Our forces in
East Tennessee have settled down in winter quarters at
Morristown.
Our cavalry is daily skirmishing with the enemy, who is now back at
Knoxville.
Maj. Gen. McLaws has been ordered to report at
Richmond.
The order is based on disagreement between the
Commander-in- Chief and himself, and does not in any way impugn his courage or capacity.
A letter to the
Atlanta Register, giving an account of the recent fighting between
Longstreet and the enemy, says:
‘
Longstreet's advance, consisting of
Major-Gen. Martin's cavalry, met the enemy near Mooresburg.
After a spirited engagement the enemy gave back in the direction of
Bean's Station.
Near that place they made a desperate stand, in some force, consisting of mounted infantry and artillery, and some cavalry.
’
Brig.-Gen. Gracie was then ordered forward with his brigade of infantry to rout the enemy.
This was done in magnificent style.
The enemy gave way in confusion in the direction of
Rutledge.
He lost thirty men killed and one hundred wounded. He was slightly wounded himself in the elbow.
In the meantime the enemy had placed one regiment of infantry and a small squad of cavalry in the
Gap, north of
Bean's Station, to prevent any movements on their flank.
Giltner's brigade of cavalry was sent to capture this force.
They gained the summit of the mountain without giving any alarm.
Col. Carter's 1st Tennessee was then dismounted and completely surprised the enemy. --Fifty-six of the enemy fell into their hands and fifty-two wagons, thirty-two of which were loaded with coffee and sugar.
The remainder were loaded with flour and canvas hams.
If the men had done as they were ordered they might have captured the entire command, but they commenced plundering wagons instead of pursuing the enemy.
This has ruined the success of many engagements — made its fruits barren and unsuccessful.
Nothing better could be expected from our demoralized cavalry.
The enemy took their position below
Rutledge.
From the appearance of their camp fires their force must have been nearly equal to ours.
The position of both armies was distinctly visible from the mountain heights of the
Clinch.
Their line of battle could be seen, but not sufficiently plain as to discover their numbers.
Early yesterday morning
Gen. Longstreet resumed his march in pursuit of the enemy.
At an early hour heavy artillery, firing, also small arms, were heard in the direction of Blain's Cross Roads. The enemy are still on the retreat.
Gen. Longstreet's troops follow with much spirit, and ere this arrives to you the enemy will be again invested at
Knoxville.
If the three corps that came to the relief of the
Burnside garrison has gone back to
Chattanooga,
Gen. Longstreet has ample force to whip the
Burnside fraternity.
Two young men sent by
Gen. Vaughan to the rear of the force advancing to relieve
Burnside from
London, on the morning of the day that the place was evacuated, arrived here yesterday.
They furnish some interesting details of the enemy's strength, intention, destination, &c. They found the reinforcing column to consist of
Sherman's;
Howard's, and
Hooker's corps, numbering in all about 18,000 men, with one brigade of cavalry and twelve pieces of artillery.
The force came hurriedly, leaving no pickets behind.
They made a detour to the right from
London and went to
Morgantown, where they tore down some old alone houses, and built pontoons, on which they crossed on the 30th inst. In conversation with citizens, they told them that they came only as a raid to relieve
Burnside.
Having done this they would return to the Army of Chattanooga.
Evidence of this was leaving no force at
Cleveland,
Charleston, nor none of the immediate towns or posts from
Charleston to
Loudon.
Another letter says:
‘
Supplies are abundant all over the country — corn, wheat, pork, and beef, by the millions, enough to supply our army for months.
It is to be hoped that the Administration will look to the importance of wresting from the enemy this fertile country, if not from a want of supplies, for that of strategic purpose.
But let the enemy remain here this winter and they will make a Gibraltar.
Her hills and valleys will be, but an arsenal and depot for the concentration of arms, munitions of war, and soldiers.
’
Having once completed the
Kentucky and Knoxville railroad, and gathered in these supplies, all the combined armies of the
Confederacy can't drive them out.
They can then move with impunity into
Western Virginia to the rear of
Lee's army, move across into
North Carolina, and cut our communication East and West, or they can have a strong garrison in
East Tennessee, move down, connect with the armies of the
West, and force our armies on
Atlanta and
Augusta.
Let us yield no more territory to the enemy.
It is a suicidal policy.
Territory has been yielded in
East Tennessee sufficient to furnish supplies annually to an army of 40,000 men. We hope for a brighter day for this fated country, and bide time for the result.
On the advance of
Longstreet into
East Tennessee, all the prominent Union men of the counties of
Jefferson and Granger left for
Kentucky.
Many of them were eighty years of age. But they had committed themselves in assisting in the arrest of Southern men. They heard that they would be arrested and held as hostages for the safe return of Southern men to Camp Chase.
Some have come back cured of their trip.
Bushwhackers are here by the thousand--more numerous than ever.
Green and
Carter counties are invested with this class to a great extent.
Dangerous to travel alone in those counties.
They will have to be hunted down like wolves before soldiers or citizens can go into the country with any degree of safety.
The same policy must be enforced that was adopted in the counties of
Monroe,
McMinn, and Bradly.
Extermination is the order.
A man who follows this hellish practice against a people struggling for the independence of their country ought not to be treated in accordance with the usage of civilized nations.
One cause of this boldness arises from the encouragement given them by
Burnside, such as furnishing them arms, &c.
About four or five days ago a squad of our men, ten or twelve in number, captured a lot of Yankee clothing, and were in the act of draping themselves in their captured property, when they were recaptured by the
Yankees, who, finding them in Yankee clothing, contrary to their published orders, led them out for the purpose of shooting them — Just at this time the 4th and 7th Alabama regiments of cavalry arrived upon the spot and charged them, but not in time to save our men, who were shot down in cold blood — the ruthless villains escaping.
A few days afterwards the regiments above alluded to caught fifteen or twenty Yankees and shot them in retaliation.