, 1864-12-16

The Military Situat1on-Nreckfn.
f1dEcss nInvements-IIoxv he iS Co.
operating With Hood.


II report is true, Gen. Breckenridge has not
been resting his command In idleness since
bis evacuation Of Beams Station, but by a
dexteEou. movement has thrown the main
portion Of lis column into Middle Tennessee.
a report, deemed reliable, yesterday placed
him nt Sparta, in White county, and rapidly
moving to join Hood in front of Nashville.
If this Information Is correct, the rebel Gen.
eral must have had the effective portion of
his army far on the road before Burbridge ad-
yanced from Cumberland Gap, and Beams
Station was occupied by small force, with
which small show Of front was presented.
If Brcckinrldge has reached Sparta, 1t is pre-
sumed that liscolumn is ten thousand strong
two thousand having been left in East Ten
nessee to watch the movements Of our forces
The inactivity of Hood can My he explained
on the ground that he has been waiting for
the cooperation of Breckenridge. When
Gen. B. made his appearance in East Teunes-
see, and overpoNercd and drove Gillem's
command back, 1t was then argued that
the movement was intended to favor Hood.
II is said that the camphisn In Tennessee was
planned by JEFF. Davis. and that Hood Is but
. medium through which tho rebel President
ncts. This statement, undoubtedly, is cor
rect. Hood was appointed to command be-
cause JET. Dayis knew that he could use him
at his pleasure. Conceding that the rebel
sec, it Is unreasonable not to believe that
every resort will he made to crown the move
ments with success. AS COMMUNICATIVE chief
Of the armies, lie appoints his Generals and
moves the Confederate forces as be pleases,
knowing no law but his will. To be success
1nl in Tennessee, Davis will abandon vital
points, and In other departments see defeat
and disasters crowd thick upon each other
His own genera1ship is at stake, his pet the
DRY Is being put into practice, aud nothing
will be left undone to guard against failure.
Taking this view Of the case, 1t naturally fol-
lows that Hood and Breckenridge, from the
very first, were ordered to cooperate with
each other. Hood has established his front
around Nashville, and he but awaits the
movements Of Breckenridge to inaugurate
more active campaign. In East Tennessee,
G. n. B. met with q more stubborn resistance
tbnn be lad calculated upon. He thought
that By sweeping back Gen, Gille1n's com
further opposition. In this he was mistaken
His next plan was to maneuvre his army so
as 10 present front to keep our forces In
East Tennessee, while, by a rapid march he
threw the strength Of his column around
Knoxville, into the central part Of the State,
assistance to Hood. We agree on the
hypothesis that Breckenridge is now at Spar
ia. We do not think TINT he will join the
command in front Of Nashville, but will exc
cute flank movement. He villain to strike
the Cumberland river, perhaps In the vicinity
take up position IN the rraro Of Thomas. The
story is reiterated that Hood is repairing tue
railroad south Of him, and, by tomorrow
night, he will be enabled to run through
trains from his front around Nashville to De-
cat1'r, Alabama. The rebel Gen. Lyon is
He captured boat near the mouth OF Yellow
creek, between Fort Donelson and Clarks-
vile, with which he crossed over his co1n-
1nand. Ills mtn are mounted, and his fight