ed for a stand the whole of the First Tennessee leisurely as if on parade; making a singular and cavalry, whose camp was now plainly in sight. ludicrous contrast with the frightened and preThe open ground, across which the rebels had cipitate manner in which a portion of them had been driven, narrowed as it approached their entered it. present position, until at last its dimensions were reduced to those of a single small field. Across this they had constructed a barricade of rails, and had posted behind it a considerable force of dismounted cavalry. On some higher ground to the rear of that, they showed a small body of horsemen, who went galloping back and forth, and seemed to be, each moment, on the point of retreating. The design was obvious. They wished us to go dashing after these mounted men; and, when we were near enough, the force behind the rail barricade would, with a volley or two, sweep us away. But Colonel Harrison was not to be caught in any such trap. "We shall have to fight a little," he quietly remarked, after closely examining the rail barricade with his glass; and waited for the infantry. General Carlin's brigade came up shortly after; the skirmishers of the Ninetyfourth Ohio and Tenth Wisconsin boldly advanced over the open space; the Thirty-ninth, assisted by the Eighty-eighth Indiana and Nineteenth Illinois, moved in line upon the rebel right, through the woods. The display of force was too formidable; the bullets fired by our skirmishers began to clink against the rail barricade; the rebels could endure the thing no longer; and after delivering a couple of volleys, at so long-range, so scatteringly, and with such insufficient effect, that our boys answered them only with shouts of derision, they jumped upon their horses and ran off as before. Company K, of the Thirty-ninth Indiana, Lieutenant Jacob Mitchell commanding, had stolen around upon the left flank of the rebels unobserved. As soon as the latter manifested a disposition to break, company K charged down upon them, precipitated their flight, and pursued them with shout and spur, to the great amusement of the infantry, who set up a perfect yell of delight. All that Colonel Harrison had of his gallant Thirty-ninth now broke into a gallop and started off to take part in the pursuit. The town of Tunnel Hill was in sight, with Tunnel Hill Ridge just rising beyond. Pursuers and pursued put their horses to the very top of their speed, and dust and leaves and dirt and sticks and gravel were sent flying in all directions through the air by the heels of the frantic steeds. As our boys dashed on toward the town, a whole regiment of rebel cavalry-First Tennessee and part of another, Second Kentucky-were seen filing out of it, along a road which ran over the ridge toward Dalton. It was a novel sight to see Colonel Harrison's forty or fifty men pursuing, taunting, challenging, and firing at this body of four or five hundred rebels. Each of our men fought upon his own hook, and each displayed a reckless daring which I have never seen surpassed. It must be said, too, that the rebels took the whole thing very coolly after they had all got together, and rode out of the town as No sooner had their cavalry disappeared, than they opened upon us with four pieces of artillery placed along the slope of the ridge. This of course compelled our little cavalry squad to call a halt; and the rebels turned their attention to Colonel Boone, who was coming up on the right, throwing a number of shells at him, but doing no damage. Colonel Boone speedily rejoined Colonel Harrison near Tunnel Hill. General Carlin's brigade advanced into the town about nightfall, the rebel artillery meanwhile ceasing to play. Your correspondent believes that himself and Lieutenant Shaw, of General Palmer's staff, were the first persons to enter the town of Tunnel Hill. There were houses sufficient for a population of four or five hundred; but for some time it seemed as if there was really not a living soul in it, except myself and the Lieutenant. Presently, however, a few women and children began to peep out at us here and there, and we ascertained that about nine families still remained in the place. Some of these were literally upon the verge of starvation, and declared that for months they had not had a mouthful to eat, except a scanty pittance of meal and pork dealt out by the rebel commissaries. All seemed pleased with our arrival; all had fearful tales to tell of the rapacity and brutality of the rebel soldiers; and all protested, in an earnest, simple way, that carried conviction with it, their entire innocence of ever having done any thing, by word or deed, to bring on or encourage the rebellion. The enemy still held Tunnel Hill Ridge; and just at dark, as myself and another gentleman were