Events proved that this had the desired effect; and accordingly Bragg called forward Buckner and all the spare troops at his command from East-Tennessee and the lines of the railroads, the last of them arriving on the very evening they began their retreat from their position in front of Duck River. The operations which followed these successful preliminaries were as follows: General Mitchell coming in from Versailles, and attack the rebel cavalry at Middleton. The headquarters of the army was to be established at Mrs. McGill's, at Big Spring branch. All these movements were executed with commendable promptitude and success in the midst of a continuous and drenching rain, which so softened the ground on all the dirt roads as to render them next to impassable. General McCook's taking of Liberty Gap was very gallant and creditable to the troops of Johnson's division, Willich's brigade leading, supported by Carlin's brigade of Davis's division on the right. He surprised and carried Hoover's On the twenty-third of June, Major-General Granger, under orders, sent General Mitchell, with his cavalry division, on the Eagleville and Shelbyville pike, to make a furious attack on the enemy's cavalry and drive in their infantry guards on their main line, while General Granger, with his own troops and Brannan's division, General Reynolds had the advance in the moved, with ten days' rations, to Salem, sending Fourteenth corps, Wilder's mounted brigade his sick and baggage to the camps at Murfrees-leading. boro. On the same day Palmer's division and Gap, a defile three miles in length, before the a brigade of cavalry were ordered to move, via Cripple Creek and Readyville, to the vicinity of Bradyville; his advance to seize the head of the defile leading up to the "barrens" by an obscure road leading them to Manchester by Lumley's Station. All the other troops were ordered to be in readiness to march with twelve days' rations of bread, coffee, sugar, and salt; six days' meat on hoof, and six days' pork or bacon. General Mitchell accomplished his work after a sharp and gallant fight, for the details of which I must refer you to his own report. General Granger arrived and took position at Salem, in pursuance of orders. The corps commanders met at headquarters in the evening, when the plan of the movement was explained to them, and each received written orders for his part, as follows: main infantry support of the rebels (two brigades) could come up, and when they did arrive, fought them and held the position until the remainder of Reynolds's division arrived. The enemy kept at artillery distance from them, and left us to hold the bridge across the Garrison fork and the debouch of the Fairfield road. For the details of this fight, I refer to the reports of the immediate commanders of the troops. As it was not yet certain whether the enemy would advance to test our strength on McCook's front or mass on the flank of the Fourteenth corps, near Fairfield, the orders for June twenty-fifth were as follows: Major-General Crittenden to advance to Lannon's Stand, six miles east of Beech Grove, and open communication with General Thomas. General Thomas to attack the rebels on the flank of his advance position at the forks of the road, and drive the rebels toward Fairfield. General McCook to feign and advance, as if in force, on the Wartrace road, by the Liberty Gap Major-General McCook's corps was to advance on the Shelbyville road, turn to the left, move two divisions by Millersburgh, and, advancing on the Wartrace road, seize and hold Liberty Gap. The third division was to advance on Fos-passes. terville, and cover the crossing of General Granger's command from the Middleton road, and then move by Christiana to join the rest of the corps. General G. Granger was to advance on the Middleton road, threatening that place, and cover the passing of General Brannan's division of the Fourteenth corps, which was to pass by Christiana and bivouac with the rear division of the Twentieth corps. The Fourteenth corps, Major-General Thomas, was to advance on the Manchester pike, seize and hold with its advance, if practicable, Hoover's Gap, and bivouac so as to command and cover that and the Millersburgh road, so that McCook and himself could be within supporting distance of each other. Major-General Crittenden was to leave Van Cleve's division of the Twenty-first army corps at Murfreesboro, concentrate at Bradyville with the other two, and await orders. The cavalry, one brigade under General Turchin, was sent with the Twenty-first army corps to look out toward McMinnville. All the remainder under, Major-General Stanley, were to meet General Stanley with his cavalry to occupy their attention at Fosterville, and General Granger to support him with