The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-01-16
91a9hrillf aluiuu.
Published BY an association Of Printers.
office on Printers Alley, between
Union and Deaderick streets.
FRIDAY MORNING, JAN le. 1863.
The Union Raid into Tennessee.

Inc. OulOH hdlu luJO 1enueSBee.
Important inteligence has been received
from rebel sources of brilliant opera
ton performed in East Tennessee by the
Union troops. From the Lynchburg Re-
publican, of New Years day, we learn
that body Of Union cavalry, reported
to be 5000 strong, and composed of one
Pennsylvania regiment and others un-
knwon, had destroyed nine miles of the
East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad
burning the important bridges at Zolli-
Golfer, over the holston and Watauga
rivers, and capturing two hundred rebel
cavalry who were guarding the former.
The Republican says it will take several
weeks TO repair the damages at a time
when the road is taxed to its utmost ca
pacity. 1t also states that the Yankee
raid, which extended over a space of
nearly hundred miles, was one of un-
expected daring and audacity.
The above account looks bad for the
rebels, and they have made it as light as
they could fOP the sake Of not disheart-
ening the deluded followers of their
cause but bad as they make it out to
| a
the true state of affnirs.
But what are the precise facte Of the
case? The affair is of far more serious
consequence TO the rebels than mere
destruction of about nine miles of rail-
road Nearly all the bridges between
Knoxville and the Virginia State line
a distance of 100 miles-have been de-
stroyed, and the track more or less in
iured. SO combined was the movement
that the whole affair was com 2leted in a
comparatively short space of time, and,
as the rebels express it, the line was so
much injured "that it will take several
weeks to repair the damages"
The plan adopted is developed by the
results. From the facts we have VIC
know that two bodies of Union troops
belonging to General Changers army oil
Kentucky, left Richmond, KY, shortly
after Christmas, on an unknown eXpe-
ditiOn. 1t now appears that one portion
of these forces took the left hand rOat
running south from that place, and
passing by Manchester, reached Noun
Pleasant Thence it took the road owe
the mountains TO Jonesville, and passing
through that place and EstiIville, strucl
the railroad at Union, a station situate,
about eleven miles from Bristol, which i
near the State line between Virginia ant
Tennessee. AT this point the work 0
destruction was commenced. The tele
u graph lines TO Richmond, Virginia, wer
first cut 10 prevent the retel chiefs a
their capital from knowing anything O
what was going on beyond that point
They next dashed on the line as far a
Bristol, elTectually destroying the rairoa
N track as they went, and as they fell bac
y burned the bridges over the streams
Arriving at the point where the railroa
crosses the Holston and Watauga rivers
the Union troops burned those bridge,
and beyond that point the rebels give n
information. The telegraphie lines hay
ing been, as we have before stated, en-
Oh tirely destroyed west of Bristol, of cOurs
the rebels could learn nothing beyOn
that point by telegraph, nor by courit
beyond where the principal bridges ba
been burned. As the distance betwee
the west side of those bridges and Bris
Ia toll was not over dozen miles, horse
man might easily ride to the latter plat
and give such Information as he coul
have learned, and the same could ha,
been telegraphed to Lynchburg and Ricl
mOnd.
md We, however, are enabled to supply Il
deficiency After CT ossing the river, al
passing Carter depot, the Union trool
pushed on to Jonesboro, thence to Greer
vile and Bulls Gap, now known
Rogersyille Junction, altogether a di
lance Of over seventy miles, at the san
.i time destroying all they could duril
their movements in the way of bridge
yet, trestle work, &c, along that line. III
ended the line Of operations Of the coluu
ell on the left.
,h The other column left ri chmond, X
by one of the roads running South, al
md struck the Cumberland Mountains
point nearer Cumberland Gap and IA
Their 10 the west of that taken by Oh,
colleagues. They next proceeded to /
~ State line, and, crossing the Clinch rivt
en-. followed the turnpike road to Rogersvil
1t was planned that this column shou
ing arrive at this point about midnight,
"o which hour train OF ears was general
IA. at the station.
,h. RogersyiHe is place Of but small il
portance, and contained but few inhal
.,P tauts, who were easily secured aud pr
vented from giving any alarm. Il
u branch Of the railroad was also of M
Try local use, and connected with the m.
sv- line 81 Bulrs Gap, cor Rogcrsyiile in.
ia. ton. The troops found ,ho train no
station as had been supposed, and Fl,
49, got IL uudor way. Having switched