The National tribune., 1898-04-07
NATIONAL TRIBUNE WASHINGTON c. THURSDAY


has got there from Nashville, but it is clearly
impossible to haul from Bridgeport here both
food for men and forage for animals.
All the forage In the country near here is
| exhausted, and the Chief Quartermaster re-
ports that there is none left in the Sequatehie
Valley. the only region within convenient
reach where it cohld be procured. A wagon
train loaded with, rations got here yesterday,
and last night we had here 800, 000full rations.
The troops now receive but three-quarter
ratiOns. r.
The necessity of opening the river being
| thus imperative, Gen. RoSeerans has ordered
Hooker to cpneentrate his troops preparatory
| to Selling the passes of Raccoon Mountain
and occupying Shellmound, and if possible,
Lookout Valley. If this can be done we
! shall greatly shorten our lines of wagon trans
portation if we could regain Lookout Mount
| ain we could use water all the way. Deserters
| from the enemy report jeff Davis as still in
Bragg's camp. Pemberton is there also, and
some say Lee.
Davis made speech on Sunday, the 18th
instant, in which he said that they would
have East Tennessee again, even if they had
to withdraw every man from Richmond and
Charleston. A Captain of Arkansas cavalry,
who deserted to us this morning, and of
whose honesty we have proofs says that only
one brigade has gone from Bragg to Mobile
and that another has taken its place. He
says an additional force of 30. 900 men is
promised to Bragg's soldiers, and that the
conviction everywhere prevails among both
people and army that unless they can recover
East Tennessee the Confederacy is ruined.
Having lost Texas they have no other place
to procure cattle.
The official report of rebel killed and
wounded at Chickamauga makes the number
1900 Efforts are anxiOusly made here to
complete our inner Notifications. Were they
finished 10000 men could hold this place
against the world, leaving the rest of the
army to. operate against the enemy, or to re-
tire to points where it could be more easily
subsisted while covering the approaches to
Chattanooga. But by some strange improv-
idence the needlul tools are not here, and
instead OF working 10000 men per day, Gen.
Smith is only able to work / 900
Before Gen McCoOk left, Gen Rosecrans
gave him letter stating that McCook had
never disobeyed an order.
Sp. m.-The Ohio regiments in this army,
so far as heard from, have cast for Brough
1924 votes, for Vallandgham 252. Eleven
regiments infantry, four cavalry, and eight
batteries still to be heard from. This does
not include regiments under Hooker.
The official returns of the Ohio SOL
diers' votes for Governor in 1868 were
Brough IL, 467
Vallandigham 2,238
Oct. Is; 10 a. m.-Rain continued through
the night with great violence, and still falling.
Barometer indicates no change. Sequatchie
River has risen SO that it can no longer be
forded near Jasper. and all wagons are
now compelled to make the circuit to Their
man. while the mud in the roads constantly
grows deeper. Work ON the Notifications
and movements of troops are alike stopped by
the rain. Troops here receiving half rations.
1t will soon become necessary for all persons
except soldiers to leave here Shall | then
return to Washington or endeavor to make
my way TO Burnside?
LOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN RosEcRANs.
Worst of all, the army daily lost
confidence in the ability of Gen. Rose
Grams to rise to the demands of the
situation and take adequate steps to re-
lieve the situation. Dana wanted to
leave Chattanooga, and thought of going
to Burnside, which would have been
jumping from the frying-pan into the
fire, for presently the situation was as
bad at Knoxville as at, Chattanooga.
The next day he telegraphs:
Oct 16; ~ m.-For 10 hours little rain
has fallen, but the skies remain threatening
and the barometer still points to rain The
river has risen some four feet, and old boat
men predict a rise of six feet more Our
bridge was broken by drift-wood at 10 p. m /,
yesterday, but all the pontoons and chess
planks were saved. The rebels sent down |
two or three RATS to break it, but they came
after it was broken. The steamer Paint Rock |
and tiatboat were employed during the |
night in gathering these masses of floating |
timber, much of which may prove useful |
The bridge is not yet replaced, it being |
thought more prudent to wait till tomorrow, |
when the rise will be complete and the drift |
will have mainly passed down. !
Our cOuriers report that from Bridgeport to
the foot of the mountain the mud is up to
their horses bellies The mortality among
here rapidly increases, and those re-
manning must soon perish Day before yes
terday the mules attached to the empty train
returning to Bridgeport were too weak to haul
the wagons up the mountain without doubling
the teams, though they went on the easiest of
all our roads, which had just been pnt in thor
Dugh order. Gen. Brannan tells me he could
not possibly haul away the artillery with the
horses that are left
| think | reported some time ago that all
The artillery horses, except four per gun. had
been sent TO Stevenson to he fed, but those
that are there are so far reduced that it will
require months feeding to make them
effective.
Nothing can prevent the retreat of the
irmy from this place within a fortnight
md with vast loss of public property, and
possibly Of life-excer, Che opening of the
liver. Gen. Hooker has been ordered to pre-
,are for this, but Rosecrans thinks he cannot
move till his transportation arrives from