conversing with one of the citizens, the rebel videttes took occasion to hurl at us a halfdozen bullets. This we took as a gentle hint to retire, and riding_through the town rejoined our forces, just as General Johnson, who did not think it prudent to remain there all night with a single brigade, was giving orders to fall back to the main body of our forces, encamped about three miles from Ringgold. TUNNEL HILL, GA., February 26. It was somewhat late on Wednesday morning before our column again got in motion; but when it did move, it was with strength which augured well for its success, whatever it might undertake. Our cavalry, about seven hundred strong, all the detachments now operating together under command of Colonel Harrison, took the advance, immediately supported by General King's brigade. Other portions of General Johnson's, Davis's, and Baird's divisions, followed. It was a gallant array, and there was a spirit of buoyant enthusiasm amongst the troops, as they talked of their close proximity to the enemy, and wondered if there would be a battle. The rebels did not seem inclined to dispute the ground over which we had marched the previous day, and there were very few shots fired by either side. At half-past eleven A. M., we were again in the immediate vicinity of Tunnel Hill. Just where you emerge from the woods and enter the open ground around the town, is a house which belongs to, and is inhabited by a member of the numerous and honorable tribe of John Smiths. Here the cavalry halted, there being unmistakable signs that the rebels had been reenforced upon the Tunnel Hill Ridge, and meant to hold the position. A line of log breastworks, begun some time ago, but completed on Tuesday night, could be seen extending all along the crest. Artillery could also be plainly perceived at two different points. It was half-past twelve before we were ready to move forward, and then our cavalry marched in column along the road, into the open ground, directly toward the point whence the rebel artillery had been fired the day before. Myself and Lieutenant Shaw were riding near the van of the force, and were remarking upon the great advantage which our movement in column would give the enemy, provided they opened upon us with their cannon. They would be enabled to assail us with a raking fire, which could scarcely fail to do us much damage. man was to be seen. Yes, there was one man. As soon as Colonel Harrison had given orders to his men to retire, he himself descended from his horse, and stood there in full view of the enemy until the storm was over. For full fifteen minutes the rebels kept up a furious fire, throwing their missiles clear back to John Smith's house, and even disturbing for a moment the equanimity of our infantry. One of the shells burst so near General Whipple, Chief of Staff to General Thomas, that all who saw it wondered how he escaped with life. Not even his clothes, however, were touched. Το Would you picture to your mind a view of this somewhat singular battle-field? Imagine yourself, then, at John Smith's house, and looking south. The road passing it runs nearly north and south. Going south a quarter of a mile, you reach the railroad; here the common road turns squarely to the left, and by following a furlong further, you enter the town of Tunnel Hill. the right of Smith's house is a wooded range, intersected by ravines, behind which Colonel Hambright's brigade was posted, after our cavalry had sought shelter from the rebel artillery. Carlin was in the centre of our line, along the road. Off to the left is a tolerably high range, subsiding about three hundred yards from the road. On the slope of the ridge, and near the road, Between this and Tunnel Hill Ridge, General which, running over it, leads on to Dalton, is a Crufts's division (Stanley's) was advancing. Lookwhite frame-house. Behind this the rebels had, ing across some open fields to the south-east, you during the night, concealed a battery; and just behold the town. Occupying entire space beas our cavalry column had all passed into the tween south and east, extends Tunnel Hill Range, open ground, they ran their cannon out from be- held by the enemy. One high round peak, lyhind the house, and blazed away at us with vigor ing south-south-east, runs up most ambitiously and a will. The first shell fell into soft ground, toward the clouds; the remainder of the range a dozen feet from where I was at the moment. is comparatively low. The rebel battery which Either it was a fuse-shell and burst when in near had already worked us mischief, was just below proximity to the earth, or it was percussion, and the high peak. Around the town the cleared the ground was not soft enough to prevent its ex-ground is undulating. The high eminences of plosion. At any