The New York herald., 1863-11-29
HooKEH'S FIGHT ABOVE TIE CLOUDS.
THE RESULTS OF THE VICTORY.
&e, &c., &e,


Quartermaster General Meigs' Report.
HEADquARrERs, CHATTANOOGA, Nov 2e, 1853.
EDWIN d. STANTON Secretary OF War
sm-on tho 23d instant, at halfpast eleven A. N,
General Grant ordered demonstration against Mission
ay RIDGE to develop the force holding it, The troops
marched out, formed in order and advanced In line Of
battle as If on parade.
The rebels watched the formation and movement from
their picket lines and rifle pits aud from the SUBMITS Of
Missionary RIDGE five hundred feet above u.s. thought
II was review and drill, SO openly and deliberately, SO
regular, was 1t all done.
The line advanced, preceded by skirmshors. and at
two O'Clock P NJ reached picket lines and opened
rsltlng voley upon tho rebe pickets who replied and
ran into thor advanced limo OF rife pits. After them
went skrmsbers and them along tho centre of
the limo Of 5000 troops which General Thomas had
20 quickly displayed, until No opened fire.
Prisoners assert that they thought the whole
and general drill and that il was late to
sond to their camps for renforccmens and that they
were overwhelmed by force OF numbers. N eas a sur.
! prise in open daylight.
Al three p. NJ, the important advanced position Of
Orchard Knob and tho lines right and left in
possession and arrangcmnts ordered for holding
them during the night The next day at daylight Gene
raj Thomas five thousand men the Tennessee
and established its south bank, and commenced the
construction Of pontoon bridge about miles above
Chattanooga
The rebel steamer Dunbar was repaired at the right
moment, and rendered elective aid in this CROSSING
ryDg over six thousand men.
By nightfan General Thomas had sez,d the extremity
VI Missionary Ridge river, and was inench
Ing himself. General Howard, with brigade, opened
communication with him from Chattanooga the south
side Of the river skmishing and eannonadus continued
all day the left and centre. General Hooker scaled the
slopes Of Lookout Mountain and from the valley of Look
out creek drove lhe rebels around the point He
tured thousand prisoners and established his
sef high up the mountain eide, in full view OF Chatta
nooga This raised the blockade and now steamers
ordered from Bridgeport TO Chattanooga .Ihey had run
only TO Keoys Ferry, whence ten miles OF hauling over
mountain roads and twice across the Tennessee on
pontoon bridges brought US our supplies.
All night tho point of Missionary Ridge the extreme
left and tho side Of Lookout Mountain on tho extreme
right blazod with tho camp ares of loyal troops
The day had one Of dense mists and rains, and
much Of General Hootsr's bGas ,vas fought above ne
clouds, which concealed him from our view, but fro m
which hs muskeIry was heard
Atnightall tho sky cleared and the full moon-"the
traitors doom--shone upon the beautiful scene until
one A. NJ, when twinkling sparks upon tho mountain
aide showed that picket sxirmlsbng going Tneh
It ceased brigade sent from Chattanooga crossed the
Ct,t,anooga creek aud opened communication with
Hooker.
Cen Grants headquarters during the afternoon Of tho
23d and the day OF the 2!h were in Woods redouo ea
ccp, when IN tho course day he rode along the nd
vsnced ine visiting the headquarters Of the several
commanders, in Chattanooga valley
At daylight on tho 25th the stars and Stripes were
deserted on the peak Of Lookout, The rebels had evacu
sed the mountain.
Hooker moved 10 descend the mountain, striking Ms
sionary Ridge a the Rossve Gap toi sweep both sldea
and its summit
The rebel troops seen, as soon as It was light
enough streaming regiments aud brgades alcng the
row summit Of Missionary Ridge, either concentrating on
the rgnt to overwhem sherman, marching for the
railroad 10 raise the siege.
Thcy had evacuated the valley Of Chattanooga Would
they abandon that Of CAickamaugaS
The twenty FOUNDERS and four and quarter neh ria
OF Woods rcdoubt opened Missionary Ridge. Orchard
Knob seut s compliments to the ridge, which, With riaed
rarro,ts answered and the cannonadc thus commenced
continaci all day sho, sni shell screamed from orchard
Knob 70 Missionary Ridge, and from Missionary Bdg'
10 Orchard Knob, and from Woods rcdoubt or,r ~
heads OF Generei Grant and 1tomaa ond hstr gas, gk
,ppe nth us in au fauorate posii.sn, fro" 'shsne, q
.sAore tdak coxld Be in dmptsdrs The head
quarters e0s undr fire all day long
CanrOnadins and muske,ry were heard frcu General
Sherman, and General Howard marched the Elcventh
corpe to join him
General Thomas out sxrn shers who droTe IN ID,
rebel pickes and chased them ther ntreachmenis
and at tie foot Of Missionary Ridge sherman made "a
saut aganst Bragg right, iD,rouchei high knob mex
90 that on which sherman himself lay fortified Ina az
saul, was CALAMITY made
sherman reached the edge Of lhs cres, AMI beld h,
ground for az seemed 10 me) hour but bloodfy
repulsed by reserves.
general advance was ordered, ana strong line o.
sarn shsrs followed BY depcyod Inc Of battle some
two miles In length AZ the signal Of lesien shots from
Headquarters on Orchard Knob The line moved rapidly
snd orderly forward. Tho rebel pckets discharged their
mrskes and ran into their rino pits. our skfmshcrn
followed on their heels.
The ine Of battle was not far behind and we saw ibe