Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-03-24
Lester from Kast Tennessee.

Correspondence Cincinnati CommeTeialI
MoRRasTowN, Tenn, March I.--Yestsrdsy
at noon ihs army marched into this cheeIless
viIlsgs, tired, bedrsggied and surly, after 4
tramp of eighteen miles from ReT Market, in
the wind and rain. On the day before the roads
were firm and even sometimes dusty. The men
were light hearted and light-footed, passing
their esIs on everybody and everything. The
drovee OF army beeyes staggered along, scoop.
ing up ille water sS they passed through It, and
now and then one Of them, after q week Absti-
nerce from husks, topping over helpless into =
ditch, ard Turning his toes meeklY upward re-
signed 10 his fate, and il WAS necessary, fro
auently, TO call hslt for the whole army. The
heat wsB aetaslly uncomfortable. A rain last
ing all night gave grateful coolness to the ht-
mospheIe, but rendered the business of locomO-
ton ons of great difficulty. The soil Of this
country though admirable for Road-m4kirg, in
I the sbsenee of rains, Is quickly reduced to q
paste By moisture, and becomes ia a short time
perfectly hideOus The knesding of ninety
nine wagons made the passage of the hundrsdih
| very doubtful matter, and the hundred and
| 6rst wan only got through by an application Of
/ rails and the lash, together with c0pious ex.
pendisure Of good English osshs. It needs no
| very vivid imagination to conceive the miSeries
which both men and animals undergo, when to
| the rain of Yesterday should be added the cold
I Wind Of higher latitude. There is need to go
little further than this to account for the multi
tudss of dead horses and mules which line the
roads Al the rate of one in every ten rods.
Since yesterday noon, it has rained almost in
cesssntly, aud this morning there are no signs
of an advance. Such thing is clearly impos-
! sibIe. From here 10 Balls gap, where Is IS re-
Dorted the enemy are determin&d TO oppose ouT
tuyther progress, is but thirteen miles, and any
further advance till the army Is fully prepared
to fores its way, is doubt!sSs impoitie- There
begin to be appearances now, that the rebel Te-
sreat wis not all that it Was thought 70 be, that
il was girnply well laid stTGtsgem 10 deeoy ouT'
army from Knexville, which they were con-
WINGED Kss impTsgnsble to their forces, to Trial
Of strength on tho opsn Geld. The slowneas Of
his retreat, the Rssiduity with which, at first,
deserters from bis army and fugitive citizens
nropactsed the report of his Generalization and
alarm, lis express orders to leave the railroad
and telegraph intact, bis proclamation to East
i TsnnesseeRns, encouraging ihsm to return to
i tleif homes and SOW wide breadth Of land
all thess lead to the belief that LongstTeet does
not intend to abandon this country yet. SGch
movement, too, is well in accordance with the
traditional rebel strategy, SO often successful in
This var, and is surely not without abundant
preeedent in military history. The general
, opinion of the army is that Bulls gap viii be
the limit Of our operation at presen' ii not, in
, deed, the proper and sstabli-hed point for the
inevitable vibration or alIernsOn Of the parties
to this contest.
4 E4st Tennessee is not territory 10 be absn-
doned for slight resons by either party. Though
it no longer has any thing to give from it's ex-
h8usteil grsnaries and emptied collsTs, yet, il
quiet could be soon restored, the crop of corr
, this year would yield good surplus. The crop
Of wheat next fall will be very scsnty, owing
{ to the disturbed state OF affairs at the time Of
, sowing, and the lack Of seed; but corn and oAil
/ could yet be put in, and C -.ble crops pro
. daced. 1t is astonishing what an amount o.
forage and supplies this country has furnished
to its successive masters. Two large armies
: have alternsted in its possession, with singular
: regularity, three OF four times, and each tins i
. was thought the army which occupied last had
cleaned it, and still its successor, by strict ant
o. exsetiUg search, pfoeuFed = new supply. 1hi
J. quantity Of pork and whOss which East Ten