no opportunity occurred yet for me to ascertain the truth of this report. General Thomas has ordered General Palmer's corps back to Chattanooga. I have taken the liberty of detaining General Palmer until I can send a copy of your order to General Thomas. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOSEPH HOOKER, Major-General, Commanding. Maj. Gen. GORDON GRANGER, Commanding Fourth Corps: CHATTANOOGA, It is now ascertained that up to the 26th instant Longstreet had not abandoned the siege of Knoxville. Now that Bragg's army has been driven from Chattanooga, there is no reason to suppose he will abandon the siege until forced to do so by re-enforcements sent to Burnside's aid, when he will probably take up his march eastward to rejoin Lee about Richmond, or halt where he comes to railroad communication with Richmond, but where he can still threaten East Tennessee. On the 23d instant, General Burnside telegraphed that his rations would hold out ten or twelve days; at the end of this time, unless relieved from the outside, he must surrender or retreat. The latter will be an impossibility. You are now going for the purpose of relieving this garrison. You see the short time in which relief must be afforded or be too late, and hence the necessity for forced marches. I want to urge upon you in the strongest possible manner the necessity of reaching Burnside in the shortest time. Our victory here has been complete, and if Longstreet can be driven from East Tennessee, the damage to the Confederacy will be the most crushing they have experienced during the war. This important task is now intrusted to you, and it is expected that you will do your part well. Use as sparingly as possible of the rations you take with you. Replenish all you can from what you find on the road, giving receipts in order that settlements may be made with loyal persons hereafter. Deeming what is here said [sufficient] to show you the importance of great promptitude in the present movement, I subscribe myself, U. S. GRANT, Major-General. Maj. Gen. WILLIAM T. SHERMAN : CHATTANOOGA, November 29, 1863. News is received from Knoxville to the morning of the 27th. At that time the place was invested, but the attack on it was not vigorous, Longstreet evidently having determined to starve the garrison out. Granger is on the way to Burnside's relief, but I have lost all faith in his energy and capacity to manage an expedition of the importance of this one. I am inclined to think, therefore, that I shall have to send you. 4 R R VOL-XXXI. PT II Push as rapidly as you can to the Hiwassee and determine for yourself what force to take with you from that point. Granger has his corps with him, from which you will select in conjunction with the forces now with you. In plain words, you will assume command of all the forces now moving up the Tennessee, including the garrison at Kingston, and from that force organize what you deem proper to relieve Burnside. The balance send back to Chattanooga. Granger has a boat loaded with provisions, which you can issue and return the boat. I will have another loaded to follow you. Use, of course, as sparingly as possible from the rations taken with you, and subsist off the country all you can. It is expected that Foster is moving by this time from Cumberland Gap on Knoxville. I do not know what force he has with him, but presume it will range from 3,500 to 5,000. I leave this matter to you, knowing that you will do better acting upon your discretion than you could trammeled with instructions. I will only add that the last advices from Burnside himself indicated his ability to hold out rations only to about the 3d December. U. S. GRANT, CHATTANOOGA, November 29, 1863-7 a. m. Maj. Gen. JOSEPH HOOKER, Commanding, &c., near Ringgold, Ga.: I am directed by the major-general commanding to acknowledge the receipt of your note of November 28, 5 p. m., and to say that your detention of Palmer's corps is approved, and in view of the bare probability that the enemy may have assumed a menacing attitude in your front, you are authorized to detain Palmer as long as you may think necessary. In anticipation of your return here in a few days, and the prob- . able continuance of bad roads, the general thinks you had better send back your extra artillery and wagons at once. J. H. WILSON, HEADQUARTERS ELEVENTH AND TWELFTH CORPS, Major-General GRANT: Your dispatch of 7 a. m. received. I notified General Thomas of my detention of Palmer's corps last evening by the same courier that carried the dispatch to you. At the same time General Palmer notified General Thomas, asking for orders in view of his having been ordered to Chattanooga by General Thomas. General Thomas' reply, dated at midnight, to General Palmer, ordered him to return at once. Upon General Palmer showing me this order I of course directed his compliance with it. He has been gone some three hours with his command. The enemy are unquestionably prepared to make a defense at Tunnel Hill, but the only force that has shown itself in front of my advance pickets has been a body of about 50 cavalry. I do not think it is their intention to make an advance movement. I will know more concerning their position and movements as soon as my detachment of cavalry left in direction of Trenton comes up. I expect them every moment. All the wagons, except those required to take back two steam-engines, have been returned. We have only two batteries here. I inclose copy* of a letter captured here, written by one of General Hardee's staff. Very respectfully, JOSEPH HOOKER, Major-General, Commanding. GENERAL ORDERS, No. 7. HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF THE MISS., The general commanding takes great pleasure in publishing to the brave armies under his command the following telegraphic dispatch just received from the President of the United States: Major-General GRANT: WASHINGTON, December 8, 1863. Understanding that your lodgment at Chattanooga and Knoxville is now secure, I wish to tender you and all under your command my more than thanks, my profoundest gratitude for the skill, courage, and perseverance with which you and they, over so great difficulties, have effected that important object. God bless you all. By order of Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant: A. LINCOLN. T. S. BOWERS, Assistant Adjutant-General. GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. MIL. DIV. OF THE MISS., No. 9. The general commanding takes this opportunity of returning his sincere thanks and congratulations to the brave armies of the Cumberland, the