rate, it exploded and threw the Rocky Face can be seen at various places, rising dirt, with numerous fragments of itself, in every up behind Tunnel Hill Ridge. direction around it. A liberal sprinkling of the former sufficed for my share. Such is a picture of what has already been the scene of a combat, and may yet witness a great battle. The dirt and mud had scarce ceased to fall, when a second shell struck the ground, about twenty feet beyond the first. Bursting, one half of it flew into atoms, slighty wounding several persons. The other half, in one solid mass, struck a very young man, a member of the Twentyeighth Kentucky, squarely in the stomach, tearing out his bowels. His horse, also wounded, dashed away toward the rear. A hundred yards from the spot where the shell exploded, the hap-assail the rebel works upon their right flank. less rider fell off, stone-dead. A few feet further, and his horse also lay stretched upon the earth. I did not note the effect of any other individual shell, for, as word was given to the horsemen to seek shelter, I was not slow in obeying the order, and by a rapid and masterly movement soon found myself beneath the friendly shelter of some woods upon our right. Our cavalry stood firm until the order to retire was given. Then they left in good earnest; so that when I turned and looked out from the woods where I had taken refuge upon the open ground, not a While Colonel Hambright was putting his brigade into such a position as to threaten the enemy's left, General Morgan, commanding brigade in General Davis's division, had been sent over to our left to connect with General Crufts's men, and, climbing Tunnel Hill Ridge, where it is quite low, and there was no force of the enemy to oppose, to move along the summit, until he could In the mean time, two pieces of Hotchkiss's battery opened upon the rebel battery from the hill upon the right of the road. An animated duel continued for some time. The rebels threw missiles with much precision. Captain Hotchkiss planted his shells where they would have been very effective, had they not for some unknown reason mostly failed to explode. Captain Harris moved two guns of his battery (Nineteenth Indiana) over into the fields upon the left, and fired a few effective shots. Between the two, the rebel battery had too much of it, and withdrew at about half-past three P.M., just as General Morgan's men were seen marching along the summit of the ridge, toward the rebel works. Seeing themselves thus outflanked by General Morgan upon their right, and seriously threatened by Colonel Hambright upon the left, the rebels abandoned their position and fled precipitately, without firing a gun from the time Morgan first appeared. Thus, with but trifling loss, this strong and important position fell into our hands. Not a moment was lost in following up the enemy, General Morgan taking the advance, and Colonel McCook, with his splendid brigade, belonging to the same division, following closely behind. We were now traversing country over which Union troops had never trod before; and consequently we found the citizens in the most appall ing state of confusion and dismay, expecting all and singly to have their throats cut immediately upon our arrival. The men had fled to the hills, and the women and children, as soon as the head of our column appeared, uttered piercing shrieks as if they were on the point of being murdered, or falling down upon their knees begged piteously for their lives. When they found they were in no danger whatever from our soldiers, their surprise and joy exceeded, if possible, their previous fear. A little before five o'clock our forces came to an awful gorge cleft in an inaccessible and lofty range of mountains, called Rocky Face. On the left side of this gorge ran the railroad; on the right the common road, with a monstrous pinecovered rock rising between. Never had I beheld so formidable a position for defence; and my experience was in this respect the same as that of every officer in the army. Reaching out into the gorge from the perfectly impassable mountains on either side, spur after spur could be seen, rising one above the other as you looked toward Dalton, and forming a series of fortifications as perfect in design as the hand of men ever traced, while vastly superior in magnitude to aught that he ever constructed. From the first of these spurs upon the right, the enemy poured forth a volley of musketry. Our brave boys, rushing forward, carried the spur; but from a higher one beyond, six pieces of artillery commenced hurling death among them, and they were compelled to withdraw. The enemy continued a fierce artillery fire until night, when General Morgan's brigade moving into the left of the gorge, and Colonel Daniel McCook's into the right, they