, 1864-01-15
GEN. GRANTS DEPART.
N1ENT.
Gen. Grant Visits Knoxvillc-The
Probability. OF tho Fnture-Rc-En-

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.. Jan. 7, 1851.
!. Gen G1ant returned from Nashville Mon-
day evening, and on the following morning
Lett for Knoxville, the state Of aiiaira IN East
Tennessee being Of character to requiro his
presence. His headquarters arc to 10 rcmoy-
ed ut once to Nashville. His staff will leave
to-day or tomorrow, and the General Will
return there from Knoxville. This fact Is sue-
flcicntly suggestive rs to the character Of tho
operations TO be expected In this department
for tho next three months, Mt least. - ~,-
Gen. Thomas is hard at work clicking Into
ahape' 80 much Of the Army of tho Cumber--
lnnd asshe can lay his hnnds on. 1t fs not too
mich to eay that, since he took command.
ycry much has been accomplished by way OF
discipline md general improvement. The
army needed the close attention ahd minute
case which hos been given to It since Gen.
much in bis favor that tho Improvement Is so
pcrceptible
Tie fighting qualities Of the. Army Of the
Cumberland were, believe, never, question.
cd thongh It had somc rotten sticks. In 1t
from tile first. It's discipline, never was.
however, the very best and ~ to the TASK g q
dressed himself laborlously and successfully
Considerable numbers Of officers have been
euIn1narily dismisscd tho serylco;. others
have been sent before Courts-Martlai,. While
others still have been permitted to resign, 10
save, tho disgrace Of Dismissal or punish
ment. ., J.: ::
ing on to enlist into the Veteran corps
Whole regiments arc coming Into tho arrange,
ment, and scvernl have already departed
ho1ncward to take the forty days furlough,
haying previously been mustered IN nnaes
the H. Mth9ng11 o2nI m roouist
in this way; So the country Will DC sure ol
having m army Of uetc1lns.
It is plain to be seen that, Notwithstanding,
Mi Inc drawbacks Of the Service, officers and.
men orc disposed to keep In itmas aL., pE9,tss,
It liyinr by the men. I have observed how re-
iuctantiy most Of them 60 ont, and ! can
we'll ace how: q majority Of the small part
That do 10 out will be anxious to get back
acein before many months. The pro-
fcssion Of arms in our country not only pays
well, but 1t has it's peculiar al1uremcnts.
us most OF them do, TINT they have seen the
hardest part Of the war, and .nay count on
comparatiycly easy time hereafter. Beside
thie, as havc reason to know, there Is wish
by d great many to sec the business through;
that, having begun at the beginning, they
nreRusst freREnents "a are but Skeletons 500 being ratei
above the average, I. Judge; but their pres
cnce in their respective ncIghborhoois will
have the effect to facilitate cllllstnlcnts, md
a.. the end Of tho forty days they Will return
with ranks measurabiy til1ed.
The period of seeming INJECTION will on our
Eido be marked by this renewal Of the army;
on the rebel side by far different state or
things, Evidence multfpf1es daily Of IN Or
gnnized disposition In the ranks Of the rebels
to ground arms and accept the terms Of tho
PEesIdents Proclamation of Amnesty. Left
to themselves, l am persuaded that thou
sands nould desert weekly, and, after taking
The required oathr would return to their
homes, never again to leave them to bear
arms against the Union.. With this feeling
actually existing the rebel army cannot grow
in efficiency, but must degenerate The
late defeats have crushed ont tho
former defiant spirit aud expelled tho,
hopefnlncss which lcs' animated not only
tie rebel army but the Southern people. This
might bc argued on general principles, but
VIC have abundant testimony showing 1t to
bc a practical fact Wherever the proclanla-
tfon has reached the people of the South It
has rot been without a fayoruble response,
and nm assured by PERSONS, by long associ-
alton and actual residence capable Of m In
telliGcnt opinion, TINT could there be ailc-
guate protection, there would in nil parts of
the South be an organized manifestation Of
ncccptnnce Of the terms proposed for return
ing to the Union. The leaycn exists; and
sooner or later, will work, mud show itself,
In one way or another. On this reliance may
lc pl%ccl expectation cs on something likc
fixed fact, and It argucs the most lavorab1e
things for the future