Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 11.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

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[538] by approaches made from the north, and its unconditional surrender demanded. The Major in command of the post refused to yield, however, and General Lee did not think it worth while to compel him, and proceeded on his way. On the 14th he passed through Snake Creek Gap to Villenow, where he joined the two other corps. The latter under Stewart and Cheatham, had been sent to Tilton and Dalton to capture those places, and tear up the railroad as far as Tunnel Hill, which they did. The march continued through Chattanooga Valley to Gadsden, Ala., where the wagon trains and artillery rejoined the army.

On the 23d the army started for Tennessee, marching across Sand Mountain to Decatur, Ala., and thence to Florence on the south bank of the Tennessee river.

The pontoon bridge was soon ready and on the 6th of November Johnston's battalion crossed and rejoined the corps, which had passed over several days before. Cheatham's corps crossed on the 13th and Stewart's a few days later.

By the 20th of November all the troops had crossed the Tennessee river, and through rain and snow the advance upon Nashville was renewed. The weather was intensely cold, and the march was rendered the more cheerless by the barrenness and poverty through which it led during the first few days. Rations and forage were very scarce, though the more needed by reason of the bitter weather.