held the mouth of it until morning. As I rode back toward the town, the heavens were lighted up with the lurid fires of Cleburne's old camp, (upon the east side of Tunnel Hill Range,) which our troops had set on fire. In the town I learned that General Wheeler himself was in command of the rebel cavalry which had all along been opposing us. Simultaneously with the advance of the column from Chattanooga, General Crufts moved down from the vicinity of Cleveland, joined afterward by Matthias's brigade, of the Fifteenth army corps, commanded at present by Colonel Dickerman, of the One Hundred and Third Illinois. Colonel Long, with some seven hundred cavalry, preceded General Crufts. This column skirmished as successfully with the enemy as the other, and on the twenty-third, Colonel Long penetrated to within four miles of Dalton Another sunny, warm, pleasant, smoky morning dawned upon us on the twenty-fifth, and all portions of our forces being prepared to act in concert, it was determined to make a bold move, which might test whether or not the enemy's strong position on the Tunnel Hill road could not be turned. Accordingly, General Baird took up the line of march very early in the morning, and crossing Tunnel Hill, joined General Crufts in the valley between the range and Rocky Face. Passing through a gap in Rocky Face, about three miles beyond Tunnel Hill Ridge, the entire force passed along the Cleveland road toward Dalton, the enemy opposing them only by feeble skirmishing, and everywhere flying before them. It soon became evident, however, that they had passed beyond another range still further to the east than Rocky Face, and that a force of the enemy occupying the valley between the two might easily pass to the rear and cut off their retreat. To prevent this, they retired along the line of their march until they had reached the head of Rocky Face Valley, down which they marched in order of battle, General Baird upon the right and General Crufts upon the left. The rebels gave way as before, until they reached a point where the Cleveland road, running toward Dalton, descends into this valley. Just across this road and on the left side of the valley, was a high point in the bounding ridge, and this the enemy manifested a disposition to hold at hazard of a fight. Colonel Grose's brigade advancing along the slope of the ridge, immediately prepared to carry the hill. The enemy's outposts were driven in with rapidity, and the gallant brigade, moving steadily forward with loud cheers, and never once wavering under the fierce fire kept up by the rebels, hurled the latter from the hill in confusion, and planted the Stars and Stripes upon the summit. This was about half past eleven A.M. Captain Simonson, Chief of Artillery on General Crufts's staff, ran his old battery, the Fifth Indiana, to the top of the hill, and treated the rebels to constant doses of shot and shell the remainder of the day. Very heavy skirmishing was kept up until one P.M. by the opposing infantry, but no advance was attempted upon either side. Myself and the gentleman whom I accompanied during the greater portion of this trip, had remained on the west side of Rocky Face, until assured, by one who knew, that the principal fight of the day was certain to take place upon the other side. A change of base was immediately determined upon. We struck across Tunnel Hill Range in the direction indicated by the sound of Crufts's and Baird's cannon, and after a by no means pleasant ride of a couple of hours, amongst rocks and hills, and valleys and ravines, scowled at by the natives from whom we could learn not a word concerning the whereabouts of our troops, and in imminent danger of being picked up by some straggling squad of rebel cavalry, we at length had the unspeakable satisfaction of getting upon General Baird's trail; and riding on a mile or two further, found that, almost unknown to ourselves, we had turned the formidable barrier of Rocky Face, which now appeared upon our right. Every step we took, the sounds of conflict became more and more distinct, until at last we caught sight of our troops stretched across the valley, the advance line skirmishing briskly with the enemy. The order of battle I have named, was still preserved. Of Baird's division, Van Derveer's brigade was on the left, Turchin's upon the right. It was one o'clock when we arrived upon this part of the field, and scarcely had we reached our lines, when it became evident that a severe struggle was just on the point of taking place. In truth, the position the rebels held in this valley, was almost as strong as that upon the road from Tunnel Hill. The valley was wider than the gorge, but the natural fortifications were of a similar nature, and only required to be held by a somewhat stronger