL finally assumed the
nj - P'i''' seeing The enemy In possession
rosra r,,,'oi' 9" The heights, the men hastily con
b,I '41' tie day was gone, and that they had
.a'e themselves. Just at this time The alarm
| d.." ca by an artillery battery which rushed
sun'r 'i I" the.flvef ior fresh supply OF am
fs,s 49, ~ ~" men, however, supposed they were
| b, et'' '"' 'tt heid and that ali was lost Nearly
| sas iet Wig eventually became involved
l4, - potion "i IL f-iiung under orders
C., f'SaVri iaft IN uamitigated Tout.
sst "'dss otd al' he could 10 rally The fagtives
| ,.h. '"' I'm ihe broken line. lie exposed himself
- ~ aisd;tfied manner, and al one time II
| +" tie would certainly be kiilei. His STAN
Ivi,,. e "'e also Conspicuous IN their efforts 10
! s,tot'''h'' 'h'' The! aHd HEIR thrf were The
rY ~ ,'l'e lir tiAgr.
iAe day was lost U,,d.. s,i,, ,,,i,,.;,.a hts
aat I", 10 success nf the right wing could re-
tgrs m II u us UriginPi position. All men--
.5b. t, iatrsl-are subject TO error and coniu
tiA, " das saine OF the Confederales did not
'qa,f11 lt az ta>toHitu courage. Possibly Tie
4, q. "fth lhe heavy masses Of the FEEDER
A,a1, '"fy rolled arrSxs the valley and uD the
La, tss Hus'' ana ihfH own long and attenuated
h NV VI character 10 encourage them. 9
td,ea r@'uss are siiiaii-vcry snail --ioO small,
taal,ts,,, s '.e"ided aiony with sO complete aud
s+ son. ns dei.a'. Included among our iasses
4,ry o. so. oa' bss' guns--peIiaps Is many as
halsac., snts 'ts' The infantry supports ia some
aae let ~ "sd :" pfeeipitateiy that there was no
iasd. dosn ,'sose -, The guns. There were but few
dt4 ana t ,'e ih"ahsalh by which they could ts-
| srilrt,I ."is "s%asioued further loss, Al the
f.s.a,a annrd ,a'''rd we'll The men IL Cobb's bat
sLh ulru ABOUND hti.I Ihair sn,,norts had fed