STEVENSON, ALA., October 11, 1863.
(Received 2.20 a.m., 12th.)
Hon. E. M. STANTON,
Secretary of War:
If you projected the late movement of the Eleventh and
Twelfth Corps you may justly claim the merit of having saved Chattanooga to us.
As soon as the rebels found that it was not prudent to attack that position
they determined to throw a heavy force upon the communications, and destroy them
and the depots, and thus starve out the army. They hoped to do this before my
force came up, and undoubtedly would have succeeded but for a prompt movement
on our part. As it was the rebel raiders made sad havoc on our wagon trains,
and when they struck the railroad point after point was abandoned, oftentimes
without the discharge of a shot in their defense. They cut off the Second
Division of the Twelfth Corps, and the balance were under such headway they
could not be stopped until brought up by the Tennessee River at Bridgeport.
They were soon in their right places, but most of them without artillery,
baggage, transportation, or horses for field officers — very much as I found
myself when I embarked in Pope's campaign. The enemy captured some small parties,
destroyed bridges at Duck and Stone's Rivers, and interrupted all communication
for four days, but it is now restored. Our cavalry is in full pursuit of the
raiders, and we have gained decided advantage over them. Last accounts they
were making for Columbia.
JOSEPH HOOKER,
Major-General.
SOURCES: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume
30, Part 3 (Serial No. 52), p. 291
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