Geo. H. Thomas to George H. Thomas, November 16, 1861

November 16, 1861.

: Camp Calvert, November 16, 1861. (Received November 17.)

^. Brig. Gen. GEORGE H. THOMAS, U. S. A., Commanding, &c., Crab Orchard, Ky.:

GENERAL: My brother William has just arrived from Kast Tennessee, and the news he brings I think of so much importance, that I will dispatch a special messenger to convey it to you. My brother left Roane County, near Kingston, on Monday night last. He reports that on Friday night, 8th instant, of last week, he succeeded in having burned at least six, and perhaps eight, bridges on the railroad, viz: Union Bridge, in Sullivan County, near the Virginia line; Lick Creek Bridge, in Greene County ; Strawberry Plains, in Jefferson County, 15 miles east of Knoxville, partially destroyed; Hiawassee Bridge, 70 The consternation among the secessionists of East Tennessee is very great. The Union men are waiting with longing and anxiety for the appearance of Federal forces on the Cumberland Mountains, and are

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360 , OPERATIONS IN KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE. (Cuar. XIL —

all ready to rise up, in defense of the Federal Government. My brother states that he has it from reliable sources that the rebels have but 15,000 men at Bowling Green, many of them badly armed and poorly organized. The other 15,000 men are distributed at two other pointsin Southwestern Kentucky. : :

The above information was obtained from Union members of Tennessee legislature who were at Bowling Gréen on last Monday was a a week ago.

On last Monday, as nearly as could be ascertained, Zollicoffer had in East Tennessee 8,000 men, about 1,000 of whom were unarmed, and about 1,500 on sick list, most of them badly clothed, and many poorly 3 armed. About 6,000 of the above were at different points on Cumberland Mountains ; at Jacksborough there were some troops, but the exact number could not be accurately ascertained. There were 1,400 at Knoxville, but only 600 of them able to bear arms. There were 60 at Loudon, 60 at Carter’s Depot, and 300 at Jamestown. iE

The only troops that have passed through East Tennessee in last E Six weeks was an Alabama regiment, 800 strong, which went to Vir- DU ginia; they were without arms. – E

I send you a Nashville paper, brought by my brother, containing “e some accountof the attack on Port Royal. :

I to-day moved Colonel Garrard’s regiment to the ground which was . = occupied by the Thirty-third Indiana, and the First and Second Regi- – à ments East Tennessee to the heights where the artillery and Thirty- ; eighth Ohio were encamped.- I have heard nothing definite since yesterday from Cumberland Gap, but I have reason to believe that the reported loss of the Union men at Cumberland Ford was not correct.

If possible, general, send me some artillery, for if I am attacked with. a artillery I cannot resist with any hope of success. Some cavalry are… also necessary to our security.

General, if it be possible, do urge the commanding general to give us = some additional force and let us advance into East Tennessee ; now is the time. And such a people as are those who live in Bast Tennessee deserve and should be relieved and protected. You know the importance of this move, and will, I hope, use all your influence to effect it. Our men will go forward with a shout to relieve their native land. te

The brigade commissary has not yet handed in his report of the : amount of provisions on hand; but I think we have already nearly, if not quite, a month’s supply on hand.

With much respeet, I am, dear general, yours, very truly, ; i S. P. CARTER, E Acting Brigadier-General, Comdg. East Tennessee Brigade. .

HEADQUARTERS First KENTUCKY BRIGADE, Crab Orchard, November 17, 1861. Brig. Gen. D. €. BUELL, E Commanding Department of the Cumberland, Louisville, Ky.: 73 GENERAL: Capt. T. S. Everett, assistant adjutant-general, arrived i to-day at 5 p. m. He informs me that your verbal orders are to move my command in the direction of Columbia. Some of the wagons belonging to the regiments just arrived have not yet reached this place, the roads between this and London being in such wretched condition. The regiments will not be ready to move before Tuesday. If the road from here to London remains in the same condition as now, it wil not –

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CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.—UNION. – __ 361 be possible to subsist the troops there. through the winter, and I would

respectfully recommend that they be withdrawn. They now have on hand nearly one month’s supply of provisions and 40 rounds of ammunition. The troopsin London are the First and Second East Tennessee Regiments and the Third Kentucky Volunteers, under command of Lieut. S. P. Carter, U. S. N., acting brigadier-general. Please telegraph me as soon as possible whether this depot will be abandoned or not. To supply the troops in London by this road, it will be necessary to have a depot here; but I have but one commissary and shall need his

‘services with my command.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Volunteers, Commanding.