New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-02-21


tonent Generals, for which ] have waited uhtI now
prevents ne fom being circunsiauiia'.
In obed eroc 70 The orders 81 the resident Iee''s
b. Telegraph at Clinton, Mississippi, December y,
Iaesnned command Of the CIIny Of Tennessee 90 Da'
ton on tie nth OF that month.
Loiters from the President Gnl secretary oi VT,
dated respectively ed and Goth Of Dtc5mltf'Q
upon nc The importance Of s0oa commencing active
operations against the enemy. The relative forces IN
clndng tic moral effect OF tic affair OF Missionary
Ridge condition Of the artillery horses aud most OF those
OF the oayaiy and want OF field transportation, made
il impraccabc 90 effect the wishes Of the Executive.
On the Dist of December the elective total OF tho IN
faulry and artillery Of the army Including tWo ufs
belonging 20 the Department Of Mis- 'lSsip!i, was 30
e2G; the effective total Of the cavalry including Rod.
dy's command at Tnscumb1. was J,6l3 The fedoi al
force IN our 'front.' exclusive Of cavalry and the Nnih
and Tweniythird Corps at Knoxville was estimated
at 40 coo.
The Winter was mainly employed in improving the
discipline and equipment Of the army, aud bringing
back ahsentees to the ranks. At The end OF April more
than 900 had rejCined their regiments.
The horses 81 the cavalry and artillery had been
much reduced in condition by the previous campaign.
As fu supplies OF forage could not be furnished them
Dalton, 1t was necessary to send about hali OF each
of these of service far to the rear where the
country could furnish food On that account Brig.
Gen. ioddy ordered, with about three fOurths OF
his roops from Tuscumbia and Dalton. and arrived NJ
the end OK February. On the % OF April however, he
was back to his former position by tie Secretary
of War ~
On lie 18th and 10th Of January, baldwin, and
Quares' brigldes returned TO the Department oil MIS-
slssppi and East Louisiana, to which they belonged.
His EXcelency Joseph T.. Brown, added TO the army
two regiments OF State troops which were used To
guard the railroad bridges between Dalton and At
lania. -
telegraph 10 detach LieGt.-Gen. Hardee. .h the in
fantry of his corps except Steycnson5 division 20
aid Lieut. Gen Polk against sherman in Mississippi
This order was obeycd as promptly as our means u
The force detached was probably exaggerated TO Ma.
lor Gen. Thomas: FOR on The sd the Union army nd
and on tie 25th skirmshed az Mil Creek Gap and III
Crow Valley. eastof Rocky Face mountain. We were
successful at both places. At The latter Ciayions brg.
adc, after sharp action OF hat an ho1r, aS'eated
double i,s number. At night it was reported that
United States brigade was occupying Dug CAR IRON
which il had driven orr troops. GIGnDury ieXan
brigade returning nom Mississippi, had JUST arrived
II wes ordered 10 march 20 nc foot Of the mountain
Immediately aud 70 retsie the Gap at sunrise next
morning. which was done. In the nighof the 26ih the
enemy retired.
on The 9Th Of February I suggested TO the ExecG.
tive by letter through Gen. Bragg, that al prtpul.
tons iOr a forward movement should be made without
dolav n letter dated An OF March, Gen. Bragg Ge'
sired have oil things ready al the earliest prnci
ca bic moment for the movement indicated. In reply
ing oa the l2th reminded hm that the regulations
OF tie War Department DO no; leave such preparations
70 u troops hut 30 officers who receive
their orders from Richmond On the 18th letor was
received from Gen. Bragg. sbetchng plan Of Oien-
fyc preparations, and enumeraiing the troops to ve
used In them nader ne / was invited to express my
views on The subject. In doing So both BY telegraph
and mel. ! suggested notifications. ard urged th4i
the additional troops named should be sent immediately
TO enable Vs. should tie enemy advance. 20 beat him
and then move forward; or should Dc not adN enee 40
~ ourselves Gen. bragg replied by telegraph on tho
2itt: "Yoar dispatch OF l9h does not indicate ncccp'
lance OF plan proposed --Troops can only be drawn
nom other points for advance. Upon your decision or
that point further nctou must depend lropieb ~
telegraph on the <el: " In my dispatch OF !th eA'
lrcs.y accept taking the offensive; only differ With
.ou - 10 details ] assume that the enemy VIII b.
urcpa,.l for advance before we WI aud will make
It q orr advantage therefore propose both or oueh'
sye and defensive. 10 assemble our troops here inme
diliclr.n This not noticed. THEREFOR. on The
25sh, again urged the necessity o. roeniotc,ns the
ours as lees than II had been ihen
ON tho 50 Of April Lieut. Col. 4. II. Cole arrived NJ
Dalton the procuring or artillery horses and
fold transportation, to enable the army to advance.
