Year: 1863

4


EDI1oR SESrISEL:-The great butle Of the
season has just been fought at Crasfsh Springs.
in the Chckamauga valley, Georgia. and more
bloody. obstinate or desperate engagement hs-
not been recorded during the rebellion. | am
aware that young or nervous correspondents IN
variably assert the battles they tell of, TO he the
greatest bloodest of the OF the war, in
order TO create much sensation possible
But the men engaged in this, are the same sol
diers who fought in every battle of the western
army since they first entered Kentucky: and as
your humble servant present, he judges from
painful experience The advantages resulting To
US from this frightful engagement have not made
themselves visible 10 me, although many good
men here affirm they are great. Gen. Rosecrans
must evidently be mortified with the idea of being
reluctantly permitted to occupy Chattanooga si,h
a fragment of an army, instead OF Atlanta, Ca
with the rebel army flying in disorder before him
and bis victorious banners. Yet such is the case;
here are with the rebels menacing Us i'm the
front as well as upon both fanks, whilst their
cavalry constantly hanging upon and hArass
ing our rear. Falling back IL miles from the
battlefield where all our killed and MANY of our
wounded were left in the enemy's hands does
not appear TO me to be the best conduct OF a yic-
tOrious army We have been here since the 2lst
engaged in fortifying the town with the ~hole
force OF the army The works which by inceSsaht
labor. night and day, have advanced to "A stage of
completion, quite formidable. and well caIcu
lated 70 resist an attack from the 'front.' but the
rebels occupy Lookout Mountain. upon the point
of which they have batteries that will command
the town at any point They have already sent
solid shot inside our works-in the very center of
of the place. Whether we can resist this power
fu arm successfully IN case of an attack remains
TO be seen. Our outside works. at flrthest. do
not extend over one and quarter miles from the
town. but il is chiefly under the rebel battery on
the mOuntain; at the foot OF this is wide, deep
ravine with small stream of water running
through it. quite impossible without u bridge.
which could not be thrown across without driving
the rebels away from the south side


he rebels appear TO have sent heavy reinforce
ments against Burnside, who has been making
great exertions to reach Us, but unsuccessful
There Is still a strong force confronting Us, suf
hcent, IL seems, to keen Us from making any
offensive movements against them


One hundred ambulances were dispatched YES
day, through the rebel lines, to bring off our
wounded from the battlefield. The rebels put
their own men on the ambulances and detained
ours under guard within thier picket line. The
ambulances have not yet returned and it is likel.
they will apply them TO their own use in remov
ing their wounded to Lafayette or some other
convenient place upon the Atlant, X II road


Our line OF communication with Bridgeport re
quires large cavalry force to keep it open; ow
ing to the great difficulty, in this case, we have
been put on half ratiOns, which, in connection
with the almost incessant labor required of the
men. has entailed unspeakable suffering upon
them.


The ambulance train has just returned bring
ing with them 500 of our wounded from the bat
tIefeld and the different hospitals near it, Many
of these bold, brave sufferers lay for week upon
the field with but little more assistance than could
be rendered by one another. and not few of
them died upon the ground for want of proper
treatment to their wounds The few Surgeons
captured along with the wounded dii every thing
in their power to make the poor fellows comfort
able yet under the circumstances succeeded very
badly. One of the wounded men got holG of a
razor and amputated his comrades arm as they
lay side BY side Several other. made applica-
ton TO have the operation performed upon them
also, but the worthy operator became too much
exhausted with exertOn and labor To con.inue
his operations any further The rebels had cap
tured all the instruments from Surgeons hut
one set and those kept in constant use for
four DAYS, dav and night. before all the cases
Were disposed of Corn meal Cruel was the onl Y
diet afforded for ten DAYS to those unforuhl
men, rather weak and innocent diet but they
die well on il. As they entered the town. all
covered with dust many sorrow ful sights present
ed mlny OF them sat up smoking a pipe with the
bloody stubs OF the legs arms hanging heed
le>sly 10y them, greeting their friends they met
them, with great joy at beiGg permitted once
more To around the familiar countenances oil
their brave comrades They are now comfortably
located in the different hospitals in this town
where everything will be afforded them Tor lheiI
comfort that cin be had The armies are quiet
under flag of truce which will continue until
the wounded are all brought in.


Yours. WIxrES