--The evacuation of
Knoxville, noticed in this paper yesterday, is confirmed.
The citizens nearly all left, taking with them what they could of
household furniture.
A gentleman, who left the city after its evacuation, describes it as presenting a most lonely appearance, the houses being all closed and hardly a living thing in the streets save a few stray dogs, whose masters had left them in the hurry of departure.
The occupation of the city by the enemy is not yet certain, though it is stated that a small scouting party has reached the place.
All the
Government stores were shipped from the city in safety.
There is no telegraphic communication direct with
Knoxville, the telegraph operator having left there two or three days ago. The people from London county, below
Knoxville, are bringing their negroes and chattels with them to
Bristol, on the
Virginia line.
Burnside's force is reported to be 30,000, though the report is thought to be exaggerated.
He was in London county, about twenty-nine miles from the city on Monday, but was not advancing rapidly, and had not sent forward troops to occupy it in force, for fear, it is supposed, of an attack by
Buckner, whose locality he is unable to ascertain.
At
Chattanooga, on the 29th, all was quiet.
The poorer people had moved out and camped in the woods to escape the shells of the enemy.
The
Rebel, of the 28th, says:
‘
On Thursday morning, about 9 o'clock, the enemy opened briskly on
Chattanooga.
Our batteries replied slowly and at long intervals, preferring not to waste ammunition.
The firing was rapid from the other side until 2 o'clock. Many houses and a few luckless persons were struck.
The range of the balls indicated a distance of some two or three miles.
’
The general position of the enemy remains unchanged.
Reports from our outposts come in, affirmative of cavalry skirmishing.
There have been demonstrations made by the advance of
Burnside.
No news from
Bridgeport.
The number of shells and round shot fired into
Chattanooga on Thursday was 280.--There was any amount of "artful dodging" during the shelling of the town by the enemy, and the running scenes presented on the street were ludicrous in the extreme.
Several shells from the enemy's battery struck the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad depot on Thursday.
The enemy have mounted heavy siege guns on the hill nearly opposite Snyder's Mills.
The local post-office and the telegraph office of
Chattanooga have been removed to the residence of
Mr. Warren Hooper, about a mile and a half from town.
The
Yankees are engaged in the organization of a negro regiment in
Warren county, composed of native contrabands.
