The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-01-19
THE ARMY0F TENNESSEE.
fPpov orrR OWN coRREsPONDENr.1

SAVANNAH, GA, Jan. 18Th, lS6t-For fsasons
beyond my control, have been compeliedt 70 dis
continue my sketches OF the Officers In the Army
Of Tennessee. Some Of my notes have bean mis- .
Laid, while In some instances have besn unable
to obtain the necessary dates and facts.
la my review of Bragg's late campaigns was
led into an error by very high officer, which de-
sire TO correct. The occurred Ia the follow
Ing paragraph Of the review:
"a council Of war was called at night Mon day
night after the battle Of Chickamauga) BY the
"enefai commanding. at which II was determined,
ast am credby Informed to put the army In motion
up the Tennessee river the following day, with tn
Intention of crossing that stream turning u. enc
iny's left flank, and pushing ON across the noun
tans towards Nashville. Accordingly on tue next
daV the troops were moved by the ri&lf nank to-
wards GraysviIle and Chickamauga station, In
pursuance Of the resolution come to AT the cOu n
ell of war; but that night the whole programme
was changed by the cOmmander-in chef, and the
head OF the column turned back TO Chattanooga"
An intelligent officer, who was with General
Bragg at the time indicated, points out the error Ia
letter, from which take the following extract:
"You state that on the evening Of the s2ist of
Septembera council OF war Was held, at which it
was determined cross the Tennessee river, Sc.
Now, TO my certain knowledge, no such council
was held. About noon of the day mentioned Gen.
Bragg and STAFF left the field Of Chickaniauka and
during the afternoon, from which time uAtil the
middle OF the following day he did not see sny one
of his corps commanders. On Tuesday, ihe I'D,
ten. Lohg5treet came to headquarters and dinea
with Gen. Mccall, fthen Chief Of Staf) While
there Information was brought that the enemy
leaving Chattanooga, and Generals l.. and NJ. urged
Gen. Bragg To cross the river at Chat in0Oga aud
move In the direction of Nashville; 10 which Gen.
b. replied that IL was impossible TO do once,
in consequence of the lack of provisions hui or
GERS were issued looking to such movement as
soon As suih-ient supplies could be obtained. But
this, bear III mind, was based upon the supposed
evacuation of Chattanooga by the enemy.''
learn from the same source that early on Mon
day morning, the 2lst, one Of his Lieut. Generals
did suggest the movement by the right, TO cross the
Tennessee above, aud then move on towards Nash
vile; bu, that General Bragg cons nsidered the pro-
ject so vlsionary--so utterly impracticabe-and
that II gave to the enemy such certain advantages,
whilst il almost surely entailed our own de.
structOn, that ii was not even entertained At that
time no intmatiOn had reached him of th- enemy =
retreat.
II will not be amiss to repeat, in this connection,
remark made 10 me by Gen. Wheeler when speak
ing of the cavalry operations in Tennessee and
Kentucky. Ii was this He said that all the cav
airy expeditions and raids undertaken from the
army of Tennessee, which had been successful ,
were planned and ordered by Gen. Bragg, who de
terinined the force To be employed, laid down the
route To be taken, and Indicated the points to be
asssied, and shat any departure from his plans and
instructions had generally proved disastrous.
will add another fact in this place, 10 wit, that
the last expedition undertaken by that popular IA
voTite, Gen. Morgan was suggested by himself,
and that IL did not embrace movement across the
Ohio. SAlLrsT.