The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-04-05

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Him Declares His East Tennesse<
Campaign Was a MeritOrious One and
Was Commended by Gen. Grant.
Comrade D. H. Baker. 18th KY. Cav.
writes from Orange Home, Fla. that
he regards a recent article by Comrade
James F. Rushing as unfair and unjust
to Gen. Burnside.
Gen. Rushing says: Il do not want
to be unfair or unkind to poor Gen
Burnside
II do not see how he could have
been more SO. so far as his East Ten.
nessee campaign goes. That cam
paign by Gen. Burnside started in Ken
lucky in August, 1863. 1t moved by
roads that were as bad as roads could
be. and across the mountains between
Kentucky and East Tennessee, through
a country that was infested with as
bad q character Of guerrillas as was
to be found. All his supplies and mu-
nitions Of war had to be taken through
these rough mountain passes. The guer-
rillas were but slight menace to the
main army, but they caused havoc
among the supply trains.
1.-The authorities at Washington were
very anxious to have all armed Con-
federates driven out Of East Tennessee
to protect the Union in that section.
This Gen. Burnside had done, and all
was quiet until the latter part Of Oc-
tober, when we began to have some
Of the trouble Gen. Rushing speaks OF,
IL a soldier should call that trouble.
Confederate cavalry began to come In.
They were met at Sweetwater and at
Philadelphia, to the west of London,
which latter place is 2s miles west of
Knoxville. They also came in at Marys-
Vile. to the south Of Knoxville. be-
lieve the records will show that Gen.
Burnside was ordered to hold East
Tennessee at all hazards
Now. let us see what Gen. Grant
says: On the 4th Of November Long
street left our front with about $1,000
5000. to move against Burnside. The
situation seemed desperate. All Burn
sides dispatches showed the greatest
confidence in his ability to hold his
position as long az his ammunition held
out. He even suggested the propriety
Of abandoning the territory he held
south and west Of Knoxville, so as to
draw the enemy further from his base
Of supplies and make 1t more difficult
for him to get back to Chattanooga
when the battle should begin. Burn
sides suggestion was good one, and
1t was adopted (See Gen. Grants
Memoirs, vol. 2. pages 159 and 1909
Thus 1t will be seen that while
Burnside was getting into trouble he
90 Aiohlu6 IdHu SlIdlcSIC HlOtt,
drawing fully 10000 to $4,000 men
from Grants front that he might more
easily win his great victory at Chatta-
nooga, for Burnside did fall back from
Marysville, on the south. and London,
on the west OF Knoxville. and draw
Longstreet beyond any railroad trans
portation, q distance OF % miles. SO
he could not possibly get back to assist
Rragg when the battle should begin
at Chattanooga.
while the hardships Of Burnside's
army were great, the privations many
and the mud deep and sticky, yet there
was no time through that trouble
and siege when the rank and
file was not full Of confidence in Gen.
Burnside and equally proud Of his de-
to never surrender. Our
army was small, perhaps not over 49,
600 men in the trenches at Knoxville.
Burnside having sent back to Cumber-
land Gap all men except those Injured
to the hardships Of campaigning, SO
that he might have none to feed but
men At for duty.
upon the whole. his small COM
mand. the many difficulties under
which he labored, having no base Of
supplies, and cooperating with Gen.
Grant as he did, assuring his soldiers
that Grant would send re-
lief. 1t was a well-managed campaign.
The good Union people Of East Ten
nessee made success possible. Burn
side and his men did the rest"