--Since the fight at
Zollicoffer, some weeks ago, the department of East
Tennessee has been placed under the command of
Gen. Williams.
He received the command near
Bull's Gap.
A correspondent of the Lynchburg
Republican gives the following history of the campaign in
East Tennessee since that time:
This, of course, placed him in a very embarrassing position — more than a hundred miles from his base of supplies, and more than seventy-five miles from any infantry force to fall back upon, with a halt-organized cavalry force, hemmed in between the Mollichacky river on one side and an impassable mountain on the other, and liable at any time to be flanked on either side, it is altogether a miracle that he ever got out at all.
At an early hour on Saturday morning, the 10th inst., a fight was opened in his front and all along the line.
Several furious attacks were made by the enemy during the day and gallantly repulsed every time until 5 o'clock P. M., when a desperate and overwhelming assault was made upon the centre, first with grape and canister from a battery of six guns concealed in a ravine, and then a charge by three regiments of infantry, causing
Col. Trimble and
Major Halsey to give way and retire by the flank to the rear of
Cols. Carter and
Giltner. Pursuing their advantage, the enemy had the temerity to continue the charge through the open field upon
Gen. W.'s batteries.
When within about one hundred and fifty yards of the guns a most destructive and terrible fire was opened upon them, causing their solid columns to waver, break, and finally retreat in great confusion.
The rout was complete.
The position lost before was regained, and the battle field held until 12 o'clock at night, when it was discovered that large columns were advancing to the right and left, with a view of completely surrounding the little army.-- Scouts came in from every direction, confirming the information that
Burnside, with his entire army, had reached
Morristown and
Bull's Gap, with the additional intelligence that one or two brigades had reached
Rogersville, from which point his rear could be easily reached.
In this state of things
Gen. Williams was compelled to withdraw, and did so at once, quietly, and without the loss of a single man. Before daybreak he was attacked at Henderson's Mill, six miles from
Greeneville, by
Foster's brigade, consisting of the 5th and 65th Indiana, 4th Illinois, and 8th Tennessee regiments, with two pieces of artillery.
They had gotten fairly in his rear, and in five hours more would have completely cut him off.
Gen. Williams did exactly what the case required — charged the enemy at once, killing, wounding, and capturing a large number, and in less than an hour routed the entire brigade.
At
Rheatown, five miles further on, another brigade opened on his rear and left flank with artillery and small arms, doing little of no damage.
At
Limestone creek we made a half, fought them an hour, and retired to
Jonesboro' unmolested.
The next day the enemy appeared before him at
Blountville, and after an hour's skirmishing was discovered to be passing a large force with ten pieces of artillery and a large wagon train to his right.
This involved the necessity of falling back to
Abingdon for the better protection of the salt works, and accordingly he did so at once.
The enemy found him in position before
Abingdon, with reinforcements sufficient to make a bold stand, and being themselves a long distance from their base of supplies, were compelled to withdraw, which they did on the evening of the 17th, tearing up the railroad and burning bridges as they went.
