It may easily be seen that it was impossible that the obedience promptly given by Burnside to Halleck’s order, could avail in helping Rosecrans, as intended. The United States troops, which were in the upper country of East Tennessee, according to instructions before given to Burnside, were from 150 to 200 miles distant from Chicamauga, where Rosecrans was to do battle, and they could not travel so far in the very short time before that battle began, even if they were moved towards the spot as rapidly as possible. Afterwards, when Rosecrans had established himself in Chattanooga, many dispatches passed between Halleck and Burnside, in reference to the latter’s going to strengthen and assist Rosecrans, and some misunderstandings occurred in regard to the purport of those dispatches. Gen. Burnside, in his report to the War Department, gives the underlying reason. He says: “I was averse to doing what would in any way weaken our hold in East Tennessee, and he (Halleck) was anxious lest Rosecrans should not be able to hold Chattanooga. He (Rosecrans) was not disturbed at Chattanooga, and we held our ground in East Tennessee, so that what occurred in no way affected the result.” By the 30th of September, the whole of the Ninth army corps arrived, numbering about 6,000 men. Previous to that date, Gen. White’s division had been sent to Loudon, Col. Woolford’s cavalry had reinforced Col. Byrd, and they were instructed to connect with Rosecrans’ cavalry; Gen. Carter held Bull’s Gap, which was then the most advanced position of the United States troops up the valley, and Col. Haskell was in support at Morristown. Many of the men were suffering from want of clothing, for there was great difficulty in getting sufficient supplies across the mountains, and the temperature of the air was frosty. On October 5th, Gen. Wilcox arrived at Cumberland Gap with four new regiments of Indiana troops. He was ordered to Morristown, and thence to Bull’s Gap, and to him Col. Haskin’s brigade was directed to report from Morristown. Gen. Burnside had determined to push his advance farther up the valley, and with this purpose he sent the Ninth corps, under Brig. Gen., R. B. Potter, in that direction, together with all the cavalry under Gen. Shackelford, except Byrd’s and Woolford’s brigades. A junction of all these forces was made at Bull’s Gap, where Gen. Burnside arrived in person on the 9th, and on the following morning an advance movement was ordered. At Blue Springs, between Bull’s Gap and Greeneville, the enemy was found in heavy force and in a strong position between the wagon road and the railway to Greeneville. The United States cavalry occupied him in skirmishing until late in the afternoon. Col. Foster was sent, with instructions to establish his brigade in the rear of the enemy, on the line over which the latter would be obliged to cross in retreating, and at a point near Rheatown. An attack from the front was delayed until sufficient time