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2. GENERAL S. PRICE.

1. GENERAL J. E. B. STUART.

5. GENERAL MAGRUDER.

3. GENERAL L. POLK. 4. GENERAL PEMBERTON. 6. GENERAL STONEWALL JACKSON.

7. GENERAL P. S. EWELL. 8. GEN. A. P. HILL. 9. GENERAL J. LONGSTREE C.

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CHAPTER XX.

SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER, 1863.

THE ARMY AT CHATTANOOGA-GRANT PLACED IN COMMAND OF THE MISSISSIPPI DIVISION-KNOXVILLE CAPTURED BY BURNSIDE-JOY OF THE PEOPLEBESIEGED BY LONGSTREET-GRANT TAKES COMMAND AT CHATTANOOGASHERMAN ORDERED TO JOIN HIM-HOOKER EFFECTS A LODGMENT IN LOOKVALLEY-HAZEN'S EXPLOIT-BATTLE OF WAUHATCHIE SHERMAN'S

OUT

ARRIVAL THE ARMY TAKES UP ITS ASSIGLED POSITION-CRANT'S LA CAPTURE OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN-BATTLE ABOVE THE CLOUDS-THE BAR. TLE OF MISSIONARY

RIDGE-THE

VICTORY-PURSUIT

OF THE ENEMYSHERMAN SENT TO RELIEVE BURNSIDE-LONGSTREET ABANDONS THE SIEGEBANKS AT NEW ORLEANS-EXPEDITION TO SABINE CITY-EXPEDITION TO TEXAS-ITS FAILURE-THE DEPARTMENT.

ROSE

OSECRANS' position in Chattanooga soon became exceedingly precarious, though it was very strongthe flanks of the army resting on the Tennessee above and below the place. The enemy advanced against it, and occupied Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain, his line stretching across Chattanooga Valley. Our communications by way of Bridgeport, on the south bank of the river, were cut off, while the sharpshooters there effectually commanded the road on the opposite side. Supplies therefore had to be hauled for sixty miles by land, over mountain roads that soon, from the Fall rains, became almost impassable. A rebel raid, in the meantime, destroyed several hundred wagon-loads of provisions, and damaged the railroad between Stevenson and Nashville, rendering the subsistence of our army uncertain; and indeed, for a time, it was doubtful whether our communications would not be entirely destroyed, and thus a retreat become inevitable. This would be extremely perilous, for the artillery and war material would have to be abandoned. Chattanooga was the key to East Tennessee,

256

CAPTURE OF KNOXVILLE.

and the army there at the same time threatened Atlanta, the grand focus of the net-work of railroads connecting the southern States of the Confederacy. If we were driven back from this place, the struggle in the Valley of the Mississippi would have to be gone over again. Hence, Grant sent a dispatch to Thomas, to hold on to the last extremity. The latter, in reply, assured him that he would keep the position at all hazards.

While affairs were in this precarious state, Rosecrans was relieved by Thomas; and in a few days, Grant, who had been placed in command of the Departments of the Ohio, of the Cumberland, and of the Tennessee-constituting the Military Division of the Mississippi-arrived in Chattanooga, and took charge in person. Hooker, with two corps from the East, had previously reached the vicinity of Bridgeport, thus increasing the difficulty of feeding the army.

In the meantime, however, a movement had been made which had an important bearing on Chattanooga. Burnside had, during the Summer, planned a campaign against Knoxville-the capture of which had been a great desideratum with the Government since the beginning of the war. His preparations being completed, he set his columns in motion. in August. Buckner held the place with but a small force, and so secret had the movements of Burnside been kept, and so rapid was his march, that he encountered no opposition; and Colonel Foster, with the advance, entered the place on the 1st of September. Burnside himself proceeded to Kingston, where his scouts encountered the cavalry pickets of Rosecrans. The panic at Knoxville, at his sudden arrival, was great, and the rebel troops left behind them, in their Alight, a considerable quantity of quartermaster-stores. The reception of our troops by the loyal East Tennesseans, who had almost begun to despair of ever seeing the old flag among them again, was most enthusiastic and touching.

SHERMAN'S MARCH.

ever dreaming of pay. pails of water, waving

257

They cooked everything they had for the soldiers, without Women stood by the roadside with Union flags, and shouting, "Hurrah for the Union!"--and "Welcome, welcome, General Burnside, welcome to East Tennesse!" greeted the General, as he moved along with his Staff.

The rebel garrison at Cumberland Gap, two thousand strong, was cut off, and, on the 9th, surrendered to our forces. Burnside now occupied the East Tennessee railroad as far as Morristown, and a strong force proceeded down the road towards Chattanooga; and it was generally believed that the whole army would soon join that of Rosecrans. But the battle of Chickamauga, a few days after, and the shutting up of Rosecrans in Chattanooga, entirely changed the aspect of affairs, and it soon became evident that Burnside would have enough to do, to take care of himself-for Bragg, feeling that he was more than a match for the army at Chattanooga, sent Longstreet, with his division, to retake Knoxville. Being confident that we should be compelled to evacuate both places, the enemy expected to drive our armies back to the Ohio.

But, at this time, there was another important character moving to the scene of action. Before Grant was put over the army at Chattanooga, he, as soon as he heard of Rosecrans' disaster at Chickamauga, ordered Sherman-then on the Big Black River, twenty miles east of Vicksburg-to send a division to his aid. Sherman received this dispatch on the 22nd of September, and at four o'clock that day, Osterhaus, with his division, was on his way to Vicksburg, and the next day steaming towards Memphis. On the 23rd, Sherman received another order, to follow with his whole army. In four days, he was slowly steaming up towards Memphis. Fuel was scarce, and he was compelled to land troops to gather fence-rails and haul wood from the interior in wagons, to keep up

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