Major-General THOMAS, Bolivar, Ala.: STEVENSON, August 29, 1863. The general commanding wishes to hear the latest news from General Reynolds. Please ask him to signal it up at once. R. S. THOMS, JASPER, August 29, 1863. Colonel FLYNT: Colonel King crossed the river last night and captured 6 prisoners, 12 animals, and a notorious conscriptor and member of the rebel Legislature named Matt. Carroll. Report by courier. REYNOLDS, General. HEADQUARTERS FOURTH DIVISION, FOURTEENTH CORPS, Lieutenant-Colonel FLYNT, Jasper, August 29, 1863-10 a. m. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Headquarters Fourteenth Army Corps: COLONEL: The following is a synopsis of information just received from Colonel Wilder, commanding First Brigade, dated at camp foot of mountain, Anderson road, August 28, 1863: Shelled the works of the enemy both at Chattanooga and at Harrison's Landing yesterday (27th). Colonel Funkhouser, who conducted the attack at Harrison's, reports, viz: I this morning sent four companies to the mouth of Chickamauga and moved to Harrison's with the balance of the command (two regiments) and opened fire on their works at 9 a. m. But few of the enemy were to be seen. There are no guns in position, and I am satisfied there are none at that place. I ran the sharpshooters from their works; also sent one shot through the ferry-boat, disabling it entirely. On opening fire this morning a cloud of dust could be seen moving up the river, and passed on up as far as we could see; supposed to be caused by Colonel Allison's squadron, as the movement was too rapid for infantry. At a point below the ferry we could see them loading wagons in the town of Harrison and then move off in the direction of the railroad. Not more than 25 men were to be seen in and about the works. At 1 p. m. I moved up to Dallas and fired a few shots at a small squad on picket, and at 3 p. m. started for camp.' At Chattanooga shelled the town and all the works in reach; received but two shots in reply; these were from a 4-inch rifled gun. Everything indicates a settled purpose to retreat, and a disposition to take everything that can be moved of any value. Drove the teams and railroad trains all out of town with a few shells. The pontoons are still along the south shore, under the batteries and rifle-works, strongly guarded day and night. At every point along the river a strong picket force is kept up. A deserter just in reports the trestle bridge over Running Water on the railroad burned (heretofore reported), all the roads obstructed. Lookout Mountain their line of defense, and no force but scouts and pickets west of the mountain. Very respectfully, yours, obediently, J. J. REYNOLDS, Major-General. HEADQUARTERS FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS, General REYNOLDS: Please send Thomas Wood, a resident of Jasper, to these headquarters immediately. GEO. H. THOMAS, Major-General, Commanding. HDQRS. FOURTH DIV., FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Colonel FLYNT: August 29, 1863-8 p. m. Thomas Wood has been very sick; will send him in the morning. J. J. REYNOLDS, Major-General, Commanding. C. GODDARD, HEADQUARTERS FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS, Asst. Adjt. Gen., Department Headquarters: The transfer of Lieutenant Guenther from this department leaves the Fifth U. S. Artillery (First Division) deficient in officers. I learn incidentally that Capt. G. A. Kensel, of this battery, is acting chief of ordnance on Major-General McCook's staff, Twentieth Army Corps. I respectfully ask that Captain Kensel be ordered to join his battery at once. Captain Lodor was temporarily detached, and is now permanently assigned to duty in the Twenty-first Army Corps. I suggest that, so far as practicable, each corps supply its own details of both officers and men. Very respectfully, GEO. H. THOMAS. Major-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Major-General McCook: The general commanding directs you, immediately on receipt of this order, to make preparations for crossing the Tennessee River. Throw your brigade, now at Caperton's Ferry, across the river on pontoon-boats, at early dawn, and direct it to occupy the crest of the mountain, and take up a good defensive position, and, if necessary, throw up light intrenchments. Construct the bridge as soon as possible after the brigade is across. Send another brigade to take up a position at this end of the bridge. General Crook will throw over a portion of his brigade at daybreak, between Island Creek and Cox's Ferry. General Reynolds crosses a small force at Shellmound; General Brannan another at Jasper. Two regiments of cavalry will cross at Bridgeport. It is not probable you will meet with much resistance. Report progress frequently. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, HEADQUARTERS TWENTIETH ARMY CORPS, Brig. Gen. J. A. GARFIELD, Chief of Staff: GENERAL: Colonel Heg's brigade is on the other side of the Tennessee River. Not a shot has been fired. I am having the bridge laid now. A. McD. McCOOK, Major-General. CAPERTON'S FERRY, Brig. Gen. J. A. GARFIELD, Chief of Staff: August 29, 1863-7.15 a. m. GENERAL: I am much in need of my signal corps, which Captain Merrill has employed elsewhere. If he can relieve my signal offcers from the main stations with officers from some other quarter, i can make them very useful. Please call the attention of the general commanding to this subject. