NEWS FROM THE SOUTH: Longstreet’s Operations in East Tennessee; Loss of a Valuable Blockade-Runner (2/2/1864)

New York Times - Times Machine ^ | 2/2/1864

[Homer_J_Simpson]

From the Richmond Examiner, Jan. 27.

Whatever may have been the misfortune and folly of detaching Gen. LONGSTREET from the main army of Tennessee, on the eve of an important engagement, yet no one acquainted with the facts can doubt that his operations in Upper East Tennessee, considered in themselves, have been highly successful and vastly beneficial to the cause. The failure before Knoxville was due to no fault of Gen. LONGSTREET; but partly to a train of circumstances over which he had no control, and partly to the vacillating orders of the ill-starred BRAGG. The capture of Knoxville could have brought no permanent advantage. Since the fall of Chattanooga and Cumberland Gap, it is untenable by Confederate arms, except at a great cost of troops, against any considerable body of the enemy; for it is liable to attack in front from Chattanooga, in flank from Kingston, and in rear from Cumberland Gap. It Gen. LONGSTREET had taken the town; to have held it be would have had to post an army looking in each of these three directions, each one sufficient to with-stand assault in any force the enemy might bring from that quarter. The present position of Gen. LONGSTREET's army is infinitely more tenable and more judicious; occupying, as it does, an arc of a circle bending around from Russellville to Mooresburgh, Tennessee, into Lee County, Virginia; covering all the best portion of East Tennessee and Southwestern Virginia.

We have received full files of Richmond papers from Jan. 16 to 29, inclusive, from which we make the following extracts:

The command of Gen. LONGSTREET was greatly strengthened on entering the country above Knoxville by the admirable division of Maj. Gen. RANSOM, which includes the fine cavalry brigade of Gen-WILLIAM E. JONES, formerly part of the FLOYD brigade;

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1861-1865: Seminar and Discussion Forum
The American Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts

First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: May 2025.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.

Posting history, in reverse order

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Link to previous New York Times thread

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

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News from the South: Longstreet’s Operations in East Tennessee – 2-3
Gen. Kelly’s Department: Skirmishing with Col. Thorburn’s Command – 4
From the Southwest – 4
News from Washington: Dispatches to the N.Y. Times – 4
Editorial: The New Draft a Wise Measure – 4-5
Amending the Constitution – 5
New Phase of the Dano-German Dispute – 5