nth and Twenty-third Corps were reduced in effective strength
to mere skeletons, the former reporting present for duty equipped
only 2800 men, and the latter 3000 men; and these had for a long
time been living on half rations or less, and were generally far
less than half clad, many of them being entirely without shoes.
The remainder of these troops were disabled by wounds, sickness,
lack of food or clothing, or were employed in the care of the sick
or on extra duty.

Many thousands of dead horses and mules were scattered round the
town, while the few remaining alive were reduced to skeletons. Of
about 30,000 animals with which General Burnside had gone into East
Tennessee, scarcely 1000 remained fit for service; while his army
of over 25,000 men had been reduced to not more than 7000 fit for
duty and effective for service in the field. Such was the result
of the siege of Knoxville, and such the Army of the Ohio when I
became its commander.

But the splendid victory gained a short time before at Chattanooga
had raised the blockade upon our line of supply, and the railroad
to Chattanooga and Nashville was soon opened, so that our starving
and naked troops could begin to get supplies of food and clothing.
The movement of the first train of cars was reported by telegraph
from every station, and was eagerly awaited by the entire army.
When the locomotive whistle announced its approach, everybody turned
out to welcome it with shouts of joy. It proved to consist of ten
car-loads of horse and mule shoes for the dead animals which strewed
the plains! Fortunately the disgust produced by this disappointment
was not of long duration. The next train, which followed very
soon, contained coffee, sugar, and other articles to gladden the
hearts of hungry soldiers.

The Confederate army under Longstreet still remained in East
Tennessee. A movement had recently been made by our troops, under
the immediate command of General John G. Parke (General Foster
being too lame to take the field in person), to drive Longstreet
out. But the movement had failed, the troops returning to Knoxville
with the loss of considerable material. In consequence of this,
much anxiety was felt in Washington regarding the situation in East
Tennessee. It was even apprehended that Knoxville might be in
danger; and an advance of Longstreet's force to Strawberry Plains,
where he laid a bridge over the Holston and crossed a part of his
troops, seemed to g