The
Atlanta papers, of the 29th, contain some account of the situation at
Chattanooga.
The
Appeal says:
‘
We have no particular change in the situation at
Chattanooga to note to day. It is fully established that
Rosecrans is confined to his works around
Chattanooga our lines extending to the river above and below him, and his only communication with
Nashville or elsewhere is by crossing the river.
His defences are reported strong, and are by some thought to be so superior that an assault will not be made.
Great activity prevails in some of the departments of our army, which indicate early movements, and if an assault is not determined upon, we may expect them to be made shortly.
A protracted siege will accomplish nothing, only to give time for reinforcements to reach the enemy, and we have no idea he can be starved out for some time, unless his rear is reached at once.
We have conversed with gentlemen who passed the battle field as late as Friday.
Hundreds of dead Federals yet lay unburied.
Our own dead and wounded had all been cared for.
The
Chickamauga bridges were all finished up to our army lines Saturday night, which would greatly facilitate the transportation of necessary supplies.
We can learn nothing of the operations of
Burnside, and if he is coming to the aid of
Rosecrans the fact has not transpired in army circles.
Neither is it known that any additional strength has reached him, although, from the
Yankee dispatches we publish to day, it may be expected they are on the way.
We have a report, apparently authentic, that in an address to his troops, on Friday,
Rosecrans assured them of his ability and determination to not only hold the place, but also to resume offensive operations in a short time.
Rumors of cavalry movements on our part, looking to operations north of the river, are also current.
Some of these we would like to be able to state were true.
The most effectual way to disturb Rosy in his lair would be to get behind him, and this can be done if the attempt is not delayed.--Delay may enable Federal reinforcements to reach the necessary line of communication with
Chattanooga to such an extent that they will be enabled to hold them; and if this is permitted look out for another tedious period of ditching, and inactivity otherwise.
’
A letter, dated
Dalton, Ga., September 26th, says:
‘
The over sanguine inaptitude will be somewhat disappointed to know that the chances of
Gen. Bragg's taking
Rosecrans and his army prisoners at
Chattanooga, and sending a corporal's guard after
Burnside to "gobble him up" in the mountains of
East Tennessee, continue his march uninterrupted to the
Ohio, is not considered as easy a job in the front as it is here and below, where the peoples desire for
Rosecrans's destruction make them overlook the obstacles to its accomplishment.
Although his losses in the late battle were very heavy in killed, wounded, and prisoners,
Rosecrans has still a powerful army in
Chattanooga, which, with as sagacious a commander as
Rosecrans, will be sufficient to its own preservation, provided he can keep up its supplies, unless we had troops sufficient to command both sides of the river, thus rendering the investiture of the place perfect.
’
Up to last night none of our infantry or artillery had crossed the river, but our line on this side was complete, reaching from the base of Look out Mountain across to
Missionary Ridge and the river, giving
Rosecrans but a very few square miles on which to forage and depredate, and the supplies in these long since exhausted.
Of the wounded, up to Friday about 150 had died in hospital, which is a very small mortality when the number and length of time since the battle is considered.
Gen. Hood is at the residence of a farmer, some twelve miles from
Dalton, and is doing well.
Gen. Dan. Adams, commanding the
Louisiana brigade of
Breckinridge's division, is wounded in the shoulder, and, as I learn from his brigade surgeon, is undoubtedly in the hands of the enemy.
The dead upon some portions of the field are still unburied, though a considerable detail were mechanically at work placing them under ground yesterday morning.
Twenty-one thousand stand of arms had been gathered from the field when I left there on Friday evening, and it was thought that at least three thousand more would be found.
The bridges between
Ringgold and
Dalton, which were destroyed by the
Yankees, have been repaired, and the up train last night doubtless passed up to within four miles of
Chattanooga.