his infantry at Christiana. Should Thomas succeed, and find the enemy retreating toward Wartrace, he was to cover that road with a division, and move with the remainder of troops rapidly on Manchester, McCook to move in and taking his place at Beech Grove, holding Liberty Gap with a division, and finally withdrawing that and following Thomas to Manchester. The incessant rain delayed the arrival of General Brannan to join the Fourteenth corps on the Manchester pike; but every thing was finally in position, and General Reynolds's division had advanced on the heights toward Fairfield, but did not attack the enemy, who appeared to show a disposition to contest our advance by that route. At Liberty Gap the enemy tried to regain possession, but finally retreated, leaving our pickets in position. On the twenty-sixth, most of the movements ordered for the twenty-fifth were completed, amid continuous rains. Generals Rousseau, Reynolds, and Brannan's divisions cooperated in a gallant advance on the enemy, who after a short resistance fled toward Fairfield, near to which place our pickets were advanced, while Reynolds's divison and the baggage moved forward during the night toward Manchester, Wilder's brigade having seized Matt's Hollow early in the afternoon, and thus secured the passage. June twenty-seventh, headquarters reached Manchester, where General Reynolds's and part of Negley's division had already arrived. The remainder of Thomas's corps came in during the night. It was now manifest that the enemy must leave his intrenched position at Shelbyville, and that we must expect him at Tullahoma, only twelve miles distant. It was therefore necessary to close up our column on Manchester, distribute our rations, and prepare for the contest. While this was progressing, I determined to cut, if possible, the railroad in Bragg's rear. Wilder's brigade was sent to burn Elk River bridge and destroy the railroad between Decherd and Cowan, and Brigadier-General John Beatty, with a brigade of infantry, to Hillsboro, to cover and support his movements. General Sheridan's division came in June twenty-eighth, and all McCook's corps arrived before the night of the twenty-ninth, troops and animals much jaded. The terrible rains and desperate roads so delayed Crittenden, who on the twenty-sixth got orders to march to Manchester with all speed, that it was not until the twenty-ninth that his last division arrived, badly worn. The column being now closed up, and having divisions of the Fourteenth and Twentieth corps at Crumpton's Creek, orders were given for the Fourteenth corps to occupy the centre at Concord Church and Bobo Cross-Roads, with a division in reserve. The Twentieth corps to take the right on Crumpton's Creek, two divisions in echelon retired, one in reserve. The Twenty-first corps to come up on the left, near Hall's Chapel, one division front and one division in reserve. It rained almost incessantly during the thirtieth, but the troops, by dint of labor and perseverance, had dragged their artillery and themselves through the mud into position. It is a singular characteristic of the soil on the "barrens," that it becomes so soft and spongy that wagons cut into it as if it were a swamp, and even horses cannot pass over it without similar results. The terrible effect of the rains on the passage of our troops may be inferred from the single fact that General Crittenden required four days of incessant labor to advance the distance of twenty-one miles. While the troops were thus moving into position, General Thomas sent Steadman's brigade of Brannan's division, two regiments of Reynolds's division, and two regiments of Negley's division, on separate roads, to reconnoitre the enemy's position, while General Sheridan sent Bradley's brigade of his own division on another for the same purpose. These reconnoissances all returned and reported having found the enemy in force on all roads except the one leading to Estill Springs. Scouts all confirmed this, with the fact that it was the general belief that Bragg would fight us in his intrenchments at Tullahoma. Wilder returned from his expedition, reporting that he found the enemy at Elk Bridge, with a brigade of infantry and a battery, which prevented him from destroying that bridge; but he had damaged the road considerably at Decherd, where his appearance with his mountain howitzers created great consternation, and within three hours brought down some heavy trains of infantry. Meanwhile we had information that Stanley's cavalry, supported by Major-General Granger's infantry, and acting under his general directions, had attacked the enemy's cavalry and artillery at Guy's Gap, on the Murfreesboro and Shel byville pike, and driven them from stand to stand, killing, wounding, and