On the ith under orders 81 If sci applied to the
chief Of the conscrpt service for COO negro teausieg
None were received.
On The stb Of April Col H. s. Evoll. Assistant.
Adiuiant General was sent TO Richmond 10 represent
10 the President my wish 10 take the offensive with
rroncr means and 10 learn his views. 4 few DAYS
after Brig Gen. Pcnaleton arrived nom Richmond 10
explain % ue the President wishes Oh the subject
Ell ained 10 him the modification Of the plan, com
muIlcAted by Cen Bragg. which seemed To NE essen
al which REQUIRED that tie intended re.nforcemenis
should he sent to Dalton. l urged that this should BE-
done without delay because our pes nj iofce was n9t
sufficient for defense and 10 enable MS 10 take Tie
offensive II the enemy did not.
on the Ist Of May reported TIE enemy about TO al.
vance. On the ID. Brig.-Gen. Mercers command NJ
rived fhout fourteen hundred effective infantry. On
the an expressed myself satisfied that the enemy was
about 10 attack with his united forces and again urged
tina, part Of Lieut. Gen ioh's troops shonid he
placed L my disposal was informed by Ger. Bragg
that orders TO that elect were gwen.
Mai Gen. Martin, whose division Of cavalry coming
from East Tennessee, had been halted on the Etowah
10 recruit lis horses was ordered WIN II 10 observe te
OOstanaula from Kesaca 10 Rome; and Big Gen.
Kelly was ordered with his command from the neigh
borhood Of Eesaca to report to Mai Gen. Wheeler
The effective artillery and nicg'ry Of the army OF
amounted 20 forty thousand and nine hundred; the
effective cavalry TO about foar thousand. MAJ Hen. !
Shermnns army was composed Of that of Missionary
Ridge dhcn eighty thousand). increased by several
thousand recruits five thousand then under Hoyey the
TwentyiLird Corps (Schohed') from Kno,yille. and
two divisions Of the Sixteenth from North Al@Daml
Nal Gen. Wheeler estimated the cavalry OF that
army NJ fifteen thousand.
On the 9Th Of May this army was In line between !
Ruggod and Tunnel hill and after skirnish.ng on that
and The following day, the .t passed back our ad
vanoei troops 10 Mill Creek Gap On the same day
Briggdier General Canty reached KeSaca with his
brigade aud was halted there.
On The sth at 4 D. m. a division Of Hrokers corps
scultod Dag Gap which brayey held by two rcei-
monis OF Reynolds Arkansas brigade and Gligshys
brigade OF Kentucky cavalry lighting on foot. Until The
arrival Of Lleu'enani-General Lee with Granbury
brigade when the enemy was put tO flight.
On The 9th five assaul,s were made on Lieutenant.
General Hoods troops on Rocky lncc Mountain. All
were repulsed In The afternoon report was received
that Logan's ard Dodgo's divisions were In Snake
Creek Gap. Three divisions under LeutenantGencral
Hood were Therefore. sent to Kesaca. On the 10th
Northumberland Hood reported tue enemy IotiIpg.
shirmishing 10 our advantage, continued all day
Dalton MINOR General Bate repused u vigorous at
tack nj night.
On the ma Brig Gen. Cnnty reported that Tie enemy
we're again approaching Eosaca. Lieut.. Gen. Polk
arrived there IN tie evening with Loriug's Division,
and was instructed to defend tie place with those
troops and Caniys. The ufual skrmisbilg continued
usnr Dalton.
Rocky Face Mountain and Snake Creek Gap nj its
south ond completely covered for the enemy, tie OPP
Grafton Of turning Dalton. On the eth the nion