Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-11-12

add tie elocri Of partially illuminated Didhishs
ga far al tbs possession OF the railroad nom Bridge.
port 10 Chattanooga Is concerned the Federals have
achieved their object; and by means OF Wagonetrains
connecting with the road few miles above US In the
Valley, can now readily supply their army with every
| thing required for winters campaign. 10 Short the
occupation of Chattanooga as a permanent base OF
/ operations may now be considered axed fact
Whether the reinforcements from Meade's army are
intended simply to protect the line Of rartad for the
present or to assume the aggressive before the oppor-
tuniliss of the season have passed. yet not appa
rent. There are few in this army who, viewing the
condition of the roads, the 6okoness of the weather.
the treaehery of streams and the inAdequacy of rans
porstiOn, believe that tho Yankee commander win be
fool-hardy enough to make an onward move until
spring. 1t is not impossible, however, that struggle
may take place within thirty days for the possession CT
Lookout mountain. This old patriarch Of the hills Is at
oace source of Federal strength and weakness. IL
projects and it threatens it is wall which divides the
enemy from US and il il fortress out OF which, for all
that may be known to them, hundred thousand men
may sally aud sweep through their camps IL is there
| re thorn in the Yankee Hssh Al this monsnt the
enemy are planting batteries in the Valley, from which
to shell our positions twenty-five hundred feet in air.
Already Moccasin throws his angry prcsOIles above
the Peak and aWakes the echoes OF thousand cIags.
aud perhaps before the expiration Of thirty days. the
| thundsrs of a bombardment may be reVerberatDg
through the But it is useless TO Anticipate.
6nd much criticism aaolt among prominent officers
in reference 10 the present occupation Of the Valhy
Some of our dAshiug Virginians contend that Bragg
who knew OF the movement of the Yankees in lie in
oepton should have given them battle and captured the
whole body There we're certain modes of striking the
Federals during their march, that would have inflicted
immense damage on their passing columns, but de-
moustrAon Of this nature would undoubtedly have pre-
ciptsted bltte whose only result had We been VIC
tOrous would have been the punishment Of two corpse
without at all influencing the issue involved in the in
ysstmest of Chattanooga. Under these circumstances,
Bragg may have acted prudenty in declining
our present line of battle in small or large degree and
risk battle elsewhere which would have involved the
lives of thousands, with decisive gain. Human life,
however cheaply valued in the North is too pre-.
cious In the South TO be thrown away without ade
ouate benefit to the cause and he Is prudent General
Il who knows In this respect when and how TO eoono-
| mise.
The possession Of Lookout Valley has unquestionably
becn Of immense advantage to the enemy. From Fed
eral public accounts and prisoners confessions the
my in chattanooga nearly at the end of ts teher
until succOr arrived from Bridgeport The roads
the mountains had become almost impossible; stock
was rapidly giving on. oRng - hard usage aud lite
forage dead mules by Thousands described lying
along the of transportation, while the fret ght OF
wagons from weakness in the animals reduced
to one thousa ID pounds In the army ITSELF the troops
we're destitute of wood; they living short
tions and we're emphaticay at the hungry II not the
| starving point. Four weeks of such suffering
might have put another face s4irs yet relief has
suddenly come, and from q quarter not expected by
cur commanders, as believe, and the FsderAls are
placed on splendid Warfooting. They are, in word,
as comfortable in Chattanooga as they would be in
Nashville Louisville while Bridgeport their base Of
supplies, may be turned into base of offensive opera
tooS any moment the weather and inclination may
permit
These considerations, however, have doubtless been
duly weighed in the balance by Gen. Bragg and
inclined to believe that, notwithstanding golden op-
pOrunty at lad for the accomplishment of partial
results that would have gladdened the heart Of the
country, the commande-n-chief had a deeper scheme
revolving bis mental planetary, for whose fsuton he
can afford to wait hope it may be so.
At any rate the psOpls of the country may rest
suted this army is in superb fighting condition. and
whichever way moves will not do dscredit to its glo
rious past.
1 observe from the sporadic papers that straggls
into camp-and by the way, they sell at fifty cents
each-that there il vague, and editor styles it,
an instructive idea" that We the Of some
great event. How such conception has escaped us,
/ nd ad I Ar n tn Thara
certainly movements taking place in our neghborhoOd
wa ca have been necesstated by the new combinations
Of the enemy but that these look to early battle or
to any general change Of the position Of the army
not prepared to say:
0ne thing is observable, our Generals exceedingly
active, and spend no little time in personally recoDnoi-
teDg the two antagonist lines. Only to-day passed
il one group Longstreet, Breckinrdgo Hardee, Howell
OJbb Gst and Bennr route TO Lookout Peah; yet,
after all, these indications straws and prove
nothing but alertness.
As far an humble correspondent do 60, would
impress upon your people and the officials most inter
esed in the welfare Of ths army the eminent necessity
of prompt supply OF clOthog for the winter. Ia
one regiment have found upwards ofOne hundred and
fifty men without a blanket to shield them from the
cold and damp Of these western nights, aud am 10.
formed that everywhere pressing need in this resi- ect
exists. Men may bs Sc soned to disease, but human
nature withstand the rigors Of climate such
this If therefore, you would be- p!triotc and gene
rous como the relief Of the noble fellows upon VIII ON
more than any others now depend the welfare Of the
Confede acy and Of the Oar other armies
are comparatively within reach of succor aad Infinitely
batter provided but this contains Thousands cut ofom
home, destitute of friends except among their ragged
comrades and dependent for aid alone upon the action
of Government asd the benevOlenco Of individuals
Better by far that the people a, home around their
Portable Preside should suffer poverty itself thau that
this army whose solidy the weight of The Con-