capturing as they went, until the enemy reached their intrenchments, from which they were soon driven by flanking and a direct charge, wherein the cavalry captured three pieces of artillery, some with loads in, but not rammed down. From their intrenchments the rebels fled to town, when they made another stand; but in vain. Our cavalry came down with resistless sweep, and drove them in confusion into the river. Many were killed and drowned, and Shelbyville, with a large number of prisoners, a quantity of arms and commissary stores, were the crowning results of the cavalry operations that day. It was worthy of note that the waying of flags and cheers of welcome from the inhabitants of this unconquerable stronghold of loyalty, doubtless added vigor and energy to the advance of our troops. The reports from this cavalry battle showed also the enemy's withdrawal on Tullahoma, and the general expectation that he would fight there. June thirtieth, orders having been given to General Morton to ascertain the practicability of moving by column in mass in line of battle from our position, to gain the rear of the rebel position at Tullahoma, and who reported favorably thereon, preparations were completed, and Crittenden's Second division was moved into position. July first, I received a despatch from General Thomas that the enemy had retreated from Tullahoma during the night. Brannan's, Negley's, and Sheridan's divisions entered Tullahoma, where the infantry arrived about noon. Negley's and Rousseau's divisions pushed on by Spring Creek, and overtook the rear-guard of the enemy late in the afternoon, at Bethpage Bridge, two miles above the railroad crossing, where they had a sharp skirmish with the rebels occupying the heights, south side the river, and commanding the bridge by artillery, which they had placed behind epaulements. July second, having brought forward the ammunition, McCook with two divisions pursued on the roads west of the railroad. Arriving at Rock Creek ford, General Sheridan found Elk so swollen as to be barely fordable for cavalry, and the rebel cavalry on the south bank to resist a crossing, but he soon drove them away and occupied the ford. General Thomas found equal difficulties in crossing, for the enemy during the night burned the bridge and retired before morning. General Turchin, with a small brigade of cavalry, had pushed forward from Hillsboro, on the Decherd road, and found the enemy's cavalry at the fords of Elk, near Morris Ferry; engaged them coming up, and, reënforced by the arrival of General Mitchell, they forced the passage of the river after a sharp conflict. Night closed the pursuit. July third, General Sheridan succeeded in crossing Elk River, and, supported by General J. C. Davis's division, pursued the enemy to Cowan, where he learned the enemy had crossed the mountains with his artillery and infantry by University and Sweden's Cove, and that the cavalry only would be found covering their rear. General Thomas got over his troops the same day, Negley's division moving on the Brakefield Point road toward the University. Sheridan sent some cavalry from his position, and Stanley some from the main column, now in pursuit, but they only developed the fact that the enemy was gone, and as our troops were out of provisions, and the roads worn well-nigh impracticable from rain and travel, they were obliged to halt till their supplies could be brought forward from Murfreesboro, to which point the wagons had been sent for that purpose. Thus ended a nine days' campaign, which drove the enemy from two fortified positions, and gave us possession of Middle Tennessee, conducted in one of the most extraordinary rains ever known in Tennessee at that period of the year, over a soil that becomes almost a quicksand. Our operations were retarded thirty-six hours at Hoover's Gap, and sixty hours at and in front of Manchester, which alone prevented us from getting possession of his communications, and forcing the enemy to a very disastrous battle. These results were far more successful than was anticipated, and could only have been obtained by a surprise as to the direction and force of our movement. For the details of the action at Liberty Gap, Hoover's Gap, Shelbyville, and Rover, I beg to refer to the reports of Major-Generals Thomas, McCook, and Stanley, and the accompanying sub-reports.