The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-11-13
FROM CHATTANOOGA.
Hooker Seizes the Passes of Rae
coon Mountain.
LongStreet Attacks Hooker, and is
RepulSed.
Correspondence of the Cincinnati Gazette.

CHATTANOOGA, Oct. %, 1868.
Last night, little before II O'Clock, we
were startled, though not surprised, to
hear volleys of musketry, interspersed
with the booming of artillery at short in
tervals, off to the right OF Chattanooga,
seemingly about five miles. The sound
came up from what is called Lookout VAL
ley, which lies between that mountain and
the Raccoon Ridge. 1t was known that
troops had been sent across the new pom
toon at Browns Ferry, but had not gone
as far down as the place whence the sound
proceeded, and SO the great secret SO long
and faithfully guarded must out-Hooker
is there
1t is not proper to state the various
movements that brought about the battle,
much less to give full catalogue of the
troops engaged. Sufficient to say that the
afternoon of the 2Sth instant found Hooker
in the Lookout Valley, with his forces
present arranged as follows:
Gen. Geary, with portion of the 18th
Corps, was at Wauhatchie Junction, on
the Memphis, Charleston and Trenton
Railroad, while certain portions of the l 1th
CORPS, under Gen. Howard, marched fur
ther up the valley toward Browns Ferry,
where it was expected to unite with our
troops that had been thrown across the
river, thus making navigation safe, as the
rebels would be entirely driven from it,
They were permitted to march quietly up
the valley and pitch their tents at leisure ;
the night wore silently till near - o'clock,
when, like an eagle swooping on its prey,
fho rabIl, rucho1 7
Mountain and the plateau below with the
evident intention of wedging themselves
into the space between our two corps, and
thus cut them Off by piecemeal. AS they
came they fired a deadly volley into
Gearys ranks, and at the same time their
batteries on Lookout opened and sent tl.oir
shells crashing among the tree tops above
the heads OF our men. Hooker was not
long in seeing the necessities OF the hour.
Geary's men were lighting with the des-
peratlOn which made brave men even
Drawer but the rebels were three to their
one, and it was evident they could not
long Lold out against such fearful odds.
"Fcrward to their relief boys! charge the
devils double-quick - shouted fighting Joe.
and his words flew like magic through the
Cdllp. Eiiil AZ lliO. itAu GOWN ln6V
rushed through the valley, seemingly ssinto
the jaws of death - But there danger, as
it appeared, was not all, nor one half, in
front; for as they passed along the foot of
the ridge, some two hundred feet high.
lying on their left, which, as it seems, they
thought to be occupied by our forces, a.
furious volley of musketry was poured
into them from its brow. This force must
be dislodged, or here would be second
danger of being fanked. Estimating from,
the firing, it was thought that one brigade
would be sufficient to do the work, the
strength of the position occupied by the
enemy being, as yet, entirely unknown.
Accordingly, the 73d Ohio and 33d Mas.
sachusetts, to be supported, if necessary
by the 136th New York, the whole under
command of Col. Smith, of the 73d, which
was commanded by Capt. Thos. W. Hig-
gins, acting Major. Col. Underwood led
the SD Massachusetts, till he was wound
ed, MORALLY, it is feared.
At the word "charge!" the two regi-
ments, in all not more than five hundred
men, rushed up the hill with fixed bayO-
nets-rushed madly, it would seem, when
it is remembered that they knew not how
many reapers of death were on the top,
waiting to NOW them down.