The National tribune., 1901-12-12

came about noon for US to report to our
old brigade, near Rcssville. We took up
our line of march, passing through gap
in historic Mission Ridge, and for the
first time found ourselves on Georgia soil.
Near the little village of Rossville, six
miles from Chattanooga, we found our
brigade encam2ed, and here we found a
spot to pitch our tents and settled down
to resume the duties which had been in
terrupted by our veteran furlough.
March was spent in laying out and
fixing up our new camp. The smoke of
burning brush goes driving with the brisk
wind, binding and suffocating, while the
woods ring with the sound of axes cut
ting and splitting timber for the walls of
our cabins, which already begin to take
form and will soon constitute village.
On our way from Chattanooga we noticed
that the timber along the base of Mission
Ridge had been cleared away, and we re-
membered that it was this strip of timber
into which we saw our soldiers dash with
their guns a few months ago to dispute
with the COnfederates for its possession,
and successfully, too. Evidently they have
since made another charge, but with
axes, and the timber has gone down be-
fore them, as the stumps will testify.
THE MILITARY SITUATION.
Our army, under command of Gen.
Grant holds line that extends from
Knoxville in East Tennessee through the
extreme northern part of Georgia into
northern Alabama, with Chattanooga as
the center. Our own Army of the Cum
berland," under Gen. Thomas, occupies
the middle portion, with the Fourth
Corps, under Gen. Howard, at Cleveland;
the Twentieth Corps, under Gen. Hooker,
in Lookout Valley, and our own corps
the Fourteenth-under Gen. Palmer, in
front of Chattanooga.
The Confederate army, under Gen. Jo-
seph E. Johnston, who has succeeded
Gen. Bragg, is grouped around Dalton,
with the main line occupying Rocky Face
Ridge, which appears to be inaccessible
except at Buzzard Roost and Snake Greek
Gaps, which are strongly guarded.
This situation was developed about two
weeks before our arrival by the advance
of our corps TO seize Dalton, under the
apprehension by Gen. Grant that Johnston
had weakened his center by dispatching
troops to meet Sherman in Alabafla. Az
ter series of spirited engagements the
outlying forces of the enemy were crowd
ed back to Rocky Face Ridge, but there
bid defiance to any farther advance by
our corps, and Gen. Thomas found it
necessary to withdraw, 1t having been
ascertained at the cost of more than 800
men killed and wounded that Johnston
had all his forces in position across our
path, and that his soldiers had not lost
the quality of stubborn resistance under
their new commander, despite the fact
that, through lack of confidence in their
old commander, Bragg, they yielded too
easily the stronghold of Lookout Noun
tain and Mission Ridge, less than four
months back.
OUR FIRST INSPECTION AS VETERANS.
The noise, hustle and smoke of putting
our camp in order, which has continued
uninterruptedly since our arrival, was
suspended at p. m, March II, long
| enough TO ascertain how many had ac-
| tually responded TO the call for our return
| TO the field. The result of this inspec-
| tion disclosed number of vacancies in
our ranks which should have been filled
/ by returning veterans who failed to keep
with the procession en- route from Dixon,
especially in the large cities, where at
| fractions were numerous and fascinating
as we passed through. But they will
show up later on, before they are report
ed as deserters.
Lieut.. Williams arrived March II with
Al recruits who were left at Dixon when
the regiment started to be mustered into
service. A few of their original number
are also missing, probably bounty jump
ers.
The recruits were surprised to find us
| all so hard at work, apparently building
a village for permanent occupancy. They
expected TO find us on the march or in
line of battle all the time. We suspend
ed our work long enough TO fill them brim-
full Of transformation, the nature Of