New-York daily tribune., 1864-04-13

force across the river Just at and below The mouth Of
Creek arrives Thomas will attack
on his left the time and together 1t expected 70
railroad between Cleveland and Dalton. Hooker will at the
attack, and be cam carry Lookout Mountain
aank This avcrs To further confirm this shermans advance
division viii march dect from Whesides to Trenton INC
rom Whi,edes to Keys Ferry thus being concealed from
the enemy and leave him to suppose the whole force going
sherans advance has only Just reached Bridgeport The
will only reach there on the 10TH This WIN nrig 20
the 9th the earliest day for making the combined move
ment as desired Inform if you think you can sustain
yourself till that time: can hardly conceive q ne enemy
brealing through al Kingston and pushing for henucky
tbey ,bould however new problem wond be leit for on
ton Thomes has ordered division OF cavalry 10 he Vchy
Of Sparta win ascertain If they have started ana ,ol @
YOU viii be entirely of the question to send ioI ten
thousand men because they cannot DO spared but now
'0O'O '''' "U.s. GRANT, Msj.-Gen.
nTo Mai. Gen. A. E. Burnside"
On the l5th-having received from the Generallh-
Chief dispatch Of date the 4th i'll reference to Burn
sides position the danger Of his abandonment OF Easi
Tennessee unless immediate relief was ahorded, anu
he terrible misfortune such result wond be to our
arms: and also dispatches from Mr. & A. Dana Assist
ant Secretary of War; end Col Wilson OF my s'al,
sent at the instance OF Gen Bnrnsde t n
more fully of the condition of affairs as detailed TO them
Oy Ai"-i ''''e' '"p"'" "CHArr.SooeA, Nov IS, 1863
"I do not know how 10 impress ON you the necessity
holding on to East Tennessee in strong enough terms Ac
corduT to the dispatches Of Mr. Dana and Col wilson u
would that you should if pressed to do n hold on 70
possess holding to that point should Lohgs.se. % now m m
made to cut his ponoons that stream even II achced
half the cavalry OF the Ohio army. .,,.1,.,.
BY holding on and placing Lons''re1t uet"een ,he h.
and Knoxville he should not be aowedto escape
with army capable Of doing anything this Winter can
hardly the necessity rereang rom East Tennessee
m did at be aer losing most OF the army aud
necessity would suggest the route viii not attempt 70 lay
line Of retreat Kingston looking at the map thought
Of Importance than any one point in East Tennessee.
But my attention being called more closely g a. can see
that might be passed by and Knoxville and the nch yaey
about possessed ignoring that place entirely should mol
think advisable to concentrate force near Little Tennessee
10 resist the crossing If 1t would be in danger oil capture ou'
would hsIass aud embsTass progress in every way possible
rejecting on the that the Army Of the Ohio is not the only
'7U. 5. GRANT MSjOr-GeneIal
ITO Maj Gen. A. F. Burnside.
Previous recOnnOssances made, first by Brighten
w. +. Smith, Chief Engineer, and aiteTward by
Thomas Sherman and myself In company With hlu "l
the country opposite Chattanooga and north of the
tennessee River extending as far east the mouth Of
the South Chckamauga and the north end OF Mission
airy Ridge so far the same could be made from the
north bank Of the river without exciting suspicious
on the part of the enemy, showed good roads
from Browns Ferry up the river and back OF the
first range. Of hills opposite Chattanooga, and out
of view % the SS could be Seen Sd
their numbers estimated by the enemyi but not seeing
anything further of them as they passed up IN rear oi
whether they moving 10 Knoxville, or held on the
north side OF the river for further operations at Chat
tanooga. it also showed that tho north end Of Mis-
sonary Ridge was imperiectly guarded and that the
banks of the river from the mouth Of South Chicka
mauga Creek. eastward 10 his main line in front Of
Chattanooga, was watched only by small cavalry
picket This determined the plan Of operations indi
Gated in INV dispatch Of the liih 10 Burnside.
Upon further consderation-the great object being
10 all the forces possible against one given point
namely. Missionary Ridge conyerging toward the
north end Of tit deemed best 10 change the orig
nal plan, far it contemplated Hookers attack on
Lookout Mountain, which would give us H0vard's
corps of bis command to aid In this purpose and on the
18th the following instructions were given Thomas
IAN preparations should be made for attacking the eneny
position Missionary Ridge by Saturday daylight Not
mountain and other places such definite Instructions cannot
you understand h for sherman with the force brought with
him. by division from yor command 20 eject
nights Of the north bank Of the river 80 be located by
northern extremity TO the railroad tunnel before the
rmy concentrate against him. You VIII cooperate win
The troops Valley should all be concentrated
on your LETT flank leaving oythe necessary force to defend
forGcaons the night and center, and movable column OF
one aVCn ~ b sfss tfeseninsiy a. possible on the
our effort then will be 10 form Junction with sherman
making yoar advance WEI toward ine nornsfh enc % q &
possible The junction once formed and the rdge carried
connections will be established between h two armies
by roads on the south bank OF the river Further movements
,irk viii be easily held by Oearys Division and what
troops you may still have there belonging to the old Army Of
UowSrd corps can then be held in readiness TO oct either
lrched on Friday night position the north side Of the
liver not lower down than tie hrs. pontoon bridge aud then
held in readiness for such orders may become necessary
All these troops viii be provided with two days cooked ia
tons in and rounds OF ammunition the per
son OF infantry soldier Special should be taken by
all oicors that ammunition Is not wasted or unneces
,ary fred away You will call the Engineer Department
for such preparations you bsy deem necessary ar carrying
your iniSnry and artillery over !he eteeh,
"To Major Gen. Gro II. TRosAs."
copy OF these instructions was furnished Sh erman
with the following Communication:
Tu.I. l Of inst
Maj Gen Thomas for having been over the ground IN person
md having hesrd the whole mater assea
hat force should be got through to the railroad between
Ceyesnd and Dalton and LongIee thus cut Oh from ool
with the Souh but being confronted by large
here strongly located il snot easy to tell how this 70
S however what is not shown in my instructions to
cb n II arriyes IN time will be thrown across the Teunes
. Cleveland or thereuGouts. U. $. GRANT, Maj. Gen.
" To Mai Cen w. 4. Sherman"
shernans forces were moved from Bridgeport by |
way Of Whtesdes-one division threatening the enc
nys left front In the direction OF Iientoncrossmg al
Browns Ferry up the north bank OF The tennessee 70
the mouth Of South Chckamaugo, where they were
kept concealed from the enemy until they We're ready to
form crossing. PonOons for throwing bridge across
the river built and placed in North Cbickamauga
its mouth few miles further up, without attract
ing the attention Of the enemy. 1t was expected we
would be able TO effect the crossing the 2lst or No
vember; but, owing 10 heavy rains Sherman was una
bic TO get up until the afternoon OF the 23d and then
only with Gems. Morgan l.. Smiths, John Il. Smith
and Hugh Ewngs divisions Of the 18th Corps, under
of Mai. Gen. Frank z. Blair Of his army
The p0ntOon bridge at Browns Ferry having been
broken by the drift consequent upon the rise in the
liver and RATS sent down by the enemy. the other d
retained ON tho south siGe,
and was on the night Of the 23d, ordered, unless it
could get across by O'clock the next morning. TO re-
port to Hooker who instructed. in this event. TO
litack Lookout Mountain, as contemplated IN the og
A dcsertcr hem the Rebel Army who came into our
ines the night of the 22d November reported Bragg