The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-12-12
The Recent Battles af Chatta.
nOOga.

EDITOR OF HAwK-EfE:--Before you rel
4 ceive this the,telegraph will have informed
you of the great battle which has just
been fought at Lookout Mountain and
Missionary Ridge. / can only expect to
give you few particulars which may not
reach you in the meagre Geographic dis
patches. @ 10 aEE3 aaEsft s-ge
| On last Sabbath all the great generals oil
the army here were in ominous council at
the headquarters Of Gen. Sherman. For
several days previous we had been under
marching orders, and expecting nightly to
| be put in motion. Gen. Hooker command
ed the right, Thomas the center, and Sher-
man the left of our army. The part of one
corps (Sherman's, 18th army corps was to
| make secret movement across the Ten
nessee River and came up in the rear of
Bragg's army, and, if possible, get possess
sion of Missionary Ridge, while Hooker
on the right and Thomas in the center
moved on the enemy's front upon Lookout.
On Monday Hooker made demonstra-
ton upon Lookout Mountain, driving the
enemy from portion OF the Mountain,
capturing several pieces of his artillery
and taking about 1900 prisoners.
AT II o'clock on Monday night Sher-
mans corps was put in motion. We were
encamped in small valley, surrounded by
high hills, about two and a half miles from
the contemplated crossing of the Tennessee
amauga creek about 120 pontoon boats
to transport us to the opposite side. Gen.
Morgan L.. Smiths Division ed was first
crossed over, with instructions to capture,
if possible, the rebel pickets. This was
done with complete success. The Sth Mis-
souri, was assigned this duty. Guided by
a citizen, they came upon the pickets so
walked up to the officer of the guard and
challenged him, supposing it to be their
own officer, he was about to order out the
guard to give the salute, when the Colonel
informed him that he had not the pass
word, but would nevertheless relieve him.
For the first time he discovered his mis-
take, but too late. One of the pickets only
made his escape on horse back, but was
taken before he reached the camp. They
said they never dreamed of our crossing at
that point. Some of them were evidently
dreaming Of something when taken, per-
haps OF feasting upon broiled Yankees. 1t
is said that the Lieutenant in command
Wos taken in amorouS dalliance with one
of the virtuous daughters of chivalry.
Before it was fairly light our Division
I'D, John E. Smith's,) and Ewings Divi-
sion had crossed over. It was a novel and
romantic sight to see that fleet of boats
blackening the waters of the Tennessee
n time could have been more favorable
1t was misting, foggy and cloudy. The
plainly how to make our crossing. We
landed just below the mouth ::oi Chicka-
manga, at large open plantatation, sur
rounded by dense woods on every side
The men went to work as those who felt
that their scalps depended upon their in
dustry, and it seemed to me that in less
than an hour breastwork and ritie-pit
was made about mile in length, extend
ing clear across the open space.
Frlday-Ihe enemy not yet in sight-we
moved up to the brow of the next hill or
elevation, and in a short time, as if by ma
gic, another line of breastworks appeared.
Here we lay awaiting the crossing of the
remainder of the corps and the artillery.
The steamer Dunbar was brought up from
Chattanooga and used as ferry boat, and
before noon a splendid pontoon bridge
spanned the Tennessee, and the artillery
was crossed before 10 clock, a. N.
When all was in readiness, the Divisions
of Morgan l.. and John Il. Smith, Ewing,
jeff. G. Davis and Blair, moved forward,
the Division of Osterhaus having gone to
support Hooker. - We moved forward
through a swamp to spur of Missionary
Ridge. Before night John E. Smith had
possession Of the hill, with only some slight
sklrmishing, and had planted battery on
its crest, commanding the next spur and |
within range OF the Ridge itsslf. We had
just commenced to fortity the crest of the
hill when word came that the enemy were
about to flank NJ. l.. Smith, who was in
the valley to our left. We were hurried |
down the hill, but before we reached the |
valley Morgan l.. was all right. 1t was
now night. and we bivouacked in dense |
forest so entangled with underbrush that
we had to grub out our resting Places
Thus ended the first day on the left. Hoo
ker and Thomas, in the meantime had
made some important advances on the
right and centre. Osterhaus had charged |
and taken rebel battery on Lookout.
=: Thus far all had gone ON swimmingly |
with us sethe1eft. But the fun was now
over and a serious day had dawned upon
John b. Smiths Division, and that Of Ew- |
ing. On the afternoon of Wednesday was
fought one of the most unequal and bloody |
battles that has ever been fought, perhaps |
since this war commemorate was no less |
than the single Brigade of Gen. Matthies |
pitted against almost the entire rebel army, !
on Missionary Ridge. 1t is said that Gen.
Matthies disobeyed his orders in leading
his men into this unequal fight-thai Gen.
Sherman ordered him to take his position
in the valley at the foot ofthe Ridge, where
the enemy were pushing forward force, |
and hold him in check there-and that he
led his men from the valley to the top of
the hill ,0ithout orders. 1 know not how
this may be. If true proper court will
doubtless soon decide upon it. / give it,
however, at present merely as a camp ru-
NOR. .a-u .. =
The rebels had fortified the crest of the
ridge, and thrown up a slight breastwork
a short distance down the slope on the side
of our approach. About l o'clock P. NJ,
Gen. Matthies moved three regiments of
his Brigade, the 10th Iowa, ODD Illinois and
10Th Missouri, up the Ridge, the 5th Iowa
remaining in the valley at the foot of the
Ridge. At the approach of cur men, the
rebels fell back from their first breastwork.
doubtless for the purpose of drawing us on.
They had for some time been massing
their forces behind the crest of the Ridge.
Those who could see the whole movement
from adjoining hills, say that their lines
seemed almost interminable. They were
massed about ten columns deep. When
our little Brigade reached the first breast
works they were but a few yards from the
rebel line. They then opened upon u.s.
They We're completely sheltered-ours ex-
posed, as the breastwork was but slight
Then our poor men went down like grain !
before the reaper. For more than half an
hour they faced this murderous and une- |
quail fire. Their ammunition was giving
out, and no reinforcements came to their |
relief. 1t was worse than madness TO con-