The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-09-03
EAST TENNESSEE.
Why DO Historians Pass that Campaign by with
but nFlef Notice!


but nrlef NOtIcel
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / have often
thought il strange that the war historians say
so little about the campaign in East Tcnnes-
see; and, rs / never sec anything IN your
paper from my regiment, and seldom from any
Southern patriot Of that trying Period, shall
write a few thoughts, and trust they may find
a welcome i'm your columns. l belong TO that
class who grew mp under the baleiul influences
of slavery, hut not TO manhood, until they had
thrown of their environments aud were march
ing TO the music OF the Union. We were given
10 understand that ii we went North we should
never be permitted TO live South again; but
this dia not deter 81 600 OF us from trying 10
help destroy that mon>irUus oiiEaIchy which
made caaitcs of human beings aud undertook
10 destroy freedom OF thought through tho
overthrow OF the best Government IA the
world.
The sacrifice was great, and SO was the ordeal
Of parting from home, with all of its tender ties,
and the property accumulated in competition
with slave labor; for well we knew that moth
ing could prevent the Cuuicderaius from de-
stroyiug both save a timely occupancy of that
country 10y the luion army. With what anN-
iety and lurel1dinCs did both those az homo aud
those far North, for more than two long years,
look forward TO a happy reunion! But. alas
90 many % never came. Some fell victims 10
disease; some persisted in the prison pens OF
the South others. de:cuscless and alone with
their sad sorrow, fell 1t the mcrcilcss hands Of
midnight bandits, and the ashes of their once
happy homes were all that was left 10 proclaim
their answering devotion 10 principle and 10
tie flag of their country.
Tie day OF their dcliycrancc came az last.
Chattanooga was the strategic aud objective
point Of the military, but love Of country aud
free homes were uppermost in their hearts aud
thoughts and they thought of Knoxville as
their Jerusalem, FOR IL was once their Capital,
/ surrounded by the green hills and crystal
streams of their Switzerland; and here had
lived and hattled their ndomitable aud fear
less Moses, paIson BrowulGw.
Why should historians devote but half page
20 the campaign la such a country Did the
consequences to such people merit no moro
than passing notice, TO SAY naught OF the in
triusC importance of the country 30 the cause
OF the tniou2 IL was here that those two
brave, bright Generals from northern Virginia,
/ Burnside and LOngstrect, confronted each other
aud staked so much on the issue. 10 was
/ here, after the great bloody battle Of Chicka-
manga had been fought and the FedcTalS were
shut up in Chattanooga, that Gen. Longstrcct
made his men "A speech $50 NJ variance with
what he has recently had published just a
short time before their assaults upon Fort san
defs, telling them that they had but 10 take
that fort and line. OF works and Tennessee
would revert 10 them and the Coufcdcracy
would vet succeed.
From Chattanooga ran two trunk railroads
one down through Georgia, the workshop and
granary of the Coufcdcracy," TO the sea, the
other northeast 10 the Confederate Capital.
Knoxville was on this road; q miles 20 the
west was tho London bridge; is miles TO the
cast The llolston bridge. These destroyed the
Confederate forces could have lanehcd through
Cumberland Gap aud north TO Louisville or
/ Cincinnati perfectly free from pursuit by tho
Fcderas, who, duplicating Ruclrs tactics,
would have been compelled 10 retreat in order
10 take up their broken line OF communication.
Only BraEg's error in sending LGngslreet TO
East Tennessee before the decisive battle Of
Missionary Ridge prevented this very catastro-
pho, except perhaps, the necessity Of burning
said bridges
How well do ! remember the 10 engagements
in which our regiment participated previous 10
the siege OF Knoxville. No great pitched bat
ties 20 be sure, but essential nevertheless, 10
the end in view. How well do ] remember the
detected, sulleu looks Of the muddy prisoners
who were taken IN that desperate assault on
Fort Sanders how that the 10 Of Us who
" ran the blockade" on Sunday evening before
LOugstFcgt took up his line Of retreat the fol
lowing Wednesday morning; how The rebels
came 10 our 40 BIZ the 100 aud 800, declaring
the war virtually over, took the oath Of alcE-
auce 30 the Government OF the United States,
and presumably went home. 10 not the scTy-
ices Of q 900 men aud the dcliveTaucc Of their
families by two army corps the Ninth and
IwcDty-thiId. couteBdug against great Odds,
requiring three months struggle merit more
than q passing noticcl
Gen. burnside achieved great success there,
and the loyal people Of Knoxville and East
Tennessee were justly proud d aud greatly adj
mircd him; 50 much SO, indeed, that when ho
was elected United States Senator from Rhode
Island they invited him there. lie @ent, and
together they had a grand time.
Why should we have endured tho privatious
Of that siege and the icTocty Of the enemy, If
there was not moro than ordinary Importance
attached 10 the placer Why Sherman march
his ragged, hungry men over 10 miles Of rough
roads and across swollen streams % orr relief?
To prevent ms from sgrrcHacringy Not much.
We had been politely asked and ierociously
attacked as an iuGuccmeut 10 that end, but
gave ag emphatic negative 10 each. The enc
my suffered much more than we aud having
failed 10 force an entrance were ready 90 leave
without pressure from sherman. This they
admit but Of course Grant did not know their
condition nor the condition Of their minds
il. CHUMLEV, 90. g. I'd Tenn. Lincoln III.