Union Army report based on a deserter from the 37th Tennessee. O.R. Volume 30 page 221
HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE,
August 29, 1863.
[Captain M. P. BESTOW,
Assistant Adjutant-General:]
CAPTAIN: To-day I had the city and works at Chattanooga shelled.
They only replied with one gun; and only three or four shots with that, and there are very few soldiers in the city.
Adeserter came to us to-day who left his command last evening.
He belongs to the Thirty-seventh Tennessee, Bate's brigade, Stewart's division, and has been encamped on the river about 8 miles above the city. This brigade got aboard the cars at Tyner's Station last evening. Report said they were going to Kingston; at all events, they went to Cleveland. From there they could go either in the direction of Knoxville or toward Atlanta. He made his escape about the time the train started. He says their forces are moving up the river.
The citizens living on this bank of the river above the city say that several bodies of troops passed up the river yesterday on foot, and a battery was seen going in the same direction on the cars. This evening no camp-fires can be seen between the city and Harrison's, except a very small camp at Friar's Island, and about the usual camp at Tyner's Station. Much less than yesterday.
There is still a large camp in rear of city, but does not seem as large as heretofore. Camp still on the Bridgeport road. They have moved about so much since I have first seen their camp that I do not attach as much importance to their moving as I should have done a week since, but I still think they are sending some troops up the river, probably against Burnside.
Of the shell I used to-day but few burst, and most of those were premature explosions. This should be looked to. If the ammunition is as worthless as this, more should be had immediately.
[G. D. WAGNER,
Brigadier-General.]
