, 1863-10-07

Eleep. a cup Of coffee and hard cracker, I
bought Of one OF the soldiers, and too laid
down under one Of the trees, and wrapping
NY blankets about me, slept eoundly TIL sun
DOWN TIE MOUNTAIN.
We had then four miles to travel before We
reached the top Of the range down which We
were to descend, and at the foot Of which lay
the Tennessee River. Upon the summit there
were over thousand wagons waiting to make
the descent, and the road was 5ammed full
from the baee to the top of the mountain with
the attending train Of the Cavalry Division.
It was hazardous undertaking to ride down
the narrow gorge, thus blocked up, when
single misstep would send horse and rider a
thousand feet below upon tbs sharp and jag
ged rocks, but resolved to attempt 1t. The
the road bed Is constructed Of broken stones,
logs, and fallen trees, and 50 narrow that
even on horseback there is scarcely room to
pass the teams coming up the ACTIVITY. For
Lbs first half mile mas IN continued danger.
Ing time, and keeping In the angles Of the
rock, escaped worse Injury than being once
unhorsed.. Aftet the first half mile the road
Widens, and there is less difficulty.
WISCONSIN oAvA1RTMEN.
At this point met the LIST Wisconsin cav
a1ry-the regiment raised by Dol. Daniels.
They took me for eutler, and asked me If /
haa not q load Of cigars on the top Of the
mountain. When + told them that l be-
longed to the TRIBUNE office, they crowded
around me and g1asped my hand as cordially
as If 1shad been brother. "Bully for tie
TRIBUNE, that's my paper when I'm at home''
said one. Another said, "We swear By the
TRIBUNE every time. Eaah rough and sun
Drowned soldier had kind word and God
speed as ! left the command.
REFUGEES.
Y.nA A1.A a.
gees from Tennessee, whom the kind hearted
ecns Of the Badger State were helping along
toward the North. And this leads me to ssy
that the number now leaving Tennessee for
Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio Is very large. !
have no data from which to arrive at the e1-
to this place erery rail and wagon train
is loaded with them. Well-to do planters,
men OF means, and men without means, w0-
men and children are removing from this
beautiful but war-curHed State, nbandonfn.
homes, plantations, every thing, that they may
obtain food, and freedom from the terrible
effects Of civil war.
HOSPITALS.
At the foot Of the mountains, three miles
from Chattanooga, are the Field Hospitals Of
the 18th, Goth and 2Ist army CORDS, I Was
able to remain here but an hour or two, and
then pnahed on to Chattanooga. The number
here at present, cannot be less than four
thousand, with wounds generally quite sen-
ous, but not dangerous. DR.. Sherman, the
Medical Director At one Of the hospitals, told
me that Of his division hut two had died since
their establishment. The air and water are
excellent, and although they are sadly in
need Of hospital and sanitary supplies, the
wounded soldiers aze rapidly recovering.
BRIDGES.
Everybody knows that Chattanooga is on
the east bank On the Tennessee. There are
fYxrt 1nTf tnr@I
river, onel for tie use Of soldiers and wagons
coming from the mountains. and the other
for those going towards them. It was on
the former of these that I crossed over into
Chattan ocga. :.
CHATTANOOGA.
! Was disappointed In Chattanooga. It Is a
larger and better built village than / expected
to lind; and bears evident marks Of the enter.
prise and prosperity which once characterized
It. Its Inhabitants are gone, save faw famI-
lies, and its fine mankione and elegant pub
lie buildings are appropriated tor hospital
and army uees, its beautiful park Is camp
ground, its splendid groves are cut down, aud
Chattanooga has degenerated from a beauti-
ful inland city. to dirty, dusty, garrison
town.
GEN. RosECRASs' HEADQUARTERS.
. Ipassed through the, town to the house
where Gen. Rosecrans has established his
headquarters, and covered with dust, rode up,
and would have hitched my horse ia front Of
the house, had not sentinel, With gun and
bayonet most th1eateningly pointed In my
direction, ordered me to halt and tie my horse
outeide the sacred enclosure. 1meek1y obey.
ed, and then asked the man Of war II could
see the General? He nodded permission, and
all covered as to clothing, hair and whfsker
With dust and dirt, I sought admission to
Gen. Garfield, CHEF Of staff. That officer was
busy and could not attend to me, but after
= INN y1fyh forN half r 4
mitted, stated to him briefly who was, pro-
duced my credentials, and Was dismissed with
an order directed to Col. Wiles, Provost Mar
sha1 General OF the Department, instructing
him to Issue permit to remain within the
Department, as correspondent for the
Tribune"
OLD FRIENDS.
With keen recollection of the courtesies
1nond (then Mnjor) and Major Davis (then Ad-
iutant) Of the 5lst Illinois, when first COM
menced my campaigning In the region round
about New Madrid, Missouri, I sought them
out, and am now CHARTERED upon them. Their
Ing upon the river in beautiful grove, and
with fine out view Of lookout mountain
which lies directly before US, and at the base
Of which the left Of the rebel line is stationed.
We are on The - =; line, behind q formidable
advance is another line Of carthworks equally
formidable. In, advance Of the latter are the
rffe-pfts, and still farther on, the pickets.
You zee we are tolerably well fortified against
surprise. Our quarters are IN one end Of q
negro cabin, the other end Of which Is occu-
pied BY an aged man and his numerous fam
lily Of children and grand children, the prop
erty Of Hon. VIM. Crutchhe1d. the owner Of
the plantation upon which our camp Is loca-
ted.
TIE LATE BATTLES.
/ should like to give full description Of
the late battles, but was, as you kno =, many
day and Sunday, and have no personal knowl-
edge Of the many stirring Incidents which
characterized that two days' fight. know
that the battle ragged fearfuLy, tor I see on
eye,y hand, In the decimated ranks Of cur
ersye ntt1e army, II tie h. THOUSANDS .eu. who IN
closely Invested within the earthworks which
surround this little city, the most tangible
evidences.
IN CHATTANOOGA.
Here the army NOW rematne. Since its ar
rival Notifications have been erected, and the
position strengthened, and preparations made
to resist my attack. Scarce day passes that
portions of The line, and the troops are con.
tinual1y on the alert. Last night there was
heavy firing opposite the centre about ten
O'Clock, and the little army Was under arms
to resist the anticipated ASSAULT. Inc aEt8ek,
If one was intended, was repulsed, and we
were allowed to rest again, somewhat unea-
Sly in my own case, l confess, until morning.
To day all has been quiet.
THE RESULT.
The retult Of the recent operations in this
portion Of the Cumberland, ca1not be claim
ed by us as victory, neither can 1t be con.
sidered in any sense defeat That We were
rcpulHed In the two days fight, it would be
idle to deny. We suffered fearfully. In kill
ed, wounded and prisoners our losses will
aggregate over 10000. We we're forced to
yield the ground and fall back upon Ross
Vile. From Rossville to Chattanooga our
retreat was matter of choice, not necessity.
The result of the entire campaign ia an nm
doubted SUCCESS. We have Chattanooga and
East Tennessee-all and more than Rosecrans
expected to accomplish, That We did not
more severely punish Brasg's retreating army
Is owing to the fact that The reioforcements
sent from Virginia and North Carolin. ena-
bled him largely to outnumber us.
THE FUTURE.
II Is hazardous to speak Of the future. I
know nothing Of what Is before us. The pa.
pers say that Burnside is within reach. and
that Sherman Is approaching By way Of Co.
rinth and Decatur. Until these reinforce.
ments reach US, If indeed they arc on the way
as reported, We shall doubtless remain In
Chattauooga, unless the enemy drive rs out