The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-01-08
General ROEscrRn's EgsP srt OF she
ChtcamauRa Campaign.


This important historical document,
the publication Of which hss been some
what impatien,l7 locked for throughout
the country, appears in fol- upon our
frstpsgs this morning. We last week
published the reports Of the corps COM
mandeTs of the Army Of the Cumberland,
under It's old organization, Hsjor Cen
erals THOMAS, MoCooK, CsrTTEEDES and
GBAEGER. General ROsECRAHs' report
should bave appeared fIs. in order, but
we did not obtain = copy Of Il until yes
terday. II is proper to add, as the Sec
retary Of War has been charged with
unWsTTEntzbly Withholding these dOcu-
u1ents from the public, that be has made
no objection 20 their publication since
they were submitted to Congress By the
General in-chief.
We give, in connection with General
Ro5ECRAS's report, reply to a portion OF
it by General THOMAS L. WOoD. There Is
between Generals RosECBANs and WOOD .
sharply defined difference Of opinion,
which will be apparent TO the reader,
General RosEoAREs' report opeas with
4 careful description Of the country ia
which his last campaign was conducted
This gives q very dIstinctidea Of the III =
iculties in the way Of occupying and
possessing Chattanooga after the rebel
army was driven across the Tennessee
River.
There is no question a. to tho skill
with which our troops were handed in
tee passage Of the river, and the noun
tain ranges beyond il, compelling BRAsa
to fall back from Chattanooga. But -
BRAGG fell back he was very heavily re-
inforced, By the choice divisions Of John
sons srmy, from Mississippi; by LoN0-
srRzEr's corps, from Virgins, and by the
Georgia State Militia. Here the question
arises whether General ROsECEAas' move
ments were not rather ventuIesoue-
whether he acted STRICTLY upon the theO-
~ that Chattanooga was his collective
point" or whether be disposed hls for
ces upon the presumption that BRAGG
was rstrsstiBg and unable 10 give battle.
At any rate, il soon became apparent
that the rebel army Wss formidable, and
was moving 70 recover Chattanooga, and
hurl our forces back into the mountEins.
Oar situation was one Of great peril, and
tho remedy was the concentration Of Ou-
troops, which Was promptly ordered.
General RosECBAys says: ct was .
matter Of life and death 10 effect q con-
centration Of the army" lie says tbs.
in this operation General HCCOCK made
some delay, unfortunately being ignO-
rant Of the moGntsin road" General
MCC0oK says the citizens concur cd IN
the opinion that 'there vas 10 such rosd, "
aud that General THOMAs stated the
road by the valley-heAd was "the only
practicable one" As the armies C0ncen-
trated, General BRAGG was on the south
east and we on tho northwest OF the
range Of Pigeon Mountains, and both on
the march for ChattaDo0g4. The coliis-
ion aud battle Of CBicamGugs occurred in
the nc. ion where tie Chattanooga roads
leading along the Pigeon Range come to-
gelher.
l. is explicsiely stated By General
thai, "ths battle Of Cbicka-
msuga was absolutely necessary TO se-
cure our concentration and cover Chstta-
nOoga." This is one Of tho disputed
points. Il is contended that oJr army
might have concentrated in front Of Chat
tanOogA without bAttel, if the theory Of
= vigorous pursuit Of BEAGG had not tetn !
INDUCED. Behind this il another and /
more important quest. Il is, whether, 10 /
view Of the immense importance Of the
operations conducted by General Rose
Grams, the comparative want Of occupa-
ton by other western armies Cf the Uni- 4
ted States, mi the well-known facilities
and opportunity Of the rebels to Concen-
trsts IN Georgia, the authorities Al Wash
iDgtOn exerled themselves 10 reinforce /
the Army Of the Cumberland a. they /
should have done? In Gsnsral Hallsck's 4
report, be publishes = series Of dispatehss, /
showing that early Ia September orders !
we're given from Washington, showing al /
appreciation OF the situation. Bot il was
then too late 70 bring up reinforeements |
from the banks Of the Mississippi River, /
70 take part il the Chattanooga opera
aOz.