force. The passage into Dalton along this valley, would evidently be accomplished only by copious effusion of blood. A hill near the centre of the valley seemed to form the key to the position. To the right of this was another, the possession of which would enable us to operate with great advantage against the other. Just as I rode up, General Palmer announced his intention of attempting to carry this latter point. The victory seemed gained, and the brigade rushed to the top of the hill to secure what it had won. But the enemy had rallied half-way down, supported by a fresh force outnumbering Turchin's two to one. No sooner had our boys reached the summit than a withering storm of bullets swept up the hill. Bravely they replied for a time, making many a rebel bite the dust. But the galling fire could not long be borne. It would be madness to charge down the hill into the midst of twice or thrice their numbers. Hence, they withdrew slowly and reluctantly to their former position along the slope of Rocky Face. The rebels did not attempt to follow, but contented themselves with repossessing the hill. This was the bloodiest, as it might be called the closing, conflict of this interesting campaign. A brisk cannonade and a fierce and determined skirmishing were kept up until nightfall; but no advance was made upon either side. All the remainder of the afternoon the two armies stood confronting each other, so close together that the skirmishers of either could fire entirely over the rear-lines of the other. A number of incidents, at once singular and interesting, fell under my own observation, but I shall only mention this one. General Palmer was standing near our skir mishers, when a bullet, fired by one of the opposing rebels, passed through both the skirts of his coat and both legs of his pants, without even grazing the skin! Probably there is not a similar case on record. When night came on, a spectacle met our eyes, at once brilliant, beautiful, and sublime. During the course of the conflict, the leaves, rendered inflammable by several weeks' dry weather, had taken fire; and now long lines of the devouring element could be seen everywhere running up and down the mountains, twisting and writhing The task of taking the hill was assigned to and hissing like monstrous serpents of living General Turchin, than whom a better, braver fire. The fine twigs and cones, of which vast man can scarcely be found in our army. He quantities lay upon the ground, added to the had only a portion of his brigade with him, but hugeness of the conflagration; in some places he had such regiments as the Eleventh, Eighty- the progress of our withdrawing troops was serininth, Ninety-second Ohio, and the Eighty-se-ously impeded by the smoke and heat; and at cond Indiana, and with these he was sure to ten P.M., it really seemed, to a spectator gazing win, if success, under the circumstances, were from Tunnel Hill, as if the whole State of Georpossible, for these regiments scarce ever fail, and gia was on fire, and her eternal mountains were when they do, it is with undiminished honor. melting beneath the flames. It was after night when the troops began to retire; and ere they closed their eyes in slumber that night, they were on the west side of the Tunnel Hill range. A heavy strip of timber runs along the lower portion of the east slope of Rocky Face. Through this Turchin and his men steadily advanced, the General in the front ranks, drawing repeatedly upon his own person the fire of the rebel skir- About three in the afternoon, General Davis, mishers. Forming his line of battle along the who with Morgan's and McCook's brigades, supslope of the mountain, just opposite to and facing ported by General Johnson's command, was hold. the hill which he was to carry, he gave the order ing the mouth of the gorge on the Tunnel Hill to advance. Immediately the whole valley re-road, began to advance slowly and feel the enesounded with a terrible roar of musketry, and the enemy's cannon, replied to by our own Fourth regular battery, added to the awful din. The rebels were swept away from the foot of the hill. Half way up they endeavored to make a stand, but our boys, charging forward with loud shouts, drove them across the summit. my. The latter manifested the utmost sensitiveness, and raking the gorge with his cannon, inflicted upon General Morgan considerable loss. After night, this force retired to Tunnel Hill, which we continue to hold. Thus ended this highly important expedition. It has again, if that were needed, demonstrated the fighting qualities of our own troops. It has familiarized us with a section of country, comparatively unknown before. It has shown the tremendous strength of the enemy's position at Dalton. It has for ever set at rest the silly stories