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. McD. McCOOK, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Major-General McCook, Commanding Twentieth Army Corps: Your two dispatches of 6.35 and 7.15 a. m. are received. The general commanding is gratified at the promptness and success of your movement in crossing the river. It is not possible to relieve your signal officers at this time, but Captain Merrill, chief of the signal corps will furnish you two officers at once, for temporary service, in establishing signal communication across the river. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. A. GARFIELD, Brigadier-General, Chief of Staff. August 29, 1863. Col. P. SIDNEY POST, Commanding First Brigade: COLONEL: The general commanding the division directs that you move your command, including the battery, at 7 o'clock to-morrow morning to the pontoon-bridge at Caperton's Ferry, remaining on this side of the river until further orders. Your troops, battery, and brigade train will move at 7 o'clock to-morrow morning via Stevenson. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, T. W. MORRISON, Captain and Assistant Adjutant-General. BRIDGEPORT, August 29, 1863-2 p. m. I want the lumber for flooring for bridge to-morrow at Bridgeport. Do not let me be disappointed. P. H. SHERIDAN, General GARFIELD, Chief of Staff: JASPER, August 29, 1863-4 p. m. I crossed Michigan cavalry to-day. They have scouted several miles to the front. Report evacuation of Chattanooga. P. H. SHERIDAN, [General J. A. GARFIELD, Chief of Staff:] DUNLAP, August 29, 1863-1 p. m. Van Cleve's courier, who has returned, reports Brig. Gen. Julius White at Jamestown on the 26th, with a large Federal force there. Burnside was not there, but the communication addressed to him by Van Cleve would be forwarded to him, and probably reach him on the 27th. Nothing new from other points. T. L. CRITTENDEN, Major-General, Comdg. Twenty-first Army Corps. HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE, [Capt. M. P. BESTOW, Assistant Adjutant-General:] August 29, 1863. CAPTAIN: To-day I had the city and works at Chattanooga shelled. They only replied with one gun; and only three or four shots with that, and there are very few soldiers in the city. A deserter came to us to-day who left his command last evening. He belongs to the Thirty-seventh Tennessee, Bate's brigade, Stewart's division, and has been encamped on the river about 8 miles above the city. This brigade got aboard the cars at Tyner's Station last evening. Report said they were going to Kingston; at all events, they went to Cleveland. From there they could go either in the direction of Knoxville or toward Atlanta. He made his escape about the time the train started. He says their forces are moving up the river. The citizens living on this bank of the river above the city say that several bodies of troops passed up the river yesterday on foot, and a battery was seen going in the same direction on the cars. This evening no camp-fires can be seen between the city and Harrison's, except a very small camp at Friar's Island, and about the usual camp at Tyner's Station. Much less than yesterday. There is still a large camp in rear of city, but does not seem as large as heretofore. Camp still on the Bridgeport road. They have moved about so much since I have first seen their camp that I do not attach as much importance to their moving as I should have done a week since, but I still think they are sending some troops up the river, probably against Burnside. Of the shell I used to-day but few burst, and most of those were premature explosions. This should be looked to. If the ammunition is as worthless as this, more should be had immediately. [G. D. WAGNER, Brigadier-General.] HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, Poe's Tavern, August 29, 1863-3 p. m. Capt. J. R. MUHLEMAN, I inclose you the statement of 2 deserters just taken. I give pretty full credence to it. There is nothing new here. The enemy appear to have pickets with reserves all along the river. I watch them closely. I have on hand rations as follows: The Forty-first Ohio Volunteers, seven full days; the Sixth and One hundred and twenty-fourth Ohio, six full days; the Sixth Kentucky and Ninth Indiana Volunteers and battery, five full days. All of the bread rations is hard bread. I am getting a good quality of flour. Very respectfully, W. B. HAZEN, [Inclosure.] POE'S TAVERN, August 29, 1863-2 p. m. Private S. J. Mitchell, a deserter from Company D, Newman's battalion, Brown's brigade, says he was sent from Wartrace to the hospital at Tunnel Hill, Ga., some time in the month of June last, and had been there until Wednesday, of this week, when he deserted, and swam the Tennessee River this morning. Says that Tunnel Hill is on the Chattanooga and Atlanta railroad. That from the time our troops fired the first gun in front of Chattanooga to the day he left the hospital (three days since), the railroad has been very active in carrying to the rear all kinds of army property, including machinery, disabled engines, and, in fact, everything an army possesses. That from six to ten trains so loaded passed daily. That the quantity of property thus transported has been very great, and, as he believes, includes all of the property of Bragg's army, except that carried upon the soldiers and wagons. That the citizens have also removed immense quantities of property in the same direction. That Bragg has been trying all this time to get re-enforcements from Johnston, but can get none. That no one over the river expects the army to fight this side of Atlanta. He also says Charleston has fallen, and that Burnside has Knoxville. That a brigade of Mississippi troops were sent to Atlanta, as a guard, after the evacuation of Tullahoma. That this brigade was brought to the front when we appeared in front of Chattanooga, and that no other troops have passed over the railroad at that point recently. |