Ohio, the Tennessee, and their comrades from the Potomac, for the recent splendid and decisive successes achieved over the enemy. In a short time you have recovered from him the control of the Tennessee River, from Bridgeport to Knoxville; you dislodged him from his great stronghold upon Lookout Mountain; drove him from Chattanooga Valley; wrested from his determined grasp the possession of Missionary Ridge; repelled, with heavy loss to him, his repeated assaults upon Knoxville, forcing him to raise the siege there; driving him at all points, utterly routed and discomfited, beyond the limits of the State. By your noble heroism and determined courage you have most effectually defeated the plans of the enemy for regaining possession of the States of Kentucky and Tennessee. You have secured positions from which no rebellious power can drive or dislodge you. For all this the general commanding thanks you collectively and individually. The loyal people of the United States thank and bless you. Their hopes and *Not found. prayers for your success against this unholy rebellion are with you daily. Their faith in you will not be in vain. Their hopes will not be blasted. Their prayers to Almighty God will be answered. You will yet go to other fields of strife, and, with the invincible bravery and unflinching loyalty to justice and right which have characterized you in the past, you will prove that no enemy can withstand you, and that no defenses, however formidable, can check your onward march. By order of Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant: T. S. BOWERS, Assistant Adjutant-General. GENERAL ORDERS, WAR DEPT., ADJT. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, December 21, 1863. No. 398. The following joint resolution by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States is published to the Army: JOINT RESOLUTION of thanks to Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and the officers and soldiers who have fought under his command during this rebellion; and providing that the President of the United States shall cause a medal to be struck, to be presented to Major-General Grant in the name of the people of the United States of America. Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the thanks of Congress be, and they hereby are, presented to Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, and through him to the officers and soldiers who have fought under his command during this rebellion, for their gallantry and good conduct in the battles in which they have been engaged; and that the President of the United States be requested to cause a gold medal to be struck, with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be presented to Major-General Grant. SEC. 2. And be it further resolved, That, when the said medal shall have been struck, the President shall cause a copy of this joint resolution to be engrossed on parchment, and shall transmit the same, together with the said medal, to MajorGeneral Grant, to be presented to him in the name of the people of the United States of America. SEC. 3. And be it further resolved, That a sufficient sum of money to carry this resolution into effect is hereby appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated. SCHUYLER COLFAX, Speaker of the House of Representatives. H. HAMLIN, Vice-President of the United States, and President of the Senate. Approved December 17, 1863. By order of the Secretary of War: A. LINCOLN. No. 5. E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General. Dispatches of Mr. Charles A. Dana, Assistant Secretary of War, October 30-December 12.* CHATTANOOGA, October 30, 1863-5 p. m. Nothing important since morning. Rain all day. Hooker has been ordered to change his weak position for a very strong line running diagonally across Lookout Valley, his right covering the Kel *For Mr. Dana's reports, October 21-30, see Part I, p. 68, and for his reports, November 13-December 12, relating to operations in East Tennessee, see Part I, p. 258. ley's Ferry Road and resting on Raccoon Mountain, while his left rests on one of the series of mamelons which form our bridge-head and extend up the valley. Palmer's troops sent hence on Saturday night to co-operate with Hooker at Rankin's Ferry have not got up yet, it having been found impossible to get the pontoon bridge from Bridgeport Junction up the river from Shellmound. Palmer is also greatly to blame for encumbering himself with wagons contrary to orders, and for leaving his artillery to get up Walden's Ridge without the assistance he had been ordered to furnish by providing ropes and men to drag the pieces up the ascent. [C. A. DANA.] CHATTANOOGA, October 31, 1863-9 p. m. Enemy has continued his useless shelling from Lookout Mountain to-day. No other demonstrations. Steam-boat Chattanooga has landed two cargoes from Bridgeport at Kelley's Ferry to-day. The Paint Rock has been repaired, and leaves Bridgeport to-night at 12 o'clock. Everything here prosperous. We have buried 130 rebels, killed in the night battle of the 28th. Weather fine. Hon. E. M. STANTON, [C. A. DANA.] Secretary of War. CHATTANOOGA, November 1, 1863-12 m. Enemy quiet. Weather splendid. River risen 5 feet. Bridge here broken by drift; eight pontoons crushed and carried off. Bridge at Lookout Valley uninjured. Paint Rock arrived safely at Kelley's Ferry. Four days' rations for whole army landed there since yesterday morning. Another captured steam-boat, the Dunbar, has been lying here ever since Chattanooga was first occupied, waiting for some inconsiderable repairs to her machinery. The quartermaster's department, which has charge of these repairs, has shown culpable negligence or incapacity in making them. The Dunbar is a powerful boat, able to ascend the Suck without warping. She can carry 350 tons freight. It is still uncertain when she will be ready. mound. Hooker's forces occupied their new line yesterday. As soon as the timber in his front is slashed his position will be exceedingly strong. Palmer's division has at last got across the river at ShellOne brigade is stationed at Whiteside's to hold that gap and one at Shellmound occupies the passes which debouch there, and the remainder is to hold Moore's Gap and the bridge-head opposite Bridgeport. Palmer himself is sick from exposure on his recent march and the effects of a wound received here a month since. Grant has assigned him to command Fourteenth Corps, and he has accepted, although three weeks ago he put his resignation in hands of Rosecrans for the reason that he was not then made a corps com |