Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-11-24

The Federal commander had followed
bis 0ying columns into the crowded Inn,
its of Chattanooga and announced All
is lost." And all was lost with ms uh-
Outstanding of the pursuit that would oe
given his routed, scattered hosts. but
The apurehensions of the enomy, and the
homes ofthc South alike, went unrealized,
and instead, the propitious hour and
nropitious day were whiled away IN
bilarity. and in looking down through
field.p glasses upon the panic-strlcken
connections in the Federal camps.
These derelictions, however, Bragg
made one notable effort to repair. his
batteries, commanding three quadrants
of circle around Chattanooga, lett but
one road, and that very difficult one
over the mountains from McMinnvilie,
whence Rosecrans could draw his sub
sistence. Over this road, his only re-
source as believed against starvation,
capitulatiou, or retreat, thousand wag..
ons. heavily laden with commissary and
ordnance stores, were dragging their slow
length along toward the anxious Rosy.
To destroy this train was now the desl-
deratum. Accordingly Wheeler, at the
head of two divisions of cavalry, charged
with this duty, crosses the Tennessee
above Chattanooga, despite the vigilance
of superior force of the enemy on the
opposite bank, and, within twenty-four
hours, is over Waldron's ridge, where he
sends one division TO McMinnvllle and
with the other swoops down like an ava
lanche upon the train in Sequatchie val
lev. The head of the train, some hun
dred wagons loaded with enormous shell
for siege pieces, has wound well up to
the mountain crest, and IN rev hours
would have debouched upon the river
close in the Federal rear at Chattanooga,
and where a pontoon has been provided
for their crossing. But a delay is at
hand, unexpected, fearful
The guard, thousand strong, arrange
themselves behind their wagons and re-
sist stoutly and stubbornly. They fight
conscious of six thousand reinforcements
coming to their relief Wilson has ascer-
tanned that the willy Wheeler has evaded
him, by the clash of arms in his rear, and
is double-quicking for the rescue. No
time is to be lost The position must be
forced quickly; and the LIST Kentucky
and Texas Rangers accordingly charge
in front and flank. The enemy break,
then rally, one more onset and they take
to the mountain cliffs and Businesses, and
the rich booty-brandies, wines, fruits,
and all the Injuries and substantials the
markets of the world afford-fall into the
hands of the captors.
Hungry, war-worn and weary, they are
10th to apply the torches ordered; but
Wheeler, like Malise, seizes the flaming
brand, his staff and the rest follow the
example, and soon, from mountain top to
valley, the whole is wrapped in one wild
sheet of flame. The neighing and braying
of the mules, and the bursting of shells
by the wagon load, and volley after
volley, bewilders aud deafens, while
white clouds curl up and drift off over
the appalled, denizens Of the vale, like
gaunt spectres fleeing from the scene.
Two thousand of the best mules detail
takes off; the rest, quite as many, are
run through with the sabre, until they
blacken and blockade the road. The
shrill whistle of lead tells OF tile APP
proach of the new enemy, but too late
the work is accomplished, and Rosy left
to Providence or Bragg for relief against
distress in this quarter.