--A correspondent of the Savannah
Republican, writing from Strawberry Plains,
East Tennessee, February 22d, furnishes the following items of interest:
‘
To-day a
General Order from Division Headquarters, announced to the soldiers of
Gen. Hood's old division that
Gen command.
The orders was issued by
Gen. who expressed himself highly honored in being appointed to lead these time-honored veterans, and as he placed implicit confidence in them he hoped they would give the same to him. Great satisfaction is manifested in this turn of our affairs, as no doubt the bickering and ill-feelings of the contest for the
Major Generalcy will now cause.
Gen. Buckner is a very courteous gentleman, and does not want a name, which gees a long way in obtaining the confidence of the old soldier, who is always suspicious of one of whom he one has heard anything.
’
He has now a fair opportunity of displaying those qualifications which make the great captain, if he has them, for there are no better troops in the Confederate army to execute military plans than these he commands at present.
We look forward with hope to at least a pleasant successor of our beloved
General Hood, if not for one we can admire as ardently as him
Everything is beginning to wear a busy and mystified aspect, as if some movement of the enemy was influencing our own at present.
Our pontoons had been laid across the
Holston, two brigades of infantry thrown across, with some cavalry, towards
Knoxville, to guard the work of the pioneers building a bridge over
Flat Creek, on the way to
Knoxville, and there were other signs of a forward movement.
But yesterday the pontoons were taken up immediately after the infantry had been ordered back on this side, and sent on the cars back towards
Morristown.
To-day we are expecting orders to move after them on the same route, and rumors are afloat that the enemy has been reinforced and is moving a column up the valley beyond
Clinch Mountain, to fall suddenly across the
Holston up near
Rogersville on
Gen. Longstreet's rear.
No doubt
Grant has discovered the necessity of removing this force from his left flank before venturing to penetrate the interior of
Georgia.
This may be a step for that purpose, and
Gen. L. discovering it, is preparing to meet it.
Great numbers of the troops have re-enlisted for the war, in the face of all the hard ships and sufferings which are before them.
Our admiration for such noble courage and fortitude cannot be expressed.