* Bearing testimony to the spirit and gallantry of all, both officers and men, I must refer to the reports of the several commanders for the details thereof. I am especially proud of and gratified for the loyal support and soldierly devotion of the corps and division commanders, all the more touching to me as the movement was one which they regarded with some doubt, if not distrust. It affords me pleasure to return my thanks to Major-General Granger and Major-General Stanley, commanding the cavalry, for their operations on our right, resulting in the capture of *For these Reports see Supplement. Shelbyville; and to General Granger for subsequently despatching our supplies when they were so pressingly needed. Coloner Wilder and his brigade deserve a special mention for long-continued exertions, enterprise, and efficiency in these operations. Colonel Wilder ought to be made a brigadier-general. Colonel Minty, who commanded the advance on Shelbyville, for gallantry on that and many other occasions, merits the like promotion. The management of the medical department was worthy of all praise. I cannot forbear to make special mention of the energy, ability, foresight, and devotion to duty of Dr. Perin. His superior in these qualities has not fallen under my observation. All my staff merited my warm approbation for ability, zeal, and devotion to duty, but I am sure they will not consider it invidious if I especially mention Brigadier-General Garfield, ever active, prudent, and sagacious. I feel much indebted to him for both counsel and assistance in the administration of this army. He possesses the instincts and energy of a great commander. The reports of the corps commanders herewith show our total loss during these operations was: Officers,. Non-Commissioned officers and privates,. Total,.... We captured stand small arms, eight field-pieces, six caissons, three limbers, three rifled siege-pieces without carriages, besides arms destroyed by the cavalry. Quartermasters' stores: eighty-nine tents, eighty-nine flies, three thousand five hundred sacks corn and corn-meal. The total number of prisoners taken, as will be seen by the accompanying report of the Provost-Marshal General, Major Wiles, is fifty-nine commissioned officers, and one thousand five hundred and seventy-five non-commissioned officers and privates. Before closing this report, I call the attention of the General-in-Chief and the War Department to the merits and ability of Captain W. E. Merrill, the engineer, whose successful collection and embodiment of topographical information, rapidly printed by Captain Morgadanti's quick process, and distributed to corps and division commanders, has already contributed very greatly to the ease and success of our movements over a country of difficult and hitherto unknown topography. I sincerely trust the War Department will show its appreciation of the merits and services of this promising young officer, who fortified the frontiers of Western Virginia, lingered in a rebel prison for six months, was wounded at Yorktown, and who put in order and a state of defence the Kentucky Railroad, injured by Bragg and Kirby Smith. W. S. ROSECRANS, Doc. 121. ADDRESS OF THE REBEL GOVERNORS. AUGUST 13TH, 1863. To the People of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Missouri, and the Allied Indian Nations: Ar the invitation of the Lieutenant-General commanding the Trans-Mississippi Department, we assembled at this place, with several of your Judges, confederate Senators, and other distinguished citizens, to confer with him on the measures to be taken for the defence of our common cause, Those measures we do not particularize, as they had best be disclosed by the execution of them, and by the benefits they must produce. Coming to a thorough understanding with him, the members of the conference unanimously sustain the vigorous and decided policy he proposes to pursue. legal powers he may have to exert, promptly and boldly, to their fullest extent, for the common good; in so doing he will receive the zealous support of every patriot. The entire military force and means in this department should be liberally used for our protection when necessary. Some measures may inconvenience particular individuals, but we rely on their patriotism and good sense to produce a cheerful endurance of the hardships to be expected in a war for our very existence as a nation. To organize and combine without delay the individual efforts of our citizens to sustain our cause, we have formed, unofficially, a Committee of Public Safety, to be composed of the Executives, for the time being, of the States in this department, and have selected the Governor of Missouri as present Chairman thereof. By committees of correspondence and voluntary associations in every parish and county, we hope to unite all our We will not attempt to disguise the change in patriotic citizens in a vigorous support of the our position by the fall of our stronghold on the confederate and State authorities in defence of Mississippi River. Interrupting communication our families and homes. Let every one rally to between the two sections of the Confederacy, it the call and promptly