New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-24
To the Northern Forces Cooped Up in Tennessee City
the Building of Little Scow Made All the Diff
ference Between Hope of Victory and
CapituIation Starvation

RDINARILY the building Of little
scow would not create a great deal
~ of excitement Early In October
1863, however the construction OF Just such
a craft on the Tennessee River. at town
called Bridgeport. did interest great
many thousands of men exceedingly, Tor
If it could be launched quickly enough
might save an army from capitulauoh OF
starvation. These were the conditions thdt
confronted General Rosccrans and the
army of the Cumberland cooped up IN
Chattanooga.
Following the disaster OF Chickamaugar
Rosecrans had withdrawn his army into
this Southern fastness, ana. Intervening
himself there. Bragg had taken strong
position on Missionary Ridge, and IRON
the very door Of his headquarters couid
watch his foe encampci on the pialhs
below lie had also taken possession OF
Lookout Mountain, a twin rampant, nan
dozen miles away. on the other side OF the
Charanooga Valley. whose palisades looked
frowningly down on the city and the river
He had strung his outposts, scouts ana
plckets along the river. on both sides OF
tie city, to observe the roads and ferries
Indeed the river itself had conspired with
the Confederate general in his task OF
.eol.o- ur the enemy fin the Appalachian
fastness 10y choosing. some cons before 10
carve a narrow gorge for its passage
through the mountain system.
+ PROBLEM FOR RosECRANS.
Beyond the promontory of Lookout Noun
tain the waters enter deep, steep-sided
cut and flow so swiftly that windlass and
tackle were required for the movement OF
a boat up through the Suck. as the gorge
was called As a result OF the cooperation
Of the river with Bragg. Rosecrans was
dependent upon single wagon road over
The northern mountains, with a railroad
connection sixty miles away. To add TO
the problem. General Hooker had been
ordered 10 reinforce him with troops from
The corps OF General O. O. Howard ana
General Slocum, of the Army OF the 20
@oroac. They came by way of Nashville
~, rro diminishing food supplies in CHAT
,s.nooga made 1t inadvisable for them to
enter with their animals for they could
look forward only 70 starvation with the
Others.
AS the month Of October wore along the
situation in the beleaguered city grew
steadily worse. At first the soldiers were
stifed by binding clouds Of dust blown up
by every zephyr from the earth, parched
ane blistered by drouth of more thah
two months duration, and deposited on the
dried leaves and withered grass. Eaily III
the month the drouth was broken by
heavy rains that replaced the dust with
mud so deep that lightly loaded wagon
would sink TO the axles. More than 10000
animals died along the roadside in their
efforts TO bring in food and ammunition for
the army and forage for themselves.
Tho soldiers were on less than half ra-
lions and in such a famished condition
thai guards stood over the feeding troughs
OF the artillery horses to prevent them
from carrying off the scant supply Of corn
placed before the starving animals. In the
course of time the animals became so few
I'm number and so emaciated that they
could not draw the lightest guns or the
little frewood that could be found.