The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-09-25
&istmaah qispatft.
THe cAosaisa n FIST TEsaEsseE.
frRox ouR OWN coaRssroxpxxr.1
HxADQ'Rs ARMY UPrxR EAsr Tenn.
Friday, Sept. Is, lNS3.

/ tsA osk OWN CORRESPONDENT
HKApQ'Rs ARMY urrxR EAsr Tern.
Friday. Sept Is, la6s.
Before stating anything in relation to news
matters beg leave to make one cxpla1asiop
Of the previous reports Forwarded by tele-
graph and otherwise from this locality. In
the hrsf plsce telegrsphed yon from Bristol
cf the reported evacuation Of Upper East
tennessee. This movement on the part OF
the enemy was apparently progressing some
few days ago, and our pickess and scouts had
actually advanced considerable distance
But ON Wednesday evening last, for reasons
not proI er to mention, our advanced forces
fell back TO point which for prudential rea-
sons need NOT be named So much for the
reported evacuation.
| The next in turn comes the battle said To
| have taken place at Cottonport, on the Ten.
nessee river. in which the enemy's forces
| were detected with heavy loss. This report
IS neither confirmed nor eontrasaitfed, though
very little credence II any Is given TO il here
at fh1Dsime, thought it obtained credit in the
| best Informed circles when II frst reached
| our lines
The situation and condition Of affairs in
| front of our lines in the direction Of Knox
vile is very unfayoratle for obtaining infor-
| nation, as a large majority Of the inhasitants
| are tories, while the few Southern men Who
| remain are invalids, eripples, or very weak
| kneed. Consequently We have very few 10
come into our lines FROM tLat direction, and
the resuit is that We have to remain in ienc-
rance i'm regard to the doings Of the enemy in
our front, and bat FOR the little information
derived from our pickets aud scouts We would
be as profoundly In the dark as If we were in
f1sx,s Ia The
who remain at home within the enemy's
lines and all through Carter and other coun-
tics, have TO he as circumspeet as possible
keeping in doors for fear of the bushw hack
ers. l am reliably informed that il is ey-
iremely hazardous for a Confederate TO gL
alone in Carter county just ten or fifteen
miles South Of this post, although that por-
iion of the country is within our lines, bu.
inhabited by as notorious Lincolnites as can
be found in Lincolndom.
The commanding officer Of the forces of
this department seems alive 10 the responsi-
biiities OF his Office and much depends on
his management and skill; for If by any mis-
hap or biunder We should be defeated here
the whole of Tennessee aud part of South
western Virginia will be indisputable in pos
session Of the haled Yankees Much, how
ever, depends on the result Of the operations
OF Brasgs forces: for with a victory i'm that
region down goes Lincolndum in all East
Tennessee, aud our line OF com I,unieation ia
this direction viii be open TO the south
From all that can be learned the actual Yam
kee force in our front must be small The
railroad within their lines as far As Knox
vile is guarded by tories, 4 large number Of
whom ACT As scouts, pickets, DC, Tor them
OUTPOST, beyond Carter's Bridge,
2o'cl0ek Z. NJ
We run down 10 this point this afl ernoon,
and gather but few additional particulars
proper for publication. 1t is satisfactorily
scertained that the enemy are gathering up
commissary stores, horses, Sc., and are run
ming them all down towards Knoxville In
many instances they have the wheat ground
before it is sent off. We also have report
that Burnside has issued an order for the ar
Who Who may It br wTli aseisa al lkis
it will be noticed is cute Yankee trick, As
these men have for the most part been eX
changed, but being where they cannot get the
Information remain at home in fancied Sc
curity.
Prisoners report the death of Col Bob
johnson, Andy Johnsons second son. He
is said to have died at Huntsville, Ala, in 4
drunken tit. 1t will be recallected that his
oldest son was thrown from Lis horse in
Nashville some i've or six months ago and
killed while on a drunken irolie. Thus is
the arch traitor reapfng the reward OF his vii
lainy A gentleman just arrived, and perfect
" reliable, states that he left Jonesboro' YES
terday evening, and reports that no Yankees
were nearer than i've miles west of that
place at the time he left.
This morning cavalry force was sent down
to that village, but has not returned up 10
this time.
HEADQ's UPPER EAST TENNESSEE,
ZoilicofIer, Sept. 1910 z NJ.
1t was INV intention to reach Bristol TO-
night in time TO mail the foregoing cOmmu-
nicafion in time to reach you on Sunday;
bnt, alas! for human hopes and expectation,
we are doomed to disappointment. On our
arrival at this post telegram was received
from Bristol stating that our pickets lad
been driven from the direction of Mocasin
Gap and that the enemy were within few
miles of the town. Consequently the train
was stopped here. Another train had left
here for Bristol q few minutes before the dis
patch above referred to was received, which
was met by the citizens of that place. who
were fleeing in consternation, some of them
declaring that the Yankees were just outside
the limits Of the village. The conductor Of
the train procured a horse and rode into
town and found large number of citizens
leaving and preparing to leave, and from him
l learn that couriers and scouts have come in
aud reported that Col Carter's cavalry regi-
ment, which was stationed near Ready Camp
Ground, had been surprised by brigade OF
Yankee cavalry and ''caa .tl 10 pieces Z" lie
satisfied himself of the fact that the enemy
were approaching Bristol in some force, their
numbers not known, and immediately put
back aud brought his train to this place.
o. K.
ZoLLGoFFER, Sept 19-2 p NJ.
This morning, about O'Clock, one OF our
pickets, who. had been stationed near
Blountsvilie, the county seat Of Sullivan
county, and six miles from these headquar
tiers, came dashing in and reported that a
party Of seven men had been fired on at
Blountsville by the enemy, who chased him
to within q few miles of this place. Our
forces were soon in line of battle. At about
IL A. n. scouts which had been sent out
this morning in the direction of Blounts.
vile came in aud reported that the enemy,
which was composed OF cavalry and mounted
infantry, estimated to be some twelve or fif-
teen hundred strong, had left their wagon
trains, &c., at Rlountsville, and gone on up
the Reedy Creek road In the direction of
Bristol We have since ascertained by citi-
zens and scouts from Bristol that they reach
ed that place about half past A. n. to-day,
aud when our infOrmants-WhO narrowly
escaped being captured-lcff. the enemy was
in the streets and the citizens firing ON them
FROM the houses. On yesterday morning
Col. Carter's LIST Tennessee cavalry had o
skirmish with the same force Of the eucuny
who passed up the Reedy Creek road to
Bristol, at or near kingsport, twenty-five
miles west by northwest Of this post. In
this aftray his forces were forced to TALL back.
by which three Of his wagons and two com-
panies Of his command were cut OF The