perfect an organization throws each mainly on its own resources. But which will fill the Southern heart with renewed the apprehensions of evil from this interruption enthusiasm throughout the whole department. have been greatly exaggerated. The warning given by the fall of New-Orleans has not been unheeded, and the interval since that event has been used to develop the great resources of this department. We now are self-dependent, but also self-sustaining. Let a patriotic press and clergy stimulate exertion. Under the searching eye of a whole people aroused to ceaseless vigilance, the plots of secret foes will wither in the bud. By the wholesome influence, gentle and peaceful, but imposing, of an organized, all-pervading patriotic public opinion, the despondent will be inspired with fresh hope, the steadfast be nerved to heroic energy, the rapacious extortioner learn liberality, the selfish traitor be cowed into the inaction of despair. With our own manufactories of cannon, arms, powder, and other munitions of war, with mines opened and factories established, with cotton as a basis for financial measures, and with abund-trimmer abandon his neutrality, and the vile ance of food, we are able to conduct a vigorous defence, and seize occasions for offensive operations against the enemy. The immense extent of our territory, the uncertainty of navigating our rivers, the unwholesomeness of the regions through which our interior is approached, the difficulties of transportation on our roads, present immense obstacles to the advance of large armies of the enemy, with their cumbrous trains of luxurious supplies; small bodies will ignominiously fall in the attempt at our subjugation. To crush even his largest armies, we rely on the energy and skill of our military commanders, the zeal and activity of our civil authorities, the discipline and courage of our armies, and the vigorous, self-sacrificing patriotism of our whole people. There is every thing to incite us to renewed efforts, nothing to justify despondency. We are fortunate in the military chief of this department. In the prime of life, large experience, active, intelligent, and with the prestige of uniform success in his undertakings, he is guided by a profound respect for law and the constitutional rights of the citizens. Reposing full trust in him, we cordially commend him to your entire confidence and support. In view of the existing state of our affairs, he has been clothed with more than usual powers by the President, to be exercised within the bounds of the Constitution and the law. These just and We address you in the true language of firm confidence in the final triumph of our cause, concealing nothing of our perils, exaggerating nothing of our hopes. Our powerful and haughty foes propose not only to coerce us into submission, but to despoil us of our whole property, and subject us to every species of ignominy. Base is he who would not continue to contend for our rights even when all shall be lost but honor. The capitalist must be liberal of his means, the speculator forego his gain, the straggler hasten to his regiment, every able-bodied man hold himself in readiness for military service; our women, the glory of our race, tend the loom and even follow the plough; our boys guard the homes their fathers are defending on the frontier, and Western skill and valor will prepare a San Jacinto defeat for every invading army that pollutes the soil of this department. Unsurpassed in courage, intelligence, and energy, you have only to arise in your might and the enemy will be speedily driven back. Be true to yourselves, your past history, to your hopes of the future, and a baffled foe will gladly seek the peace which we war to obtain. The enemy may dismiss all hopes that the Western section of the Confederacy will seek any destiny separate from that of our sisters east of the Mississippi. Attached to the Confederacy by community of race, institutions, and interests, baptized in the blood we and they have poured out together, we desire no new political connection. Let our eastern confederates do their duty; 'these States and our Indian allies will do theirs, and when our joint efforts shall have secured our common safety, the remembrance of the danger from a temporary cessation of intercourse will only strengthen the ties which bind us together. In the darkest hours of our history, the protection extended to us by Almighty God has been so manifest, as even to be acknowledged by candid foes. Their victories have been to them as fruit turning to ashes on their lips; our defeats have been chastenings to improve us and arouse our energies. On His help and our own right arms we steadfastly rely; counting on aid neither from the policy of neutral nations, nor from the