The new South. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1862-1867, 1863-10-24
Burnside's March.

ISdG w odueS TNeE-tuc SlOIlOuo paoooSS Va - oN>
st. Philip and Jackson by Farragut and the
splendid campaign of Grant in Mississippi, are
the most noteworthy. To this list must be added
Knoxville.
Burnside, as he has twice told us since his ar
rival, has desired to lead On army to our deliver
ance from the moment that he took command Of
the Department of the Ohio. Many things be-.
yond his control delayed the expedition beyond
the spring and early summer. In the first place
his movements were dependant upon RoSecrans
The army of the rebellion must have its attention
fully occupied before any army, no matter how
large, could venture through the defles OF the
mountains. Rozencrans, it will be remembered,
was far from being at Chattanooga as late as June
last. Bragg was then endeavoring to make the
fight to save the Southern railroad as near to
Murfreesboro as possible; but the wiley Rosey, by
rapid flank movements, was so constantly putting
Bragg in position where he must fight on at
least equal terms, that the latter was at last
obliged to fall back within his defences at Chotta
nooga, Rosecrans following closely on his heels.
Middle Tennessee was cleared of the enemy and
the way at last open for the advance of Burnside.
During this time Burnside had not been idle
His army had been concentrated at the southerly
terminus of the Kentucky Railroad, and fitted out
especially for forced marches and hard fighting
All superfuiies were cast aside, but every neces-
sary for a mountain campaign was secured with
wonderful foresight. Large droves Of pack
mules were secured and loaded with theessentials
of the commissary department.; great numbers OF
wagons were prepared TO follow the army as close
ly as possible. ApoytioHsof the army was meun-
ted on horses picked for endurance to form the adj
vance. The troops Of the Twenty third Army
Corps, Major General H@tsuff commanding, led
the advance of this. grand army of deliverance
A large part of the cavalry of this corps had but
just returned from the pursuit and capture OF
Morgan and his band in Ohio, when the order for
this advance was received. The alacrity and en-
thusiasm which the men have exhibited on this
rapid march is beyond all praise and reflects great
earadi. A-s-ss.;-~.io,,~-
With an army thoroughly organized and equip
ped for the work before him, Burnside left Crab
Orchard on the 21st of August At about the
same time Hartsuff commenced the onward move
ment from Somerset with the infantry portion of
the army and with artillery. 1t may not be prop
per at this moment to particulrize the roads trav
elled, and We must be content with giving the
time and distance. The army arrived at Knox
vile on the Sd, being the fourteenth day since
leaving Crab Orchard, but only having eleven
marching days, and the distance travelled was,
on the route pursued by the main army, two hum
dred and four miles; some brgades marching on
branching roads made the distance much further
This made an average, by the main army, of a
little over eighteen miles per day. The march
was compact, too. The mounted division in front
did not run off and leave the infantry out of sight
and hearing in its rear If any army during the
war has made better time we should be glad to
chronicle the fact
It was this celebrity of movement that complete
ly Disconnected Buekner, and sent him flying in
dsgraceful haste across the Tennessee river within
Bragg's protecting folds at Chattanooga, without
hazarding fight with an enemy under whose feet
the grass never gfows The effect upon Buckner
was very funnyd He evacuated this place with
such indecent haste that he forgot his forces in
Cumberland Gap entirely, and left them to be
surrounded and cut off. That this is the fact is
proven by the circumstance that three days after
the entire rebel machinery had gone southwark
from there at neck-or- nothing speed, the rebel
commissary at the Gap arrived for the purpose Of
drawing rations, and on his arrival first learned
rebel government had departed this realm.
The wonderful: march of General Burnside is