Unknown, August 8, 1863

General Bragg reached Chattanooga on his retreat from Tullahoma with about 28,000 or 30,000 men. The army has been distributed. A portion of cavalry at Gadsden, Ala., the amount or commander not known; about 1,000 cavalry at Rome, Ga. ; one brigade sent to Atlanta, and small bodies of infantry at Marietta, Calhoun, and Dalton, on the Western and Atlantic Hereoad!: from 3,000 to 4,000 infantry at Loudon ; a small force at Knoxville and Concord ; about 4,000 cavalry at Kingston, under Forrest. The remainder of the army is at Chattanooga and vicinity. A body of cavalry, say about 1,000, camped 5 miles south of town, and one division, consisting of about 3,000, camped from 1 to 4 miles south of town ; but the larger portion is camped at Tynersville, 9 miles from Chattanooga, on the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad ; two regiments on the river, 6 miles above Chattanooga, fortified on the south bank : two regiments at Harrison’s, with fortifications above and below town, at Johnson’s and Nelson’s Ferries, and two regiments at Lyon’s Ferry; and also two regiments at Blythe’s Ferry, or Georgetown, 11 miles east of the ferry ; or perhaps these last two regiments are at both places. The fortifications at Chattanooga are good, occupying the eminence on the river, there being three of them. The fourth, which is much the highest and farthest down the river, is not occupied, but probably will be. There are also rifle-pits and works for artillery in the flat below the upper and lower hills, commanding the river and ferry.

The army may be said to be demoralized, being but little, if any, better than a mob. The common soldiers feel and say that they are not able. to contend with Rosecrans’ army, and the prevailing opinion with officers and men is that Bragg will retreat as soon as an advance is made, and they expect a movement in the direction of Rome, Ga., which they all fear. Neither officers nor men have any confidence in Bragg’s ability, and many doubt his courage.

The wheat and oat A are unusually good, but are being fast consumed by the army. The corn crop is good, but will be short, from the fact that a less quantity has been planted than usual, and not well tilled. The hay crop was only moderate, and for miles around Chattanooga has been consumed, or nearly so. The crop in East ‘Tennessee will be short.

I left Chattanooga on the 29th of July. Generals Bragg, Polk, and D. H. Hill were there. Hardee had been sent to Mississippi—no force went with him—and Hill took his place in Bragg’s army. Twentythree persons came over the mountains with me, six of us being over forty-five years of age. The army is not increasing rapidly ; the desertions amount to more or as much as the new recruits. The expectation is to raise from 70,000 to 100,000 men, under the late call for conscripts, from forty to forty-five years of age. The troops for special service or home defense may be regarded as a failure in

ast Tennessee, but it is said _a large force has been organized in Georgia. It is not probable that Bragg’s army will be materially strengthened, unless a large portion of the new recruits are given him, which is not probable, because the army under General Joseph E. K. Johnston is being very much weakened by desertions. There is a strong probability that Johnston’s army will be sent to East Tennessee with the intention of making a move into Kentucky. This is the opinion held by many of the officers and citizens. It is very much desired, and an effort to satisfy the public that Kentucky and the States north of the Ohio are to be invaded. Bragp’s army has only one-third rations issued to it. Supplies are scarce and growing more so. Atlanta is the magazine for supplies. The feeling of the pools of the northern counties of Georgia, bordering on Tennessee,

as undergone some change, and is softening down. There is a strong Union sentiment in those counties, but it is suppressed and kept down. It will manifest itself the first favorable opportunity. The feelings of the mass of the secessionists in East Tennessee are abating, and would entirely disappear’in the presence of a Union army.