distractions in the midst of our enemies, we look confidently forward to the day when thirteen confederate States will in peace and safety occupy their rightful position among the great powers of the earth. THOMAS O. MOORE, Governor of the State of Louisiana. Governor of the State of Texas. MARSHALL, TEXAS, August 18, 1863. Doc. 122. THE EAST-TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN. OPERATIONS OF GENERAL BURNSIDE. two thousand men. The position was a very strong one, and the gap was the gate to the Clinch River Valley. A battle was expected, as there was not a better place in the country to check our forces. But on the morning of the thirtyfirst it was discovered that the enemy had fled in the night. Emery River, nine miles east of Montgomery, General Burnside ordered Colonel Foster to march directly on Knoxville, where he arrived and took the town without opposition on the first of September. General Burnside proceeded to Kingston, where his scouts encountered the cavalry pickets of General Rosecrans, and communicated with a splendid body of cavalry of the army of the Cumberland, under Colonel Minty. Burnside's object in moving to Kingston was to make a push for the great Loudon bridge over the Holston River. This was twenty miles from Kingston. General Shackleford was sent to London. On his approach the rebels retreated across the bridge, which they had barricaded, and fired it. Turpentine had been poured on the planks, and it was soon a mass of flames. Our troops fired across the river with artillery and musketry, and the people in the neighborhood said several rebels General Burnside were killed and wounded. left Kingston on the second and entered Knoxville on the third. The reception of our troops at this place was most gratifying. General Buckner with his rear-guard had left the day before Colonel Foster's arrival, for Chattanooga. There is reason to believe Rosecrans had in front of him, at Chattanooga, the whole force of Buckner, Bragg, and Johnston. The people about Knoxville say the flight of the rebels, when Burnside's approach was announced, was something wonderful. Their panic was immense. They had a reGENERAL BURNSIDE left Camp Nelson on the port among them that Burnside had an army of sixteenth of August for East-Tennessee. He left from sixty to one hundred and twenty thousand Crab Orchard on the twenty-fourth, having com- men, and were of the opinion that their safety pleted his preparations, his columns having been depended upon their speed. They left behind a in motion for several days. He reached Mount considerable quantity of quartermaster's stores Vernon, twenty miles distant, on the same day. in pretty good order, and they had several valuHe left Mount Vernon on the twenty-third, and able shops which they did not dismantle. Two reached London, twenty-five miles. On the twen- million rations of salt were among the spoils. ty-fourth he reached Williamsburgh, thirty miles The secesh had a story that Longstreet was comfrom London. On the twenty-fifth he reached ing from Virginia with twenty thousand men, but Chitwood, Tennessee, twenty-eight miles south-it was one of their vain imaginings. west of Williamsburgh, where he came up with Major-General Hartsuff, commanding the Twentythird army corps. Major Emory here made a cavalry reconnoissance toward Jacksboro, encountered two regiments of rebel cavalry, and routed them, taking forty-five prisoners. General Burnside, with the main body of his army, left Chitwood on the twenty-eighth and reached Montgomery, the county-seat of Morgan County, Tennessee, forty-two miles from Chitwood, on the thirtieth. Here another column of infantry, under Colonel Julius White, came in, having marched from Central Kentucky, by way of Albany, Monticello, and Jamestown. Colonel Burt, commanding the cavalry advance, sent word that the rebel General Pegram was holding the gap in the mountains, near the Emery Iron-Works, with MAJOR W. H. CHURCH'S ACCOUNT. The East-Tennessee troops, of whom General Burnside had a considerable number, were kept constantly in the advance, and were received with expressions of the profoundest gratitude by the people, who are described as the most heartily and generally loyal people in the United States. There were many thrilling scenes of the meeting of our East-Tennessee soldiers with their families, from whom they had been so long separated. The East-Tennesseeans were so glad to see our soldiers that they cooked every thing they had and gave it to them freely, not asking pay, and apparently not thinking of it. Women stood by the roadside with pails of water, and displayed Union flags. The wonder was, where all the stars and stripes came from. Knoxville was radiant with flags. At a point on the road, from Kingston |