moment, and the latter advised him not to take the responsibility of disobeying a written order, especially as he could not know what was passing on the part of the field where he was ordered to go.

I judge from intimations that have reached me that in writing his own report General Rosecrans will elaborately show that the blame of his failure in this great battle rests on the Administration; that is, on the Secretary of War and General-in-Chief, who did not foresee Bragg would be re-enforced, and who compelled him to move forward without cavalry enough, and very inadequately prepared in many other respects.

[C. A. DANA.]

[Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.]

CHATTANOOGA, October 8-8 a.m.

We have heard nothing of Burnside since the 4th, nor anything positive from his troops. But some things have occurred in the rebel lines which give ground for the surmise that he is executing the third of the plans he proposed ten days since. That plan was to throw out a flanking force toward the enemy's army before Chattanooga, and with his main body to move rapidly, without baggage, against Dalton, Rome, and Atlanta, destroying railroad and bridges as he went along, and after burning depots and shops in the three places above mentioned, strike for the Atlantic coast.

Now, on the 5th instant, cannonade was heard in the direction of Ringgold, and on the 6th, forenoon, the sounds of a battle were distinguished east of Missionary Ridge, in that direction.

More that this, the combat was actually witnessed on that day by one of the signal stations from Walden's Ridge, by two civilians, and Colonel Daniel McCook, from his post at the mouth of Chickamauga. It lasted for some hours, and from the descriptions of the witnesses, none of whom, however, saw it near enough to distinguish who the combatants actually were, it was the attempt of a weak party to resist the advance of a strong one. In addition to this evidence, on the night of the 6th the whole rebel camps were in motion as if they were about to retreat, and their guns on Lookout Mountain were all brought down. Now, this was either a conflict with Burnside's flanking column or a mutiny, more probably the former. An intelligent deserter who came in last night, and who arrived in Chattanooga Valley on the 5th, knows nothing of any such engagement. This deserter, a paroled man from Vicksburg, reports that all the troops captured there are being brought back into service.

[C. A. DANA.]

[Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.]

CHATTANOOGA, October 8-10 a.m.

All our reports show that Wheeler broke up railroad, destroyed bridges between Wartrace and Murfreesborough. At [Murfreesborough] sacked the town but did nothing to fortifications. Wheeler sent detachment, about 2,000, to Wartrace, where Colonel Lowe overtook them, afternoon of 6th, just as they were about to fire the