Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-12-04
THE LAST BATTLE OF CHATTA-
NOOGA.
Quartermaster General Meiss' Report.

THE LAST BATTLE OF CHATTA-
NOOGA.
Quartermaster General Meigs' Report.
HEADQUARTERS, CHATTANOOGA.
Nov 26, 1868.
Edrars ". Stanton, SecretGru Of Var
Sir-On the 2Sd INST. at half-past
Il, 4. NJ, Gen Grant ordered a demonstration
against Missionary Ridge, % develop the force
holding II he trOops marched out, formed IN
order and advanced in line Of battle as if Oh
parade.
The rebels watched the formation and move
ment from their picket lines and rife pits, and
from the SUBMITS of Missionary Ridge, 800 feet
above Us, and thought it was a review and drill
50 openly and del berately, 50 regularly was it
alldone
The line advanced, preceded by skirmishers.
and at O'Clock, p. NJ. reached our picket lines
and opened rafting v0lley upon the rebe
pickets, who replied and ran into their al
vanced line Of rlhe-pits. After them went our
skirmishers and into them, along the centre Of
the line Of y, 900 troops which Gen. Thomas had
50 quickly displayed, until We opened hre Prs
oners assert that they thought the whole move
meut was "A review and general drill. and that u
vas too late 10 send to theis camps for reinforce
meuts, and that they were overwhelmed hv force
OF numbers. il lr1s q surprise "a open daylight
Al P. VI the important advanced position Of
Orchard Knob ana the lines right and left were
IN our pos -esson, and arrangements were ordered
Tor hDliing them during the night. The next
day AZ daylight Gen Thomas had 5000 mer
across the Tennessee and established on rs south
bank, and commenced the constructive o. a por-
toon bridge about six miies above Chattanooga.
The rebel steamer Dunbar was repaired al th.
40
crossing, carrying over % 900 men.
By nightfall, Gen. Thomas had seirel the ex
treIuity Of Missionary Ridge nearest the river.
and was eutrenchng himself Gen Howa-I.
with a brigade, opened communication with hun
from Chattanooga, on the south side Of the river
Skirmishing and canuunafiu- continued an dly
on the left and centre ten. Hooker scaled the
slopes Of Lookout Mountain. and from the valley
Of Lookout Greek drove the rebels around tB..
point He captured some /. 900 prisoners. AMI
established himself high up the mountain SIDE.
III full view Of Chattanooga TINS raised IN
blockade, ana nov steamers were ordered from
Bridgeport 20 Chattanooga They had run only
70 keliey's Ferry, whence 10 miles Of hauling
over mountain roads and twice across the Ten
nessee On ponioon bridges, brough; Us cur sup
plies.
Gen. Grants headquarters during the after
noon Of the sd and the day Of the 24th were
II Wood's redou0t, except when IN the course
Of the day be rode along the advanced line. vs.
lting the headquarters Of the several commani-
ers, III Chattanooga valley.
At daylight Oh the 18th the stars and stripe,
were descrled on the peak % Lookout Tho rrb
els had evacuated the mountain.
Hooker moved 10 desoeDI the mountain.
striking Missionary Ridge az the Rossyille Gan.
To sweep both side and its summit
Inc rebel Troops were seen. a. soon As II uas
hight enough, streaming regiments and brig.es
along the narrow summit Of Missionary Ridge.
either concentrating on the right 10 otherwheiu
Sherman. or marching Tor the railroad TO raise
the siege.
The twenty-pounders and four and 4 quarter
inch rifles Of God redoubi opened on Mission
sry Ridge Orchard KNOT sent its commitments
q the ndge, which. with rihed PARROTS. An
sWered, and the cannonade, thus commenced
continued all day. Shot and shell screamed
from Orchard Knob to Missionary Ridge and from
Missionary Ridge 10 Orchard Knob. and from
" Gods redoubt, orer the heads OF GeaerqIs
Grant and Thomas and their STATS. rho ,,ere
nth rs N th;s fGrorabis position, rom lrsrncs
the Uhole battle could be seen as IN an ompii- /
theatre. The headquarters rcre under ire all
day long
Cannonading and musketry were heard from
Eleventh corps to JOIN him
Gen. Thomas sent out skirmisbers who dr,vs
IN the rebel pckets and chased them into their
Intrenehmenis; and AT the foot Of Missionary
Ridge, Sherman made an assault against
Bragg right, intrenched on a high knob next
10 that on which Sherman himsalf Law flrtifed
The assault was CALAMITY made
Sherman reached the edge OF the crest. and
held his ground for On seemed TO mel an hour.
but was bloodily repulsed by reserves
A general advance was ordered, and a strong
line OF skirmishers followed by a deployed line
1f battle some two miles in length At the So
lal Of leaden shots from headquarters on Orch
ard Knob the line moved rapidly and orderly
orWar1- The rebel plckets discharged their
nuskets and ran into their rife pits. Our Skin
nishers followed on their heels
The line Of battle was not far behind. and we
aw the gray rebels swarm out Of the ledge line
i rife pits and over the base Of the hill in num-
ers which surprised Us 4 few turned and
red their pieces; but the greater number col
ected into the many roads which cross oblique-
: up ITS steep face, and went on q the TOD.
Some regiments pressed on and swarmel IN
he steep sides Of the ridge, and here and there
color was advanced beyond the lines The At
smpt appeared most dangerous; but the ad 4
ance was supported, and the whole line WAS |
rdered to storm the heights, upon which not
IS than forty pieces OF artillery, and no one 5
new how many muskets stood ready to slaurh t
T the asSsilants With cheers answering IN S
leers the men swarmed upwards They gath t
ned TO the points least diticult Of ascent. and t
lie line was broken. Color after color was ?
anted on the summit while muskei and can {
On vomited their thunder upon them. l
A well directed shot from Orchard Knob ex b
oded rebel caisson on the summit, and the
IN was seen being speedily taken to the right.
! driver lashing hrs horses A party Of our l.
ldiers intercepted them, and the gun was can a
red, with cheer. h
A fierce musketry fight broke out to the left. v
here, between Thomas and Sherman, a mile or ..
70 of the ridge was still occupied by the rebels ~
Bragg left the house in which he had held his :,
adquarters and rode to the rear As our troops Il
DIVIDED the hill on either side of him. =
Gen. Grant proceeded TO the summit, and then II
ly did we know its height II
Some of the captured artillery wa- nut into
sItion Artillerists were sent for to work tie
ms and caissons; ammunition was sesrched O.
The rebel log breastworks were torn to pieces ~,
carried to the other side of the ridge and 8,
ID in forming barricades acruss a.
A strong line Of infantry was formed in the
II of Baird's line, and engaged III a musketrv
itest with the rebels to the left, and a secure ~,
cement was soon effected. =
The other assault TO the right Of cur centre ny
ned the summit, and the rebels threw down fai
ir arms and fed cd
Hooker, coming into favorable position, srept co
night Of the ridge and captured many pris- an
n. IN