East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-01-27


the starving negroes for moro than
two weeks; that at Natchez many of
the negroes had rsturped TO their
masters on account Of suffering in the
government camps, which had by
deaths been reduced 1000 to 1900.
What . picture il this of abolition
humility and integrity! The poor ne
gro will yet cry in the sgonv of des-
pair to be saved from such friends.
: The Situation in East Tennessee.
The attention Of the public is once
moro attracted toward East Tonnes
see, as, at the present time, affairs in
that section are assuming considerable
prominence, Topographic reports are
so meagre, and quito often, SO contra
dictory, that it is very difficult for us
with such insufficient data, to arrive
at full understanding of either our
own or the rebel position.
When Longstreet first raised the
seige of Knoxville, and, in some
what demoralized condition, started
eastward, many supposed that he
would not stop until he had united his
force with Lee in Virginia; others,
more sanguine, in view Of the i'm
menso distance to be traversed and
the unfavorable season, believed moth
ing less than that his whole force
would be entirely broken up or cap
tured. Soon after, Gen. Averill, by
zone Of the severest marches Of the
war, cut off therailroad connection be-
| tween Longstreet and Richmond, to
which fact people ascribed the contin-
ued presence of Longstreet in East
Tennessee. It was thought that he
remained there amply because he
could not get away. Our latest intel
Lhgence shows US an entirely different
state Of affairs, and that Longstreet is
not demoralized, not suffering for
supplies; that he is not staying there
because he is unable to leave: but that
his stay is voluntary and includes an
object Of the highest Importance
Not only are his men not scattered,
starved and demoralized, through the
mountains, but they present CON-
pact, bold front; have been heavily
reinforced, and are now in position
to menace Knoxville and the safety
of East Tennessee.
According to ..Ie best information,
Longstreet now occupies the country
from Bulls Gap to Rogersville, along
a line Of railroad connecting these
two points. Bulls Gap is on the
Knoxville and Richmond Railroad,
and in distant about sixty miles from
the former place, and is about the
same distance from Cumberland Gap.
In his front are the Clinch Mountains
and protecting his TANKS are the Mol
lichuck and Holston Rivers,-making
his position, naturally, one of immense
strength, and one which can material
ly be added to by Notifications. As a
means of subsistence, the rebels have
in their rear and on their TANKS nine
counties in East Tennessee, whose
area is larger than same of the States
on the Atlantic coast.
BY glance at any good map, it
will be seen that Longstreet's position
is not only a strong one, as regards
supplies and natual defences, but that
it menaces Knoxville, and the key to
kentucky at Cumberland Gap. From
/ this position he has in his rear di-
rect connection with Richmond, while
he obliges the Federal forces at Knox
d. Ill A. tb... .,,.s,,l...a H., A. a.
long and tedious route of Nashville,
Chattanooga and the Tennessee River
"a distance from Louisville Of nearly
'or quite 500 miles. His position in
East Tennessee is superior to ours
He is nearer his base of operations |;
can supply himself more readily than
we and can be reinforced, in case of
necessity, much more easily than can
our forces ut Knoxville.
Occupying this position, whose SUI
4 periority gives him great advantage
and having lately been strengthened
by detachments from Lee and John
ston's armies, it is more than proba-
BILE that he proposes to resume the Of
fensive. That such is the case may be
inferred from the fact that his pickets
are now within thirty miles, at Blain's
Cross Roads, of Knoxville. His cav
airy is evidently also feeling the roads
in that direction, for our latest intelli-
gence shows that a sharpfght had oc-
CURED between Federal and rebel
Y cavalry at Strawberry Plains-apoint
4 on the Richmond and Knoxville Rail
road distant only some twenty-five
miles from the later place.
The chief conclusion to be drawn
from this combination Of affairs is,
that we are far from having either
undisturbed or permanent possession
of East Tennessee. 1t also indicates
taken in connection with the late
rebel demonstrations in the Shenan-
doah Valley, in West Tennessee, on
our line of communications to the
rear Of and along our front at Chat.
tanooga-thst, under cover Of these
movements, the Confederate authori.
ties have added heavily to Longstreet',
force, with view to offensive opera.
tons. Experience had shown him
that, upon raising the seige of Knox
vile, he had o sufficient force for de.
fensive operations An addition t.
this force must indicate change Of
tactics-a resumption of the offensive
, In view of these facts, it will b.
we'll for the President to revoke hi
general thanksgiving for the perma
, nent redemption of East Tennessee
. and for everybody else to be prepared
for startling changes in the vicinity o
Knoxville.-Chicago Times.
|.