The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-10-24

though It was not generally known. and Il
Wa aurmised by some that the dcsigr of the
President h to place him in Command of thc
corps OF Gen. Polk, who is now euapendctl
whether PemOertOn would accept such a
profier until his record has been cleared by
the hnding OF court Of inquiry, remains to
be seen.
The review occupied most Of the day. and
l learn tnat the President expressed his graf
incation az tue general appearance Of the
army. There was little or no outward en-
thusiasm manifested by the troops on the
ie't, though Braggs army shouted Justify
Yet officers and men were all pleased by the
presence OF the Chief The reason for their
silence is good one, though il may not have
occurred to Others at the time. The Presi.
dent was, during . portion Of the time, with
In one thousand yards Of the Federal bate
ries, and had the enemy suspected his pre-
sence every gun ON their front would have
rained shells along our line. The Federal
pickets during the review were in plain
sight.
Subsequent to the review His Exceleucy
rode up the Lookout Mountain, and inspect
ed the Yankee camps. Here, too, he was
within easy range of their guns, and an uu-
lucky shot might have terminated his career
forever. But fortune favors the brave.
THE RESULT OF wHEELER's EXPEDITION.
Wheeler captured upwards of eleven hun.
drcd and sixty five wagons In the Sequatchic
valley, ten hundred aud sixty OF which he
destroyed, and the remainder he succeeded
In bringing safely across the Tennessee. He
shot upwards Of thirty-flve hundred mules,
and brought out with him nearly one thou.
sand horses and mules. At McMinnville he
destroyed thirty days. rations for Rosecrans' S
entire army, including fifteen hundred sacks
OF green coffee, and twenty five hundred
barrels Of parched coffee, with other stores
in proportion. At McMinnville he also de-
stroyed two trains of cars loaded for Chatta-
noOga, and also the railroad track for nearly
fifteen miles. He then destroyed the track
on the Nashville 4 Chattanooga Railroad,
for nearly twenty miles below MurffeesborO'
His loss was three pieces of artillery, and
about one thousand men in killed, wounded
and prisoners, the most of them being pris-
ouers.
In connection with the above we extract
the following, from a special to the Rebel, at
Marietta, dated the 18th inst, which states
that after he paroled the prisoners captured
over StOnO and Duck rivers, while Wharton
threatened Murfreesboro'. Wharton then
joined Wheeler at Shelbyville. The enemy
we're reinforced and fought and drove Wheel
er back. He retreated across the Tennessee
river near Courtland, Ala Our loss heavy,
but it was brilliant exploit. Roddy is re-
ported to have blown up the tunnel at Cow
ans"
THE SITUATION OF AFFAIRS.
The questiOn which now rccurs is: At
what point is Rosecrans likely to develop his
intcntiOnY believe that it will be on the
left of our line, and for the following reasons:
Lookout Mountain, which Is now in our pos
session, Is as essential to the Federal com
mander, If he has determined to hold Chat
tanooga as base Of further operations, as
Nashville, Murfreesboro', or Bridgeport, for
the simple reason that it commands the rail
road, contains several important passes,
and is standing threat over Chattanooga
Once possessed by the enemy it relieves their
wagon trains, enables them to provision
theii army, and gives them the most valuable
position for offence or defence in this entire
region. That ROsecrans has fastened his eye
on this point is evident from the fact that he
Is now building bridge across Chattanooga
creek, near it's union with the Tennessee,
and near the base OF Lookout Mountain.-
Across the Tennessee, on what Is called the
''Moccasin," formed by graceful bend of
the river, the Federals have erected fortifi-
cation, from whose guus prOjectiles are
thrown to the summit Of the mountain, and
q persevering attempt is daily made to an
noy us in our occupation. Mach ammuni-
ton has been thus expended by the Feder-
ais, but little has been accomplished We
receive their fire with dignified silence, and
seldom reply. Should an infantry attack be
made, however, come in what shape it may,
we are prepared for it at every point Rose
Grams would doubtless be willing to sacrifice
ten thousand men to gain his object, but
twice that number will bite the dust if such
al attempt is made in force. There is no
of demonstration against any
other portion Of our line.
Last evening unusual commotion was OBJ
servable in the Yankee camp, both to ear
and eye. Some officer was engaged in re-
viewing the tro0ps along the line, and cheers
long and loud trent the air." During the
night their bands were serenading until
late hour, aud the wave Of melody that rolled
across the country was in strange contrast to
the sleeping quiet of our own army. Itmay
be that reinforcements have arrived at Chat
tanooga, or What is equally probable, that
Lincoln, like Davis, is on tour of inspec
ton. If SO, it would be a remarkable coin
cidence that two Presidents, who hate each
other so cordially, should be only two miles
apart, engaged on the same mission.