The latest Northern account of the position of Rosecrans.
Louisville is full of newspaper correspondents who can't get to
Rosecrans on account of the interruption in his rear.
The correspondent of the Philadelphia
Inquirer writes from there on the 7th instant that he is afraid the next great battle will be altogether "on paper" unless the reporters find a chance to get through the
Confederate lines.
Of
Rosecrans's position, as understood in
Louisville, he says:
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Gen. Rosecrans's position is considered uncomfortable here.
It is known that a large amount of stores were pushed up to the front before
Gen. Wheeler made his descent on the railroad, but some of these stores were captured by the rebels, and
Gen. Rosecrans has sent couriers down to have fresh supplies started under escorts.
Gen. Wheeler and his "gallant five thousand" were reported at
Shelbyville last night, where they have been playing a heavy game again, in the capturing line, it is said.
Our garrison there consisted of about two thousand men, but I learn that a portion of this force had been recently withdrawn for some purpose or other.
Rumor says that the rebels made a clean sweep in the town, taking our men prisoners, destroying stores and insulting the many Union people of the town.
Col. Neddy McCook is making forced marches after the "rebs," but has not engaged them yet a second time.
Small detachments are being sent out to reinforce him hourly.
I understand that
Gen. Rosecrans has ordered
Gen. Mitchell forward with a flying column to intercept
Wheeler on his return to
Bragg's headquarters, if possible.
Mitchell will watch the wily rebel cavalryman close, and if he has an opportunity will punish him severely.
Some of the knowing ones here seem to think that
Wheeler has destroyed
Rosecrans's communications, and that he is now going to make a circuit of our southwestern corps in
Middle Tennessee, in order to gather information and give us all the trouble possible in cutting the telegraph wires and railroads.
This seems to me to be probable; but I know that
Sherman and
Hurlbut are awake to all these tricks, and will not be caught napping.
Our
Generals and post commanders have all been warned by couriers of
Wheeler's operations, and if they are not prepared to receive him it is the result of negligence on their part.
A survey of the damage done to the railroad east from
Nashville reveals the mischief done
Gen. Rosecrans's direct communications with his base of supplies and operations at
Nashville.
The track is uninjured.
Several unimportant bridges have been burned and some trestles destroyed.
Large parties of workmen have gone out on the road, and this force is being constantly augmented by batches of contraband.
It is hoped that trains will be running in the course of a week or ten days. The telegraph wire has been cut in quite a number of places, and taken up for some miles and secreted.
New wire and workmen have been forwarded, and it is hoped that we shall have news by telegraph from
Chattanooga direct in a few days, perhaps by Sunday next.
Reinforcements are constantly arriving and being assigned to positions.
General Hooker commands the right wing of the army of the Cumberland,
Gen. Thomas the centre,
Gen. Granger the left wing, and
Gen. Palmer the reserve.
The corps of
Generals Howard and
Slocum are up in position, and, with large numbers of other troops, constitute this a most formidable army.
Many regiments are yet to join it, and this will be true of next week as well as of this.
Gen. Rosecrans held a consultation with his corps and division commanders recently, mainly for the purpose of reorganization and harmonious action in future movements.
The best feeling was manifested, and an officer thought the two old "waterlogged logs" of the army had been gotten rid of at last.-- There are not enough political
Generals left in camp now to make any very bad blunder, and so we may hope for success in the coming advance.
At this meeting
Gen. Rosecrans announced his positive determination, under advice from
Gen. Halleck, to hold his present strong position, and move from it to
Atlanta as a base.
General Rosecrans has opened up safe communication with
General Burnside's forces, and is drawing supplies from the Army of the Ohio, in addition to what has been sent to him, so that should the rebels press the siege of
Chattanooga the Army of the Cumberland will be amply supplied with food and ammunition for some weeks.
The rebels use the ammunition and guns taken from us at
Chickamauga to amuse themselves during the day by shelling what they suppose is our camp.
They seem to think that they do us a great deal of damage, but officers from the front say that our casualties are very light.
The rebel position is a good one, but may be avoided altogether in our advance.
The rebels seem to know this, as several deserters say that, while
Bragg is keeping up a good front, he is fortifying
Atlanta, with the intention of retreating to that place some dark pight.
This may be so, but if
Bragg does not fight where he is, and that very shortly, it will be the worse for him.
I have with me here about a dozen newspaper correspondents, who, like myself, are waiting for the resumption of travel on the railroad to
Stevenson.
Others will arrive, and there will be a lively competition among us. If the "next great battle should come off," it will be a grand affair "on paper," you may depend, no matter what it may be on the field.
All of these gentlemen are old friends and co-laborers against me in the
Peninsular campaign, nearly two years ago.--Some have been wounded, some captured and released by the rebels, and all heartily sick and tired of the war and its battles without magnificent results.
Although there is no use denying the fact that matters in this Department are almost critically precarious in appearance to those, who are far removed from the scene of action, yet if I could really and truthfully write of the vast preparations making to bring order out of chaos, the confidence of the people in our ability to defeat the rebels in the coming contest would be greatly enhanced.
For instance, boats have been impressed by Government on all our rivers for the rapid transportation of stores, and railroads are being put into good condition.
Mounted infantry regiments are scouring the country in quest of guerillas, and often hanging them without letting folks know it. Troops are gathering everywhere, and go which way you will you can see "reinforcements for
Rosecrans." It would be manifestly wrong to particularize these cases, but I am permitted to speak of them in a general way, so as to let you know that we are doing all we can to save
Gen. Rosecrans's army, and to enable him to win a substantial victory when he next engages the enemy.
I say that, amidst the gloom, disappointment and aggravation caused by
Wheeler's and
Pegram's raids in
Tennessee and
Kentucky, we have much to hope for.
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