of Johnston's army having gone to Mobile and other points; and, above all, it has prevented that army, or any considerable part of it, from being so sent away. It was well ascertained that Cleburne's division did not start away until the evening of the twenty-first, and at least one brigade of it had returned by the twenty-fifth. Stevenson's, Stuart's, Loring's divisions, one brigade of Cleburne's, one of another division, whose commander could not be ascertained, and Wheeler's cavalry, were all known to have been in the fight of Thursday. Although this correspondent would be very glad to have Joe Johnston evacuate Dalton, he cannot but feel somewhat proud of this triumphant vindication of the statement he made weeks ago, and has since had occasion several times to repeat, concerning the presence and strength of the rebel army at Dalton. ing or demolishing the forces in West-Louisiana. It is altogether probable that something in the seasons had dictated this choice to General Banks. For example, the Red River is only high enough to be navigable by the largest vessels during this month and the next, while the task of taking Mobile is one which might be undertaken at any time, though it is unaccountably strange that it was not begun in December instead of May. As is well known, the column under General Franklin crossed from New-Orleans to Brashear City about the first instant, and thence took up the line of march along the Bayou Teche, substantially the same route pursued nearly a year ago, via Opelousas to Alexandria. The forces under General A. J. Smith, from the department of the Tennessee, comprising the brigades under Generals F. K. Smith, Thomas, and Ellet, embarked at Vicksburgh on the tenth, and proceeded down to the mouth of Red River, where they found an immense fleet of gunboats ready for the ascent. Touching the naval force, it may be well to remark that a more formidable fleet was never under single command than that now on the Western rivers, under Rear-Admiral Porter; and, it might be said also, never to less purpose. At the time of departure, the strength of the re The expedition could not well fail of being an entire success, as it was managed throughout with wisdom, prudence, and skill. I venture to say that however high General Palmer may have stood in the estimation of his corps, he has risen still higher since the commencement of this ex-bellion in the inland waters had been crushed. pedition. General Whipple seemed everywhere present, and I am assured by those who ought best to know, that his advice throughout the whole affair was most timely and valuable. Generals Johnson and Davis discharged the duties imposed upon them with a cheerfulness and self-sacrificing alacrity which did much to keep up the efficiency and morale of their men. General Crufts and Baird both sustained their reputation as soldiers, and the latter especially seemed to understand how to impart vigor and spirit to his troops. It remains for all these generals to be tested upon a severe field, but here, at least, they did Our losses will not exceed two hundred killed, wounded, and missing. The enemy's will not fall below five hundred. Y. S. well. Its forts had been demolished at Henry, Donelson, Columbus, Island 10, Vicksburgh, Hudson, and New-Orleans, by the gallant Foote and Farragut, united with the army. Its fleet had been sunk by Ellet, Farragut, and Davis. All that remained to be extinguished was one insignificant fort at Gordon's Landing, and one ram and one gunboat on Red River. To meet this force, we had collected twenty powerful war-vessels of all classes, from the light draught to the heaviest monitor. Among them were the monitors Ozark, Osage, Neosho; the iron-clads Benton, Carondelet, Pittsburgh, Mound City, Louisville, Essex, and Chillicothe; the rams Price, Choctaw, La Fayette, besides the lighter boats, Blackhawk, Ouachita, Champion, and Taylor. Contemplating this vast array of armed vessels to meet so weak a foe, those who are familiar with the history, cannot but contrast with it the different equipments with which the lamented Colonel Ellet was despatched on the same errand more than a year ago, with the Queen of the West only. The twenty transports, preceded by the twenty gunboats, started from the Mississippi on the tenth, and ascended the Red River as far as what is called the Old River, when we turned into the Atchafalaya instead of continuing up Red River. Many were the speculations upon our course as they saw us descending the stream instead of ascending. To a person unacquainted with the peculiarities of this region, it seems indeed strange that the water should run up and down consecutively. The whole of West-Louisiana is overspread with a network of bayous, which are interlaced with each other in a very |