Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-02-27
For the Sunbury American.
Letter from Venncssce.
GENERAL FIELD HosPITAl

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, Feb. H. 1864. (
DEAR BROTHER Il regret my letter from
Murfreesboro' did not reach you carlier.-
| Having spent three months at that place,
we struck our tents and moved to Steven
son, Ala, a sickly looking town of about
| two dozen old wooden houses-one of .hem
( three stories high-used as a hotel, looks
like an old barn. The prices are 81 for n
meal and rs cents for Il bed whether there is
clothing on or not.
The town is situated at the foot of the
mountains, and is II railroad station ut the
| junction of the Memphis and Charleston and
Chattanooga and Nashville Railroad. The
Tennessee river runs about two miles south
west of the placc-the valley which is un,lu-
lating-is about two miles wide, good land
but in an uncultiVated state, except here and
there IA small farm. The inhabitants like
the country, are uncultyatcd end about half
civilized.
After remaining here nearly three months,
moved on to Kelly's Ferry. near Chattanoo-
ga, Tenn, where l remained just three
months, and then moved to this place.
Keleys Ferry is beautiful place on the
east bank of the Tennessee river, high noun
tains on either side and apparently at each
end The rlver is so tortuous, it appears like
lake surrounded by mountains. The cour-
try from Bridgeport to Chattanooga is very
much like that from Mauch Chunk tn White
Haven, the distance by railroad is 2S miles,
by river Ga miles. Steamers run brtween
Bridgeport and Loundon, Tenn, via Chatta-
nooga daily.
Whilst at Fort Monroe, Va, often long
ed to see mountain, but in this country
the reverse-nothing but mountains and
valleys. Chattanooga lies on the east bank
of the Tennessee river, almost i'll direct
line with Lookout Mountain, which is di-
richly south of it. About two and half to
three miles to the top of Lookout Station, is
e tremendous pile of rocks on the extreme of
the northern end, where n young soldier of
the 18th p. ", named Roper, from Clarion
county, Pa, has erected cabin amongst the
rocks, and is carrying on good business in
taking Daguerretypes and Photographs.
About two-thirds up the east side of the
mountain, is plateau where the owner had
a very handsome mansion house, with an
orchard of choice fruit trees, shade trees,
&c.,-a lovely place in summer; but the
soldiers have destroyed everything. The
handsome grape arbor is no more, the fiuit
trees are nearly stripped 10y persons taking
cuttings to send home; the house is strip
ped of all wood work, including roof. The
rebel rifle pits and batteries extend across
from east to west SIDE about half way up the
mountain, the wagon road winds around
the point about one third the distance from
the river. 1t will be one of the finest roads
i'll the south, as the Government has several
hundred men and engineer regiments at
work on it, making it ..bout thirty feet wide
and breaking stone fine to cover it.
The railroad winds around the foot of the
fnn nj itaf oh "a ~ no
to the cave il or u level with the railroad,
and ut the centre Of the mountsn. 1t looks
like the entrance to railroad tunnel but
widens rapidly as you enter. The Rebels
had extensive saltpetrc works inside, of
which there is abundance.
Chattanooga was once beautiful town of
four or five thoussnd inhabitants but now
IL looks .ad. Those beautiful groves are all
cut down, not tree left standing for miles
around. Even the large Rolling Mill, Tan
merry, an d otherext.nsive works IRE destroy
ed, nothing but the frames standing, and
heaps of rubbish OF dirt brick. &c. Stacks
pulled down for the brick TO build chimneys
in the soldiers and others tents.
A guard is placed around the frames of
the above named buildings to prevent the
soldiers cutting them down for fire wood.
wood, and floors, &c, by the soldiers-this
gives the town desolate appearance. The
principal part of which is built OF brick.
The few inhabitants remaining, look as il
they had been only half fed and clothed
heretofore. They are now drawing their
supplies from our Government
In u day or two the railroad will be open
ed To Loudon, and the bridgr, across the
river at that place, will be finished m few
weeks, when the carS win run through %
Knoxville. The rebels destroyed the bridge
aud then run nil their locomotives and cars
into the river 4here they lie now an inn
mense pile, obstFueting the passage OF stea-
mefs.
forgot 10 mention on top of Lookout
Mountain, the rebels constructed two fOrti,
acations across the mountain extending from
one side 10 the other, aud about mile
apart
About one mile south from tbs point is
the beautiful village Of summcfyile ON the
eastern brow of the mountain, overlooking
tho valley and Missionary Ridge, and giving
a flne view of the range Of mountains beyond
In North CHrollnA called the smoky o. Iron
Mountains.
Chattanooga must become gscat place,
once the industrious elass aEd capitalists "a
the noTlh settle acre, Tho mlneTal resources
of al kinds la lhls fesi0n, ATV iamense,
The weather l., and hes been, delightful,
the past ala weeks. ihennonlsieT, lowest
polal Ia January, 30 dog. aLosu aero, hishest
"a dos average about "a "a so dag. thls
iaonih mufh Nafmef hightai a. lay 6n