Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-10-10

By Capt. GEORGE L KILr1ER. Late U. 5. v.
~ URING the second week in
October, 1863, a series Of
LIZ brisk skirmishes and encoun-
tiers in East Tennessee broke
the quiet that had long prevailed in
that isolated region After the carnage
at chickamauga Sept 10 and 20 Cen
eral RosecraDs, the defeated COM
nander at Cbickamauga, reorganized
his broken army at Chattanooga. His
opponent, General Bragg, established
his line on Missionary ridge and Look
out mountain to hold the Federals in
the town.
Before the battle Of Chickamauga a
second Federal army, under General A.
+. Burnside, had marched down the
valley Of the Tennessee from Knox
Vile TO join forces with Rosecrans on
the Georgia border. Together Rose
Grams and Burnside expected to drive
Bragg into the interior Of Georgia or
destroy his army completely, but Bragg
turned the tables on Rosecrans at
Chickamauga and upset all his plans.
East Tennessee, in his rear, was alive
with Confederate detachments which
found convenient hiding In the noun
tains on both sides OF the valley. With
n powerful ally IKE Bragg at hand TO
fall back upon in case Of need, these
troops were n menace to both Rose
rrans and Burnside.
Rosecrans depended for supplies 10
sustain his army upon reserve store
houses at Nashville, distant from his
camp over 200 miles. Burnside's base
at Knoxville was over 800 miles from
fits reserve depots Mt Louisville. With
alert enemies I'm the field campaigning
under such conditions was most haz-
Rrdous.
BurnSide's New Army.
Burnside's army in east Tennessee
was n new creation. He had been re-
lleved from the command Of the Army
OF the Potomac in January. 1863. and
placed in command Of the department
Of Ohio. Troops that had fought with
him in North Carolina and Virginia.
. the Ninth corps. Joined him for the
campaign down the valley. A division
OF troops known as the Twenty-third
corps and General J. NJ. shackleford's
cavalry division completed the force
The strength at its best aggregated
about 10000 men.
Knoxville had been garrisoned by
Confederates from the beginning Of
the war until September. 1868. They
had built earthwork defenses which
could serve n Federal garrison as well
After laying out extensive new fortifi-
cations as a precaution for the future
and clearing the Confederates from the
region Burnside marched a strong COL
umn rapidly down the valley, preced-
ed by a vanguard OF cavalry which he
ordered TO push on until It struck the
outposts OF Rosecrans.
But the enemy was not resting idly
on his laurels. The valley was alive
with Confederates raidlng towns and
destroying bridges. The column NOV
ing south WINS brought TO halt fifty
miles from Chattanooga. After several
skirmishes the advance post was fixed
at the village OF Philadelphia, on the
Tennessee river, with reserves at Lou
don.
The first aggressive step taken by
Burnside was against the Confederates
lowering on the tanks OF his army in
all directions. His success in east
Tennessee depended upon cutting of
Confederate communications between
Virginia and North Carolina and the
Tennessee valley. Enemies from
across the eastern borders might
swamp his enterprise.
cOnfederates Approach Knoxville.
Among the Confederate troops or.
dered out 10 check Burnsides progress
was the command Of General ]. s.
Williams. Williams halted at the vii.
lage OF Greeneville. about sixty miles
northeast OF Knoxville. His force con.
sisted OF east Tennesseans and Virgin.
fans aud comprised about LOO infan
Try ana two batteries OF artillery.
On the evening OF oct. . the local
Federal cavalry, copmanded by Colo
mel ]. r. T. Carter. ran upon Williams
outpost at Blue Springs and made a
spirited attack. counting no doubt upon
Nut ueAInc~s OF buEuSloe Uleu lOl
support. Carter was repulsed. and
Williams kept within the bounds OF
his camp.
When the news OF the Confederate
raids and Of Williams activity reached
Burnside at Knoxville be ordered the
whole Of the Ninth corps 10 march to
ward the enemy and followed Il in per.
son He found Williams in position
near Greenevilie. on tho Virginia rail-
road east OF Bulls gap. and prepared
Tor attack oct. 10. a line OF cavalry
skirmishers rode up to the enemy's
outposts and kept their attention for
some hours. Meanwhile the cavalry
brigade OF Colonel J. W. Foster gal.
Hoped around TO the rear OF Williams
10 bag the whole command should il be
driven from Grecneville.
Williams calmly awaited the attack
Furnishes staf officers carefully sur
Veyed the ground aud The cb,-.,s =, q,