Year: 1863

Missionary Ridge, Nov IA '63


Ihe enemy, since efecting a Judgement in Look
out Valley, has not been idle He has thrown up
defensive works for his infantry and erected bat
terIes on the range of hills, which, starting at
Browns Ferry, run up the valley on the west side
oil Lookout Creek, and divide it nearly in two equal
parts. He is still engaged upon these works The
batteries are intended not only to defend the Val
ley Ferry against assault, but in conjunction with
the Moccasn guns, to sweep the North face of Look
out Mountain The possession of this mountain is
all that is necessary to render the position of the
enemy safe and satisfactory, and at the same time
it renders our position unsafe and unsatisfactory
Two Federal Captains deserted and came into our
lines few nights ago, who stated that call had
been made for volunteers. to storm the mountain
with promise to the survivors of sixty DAYS fur
lough There had been no response to the Gallup
to the time OF their departure, and fearing an order
would be issued to make the assault any how, the
precious towards (or spies) concluded they would
save themselves at the cost of their own infamy-
The Federals say, learn by the underground
railroad, that they will have Lookout Mountain if
they have to dig it down.


They have erected a small earthwork, mounting
four or five guns, some five hundred yards in ad,
vance of their outer lines of entrenchments, and
just within their picket line. 1t is In front of the
railway depot as one looks southeast towards Mis-
Sionary Ridge. Other works have been brought to
view recently by the Telling of the trees in and
around Chattanooga The demand for firewood has
been pressing, and hardly tree is left in or near
the town. Among other works brought to light are
those on Cameronis Hill, which is crowned by
formidable battery and ribb0ned by lines of en-
trenchments from the bottom to the top But do
not imagine that Gen. Bragg has been idle or al
lowed his adversary to do all the work. Since the
loss of Lookout Valley he has been giving more of
his personal attention to the condition of lines
than formerly. This is very well; for the most
no fbo Ho
knows that his work will be inspected by his chief
There was hardly day last winter, when the
weather would admit of it, that Gen. Lee did not
inspect the whole or some part of his long lines in
front of Fredericksburg. There was not foot of
the ground for distance of five miles or more that
he did not know as we'll as the man whose tent was
pitched upon it or the officer whose special duty it
was to defend it. Such is the price which genius
and patience pay for victory


1t is but just to add that Gen. McLaws suggested
to his corps commander the importance offortifying
Browns Ferry, and that an engineer was sent to
examine the ground but the latter reported against
the work unnecessary and thus the ferry Look
out Valley, Raccoon Mountain the railroad and the
river down to Bridgeport, were lost The engineer
is probably of the same opinion STILL and, like Dr.
Sangrado, would adhere to the same theory though
the whole army should perish.


Affairs in East Tennessee are becoming interest
ing A portion of our forces at last accounts were
at LOuuO anu Ill NleWI Oh Lile opposite Slie OF the
Tennessee, were two Federal regiments, supposed TO
be the advance guard of the army. Prisoners re-
port that Burnsides headquarters were five or six
miles beyond Loudon and that his forces were dis
tributed along the river bank to Knoxville. They
say their supplies are hauled hundred and fifty
miles to Knoxville, and thence distributed to the
army, ard that they are inadequate, at times not
ceedng onetourth the usual raLions. The dition
of the prisoners furnished ample evidence of the
truthfulness of their report Rumors prevailed at
Loudon that Burnside was retiring towards Cumber-
land Gap and other passes in the FOUNTAINS. If
these rumors were without foundation it is not i'm.
probable that you will receive stirring new from
that quarter in short time. Our movements have
been delayed by the destruction of the railway
bridges at Charleston and London by Gen. Buckner
when he withdrew from East Tennessee. 1t seems
impossible for Confederate officer to comprehend
the idea that when he burns railway bridge with
in our lines he only Injuries his own friends.


The weather continues good. SALLUST