The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1863-12-10

Prosecuting AHorncB-TALL SLOUGH.
Sh.ri6-JANES MILLER; Office at the Jail.
Clerk Of C0urt-JoHN C. RAINEYi Office, Public
Building
'Avn,or.- WILLIAM ROBINSON; Office, Public
Building.
Treastrer-o. E. DAVIS; Office, Public Building.
P.corlsr-A. SYFERT; Office, Public Building
surreyor-E. L. HANNUM; Office Public Building.
Coroaer-MITCHELL MORRIS, residence, Amanda
Township.
mmisgionsrs-JoEL sf EFFER, of Madison town.
.hip; HENRY AISPAUGH, of Greenfield township,
and JOHN W. CUNNINGHAM, of Hooking TIP.
School Erdminsrs-wILLIAM WHITNEY, JOHN
WILLIAMS and URIAH C, RUTTER.
General Meigs Omcial and Descriptive
Report OF the Battles OF Lookout Noun
tain and Mission Ridge.
The following Report by Quarter
Master General Meigs is an innovation
upon the usual style Of official reports,
and would do credit, as piece of de-
scriptivo writing, to the best Army
correspondent. There is great deal
of poetry in the following paragraph;
"The day had been one of dense
mists and rains, and much of General
Hooker's battles had been fought abouG
the clouds, which concealed him from
our view, but from ,chich his musketry
sgaS heard"
p" HEADoRs, CHATTANOOGA, Nov. 26,
Edrin NJ. Stanton, Sec. Of War:
S1R-On the 23d inst, at 11;3O A. N.
Gen. Grant ordered demonstration
against Mission Ridge, to develop the
force holding ie The troops marched
out, formed in order and advancrd in
line of battle, as if on parade. The
rebels watched the formation andmove-
mcnt from their picket line and rife
pits. and from the summit Of Mission
Ridge. five hundred feet above us, and
thought it was a review and drill, so
openly and deliberately and regularly
was 1t done.
As the line advanced, preceded by
skirmishers, and at two o'clock p. M
reached our picket lines, they opened
rattling volley upon the rebel picketS
who returned it and ran into their ad-
vanced lines of rihc-pits After them
went our skirmishers, and into them
along the center of the line, which Gen
Thomas had quickly depIoyed.
Until we opened fire, prisoners assert
that they thought the whole movement
was review and general drill, anC
that it was too late to send to then
camps for reinforcements, and that
they were overwhelmed by force o
numbers. 1t was surprise in open
daylight
At three P. NJ. the important ad
vanced position of Orchard Knob anC
the lines right and left were in oul
possession, and arrangements were
ordered for holding them during the
night. The next day at daylight, Gen
eral Thomas had 5000 men across the
Tennessee and established on its soutl
bank, and commenced the construction
of pontoon bridge, about six mile'
above Chattanooga. The rebel steam
cr Dunbar, repaired at the right mo
ment, rendered effective service in this
crossing, carrying over six thousand
men.
By nightfall General Thomas ha(
seized the extremity of Mission Ridge
nearest the river and was intrcnchins
himself. General Howard, with {
brigade, opened communication witt
him from Chattanooga on the soutl
side of the river. Skirmishing ant
canonading continued all the day OF
the left and center.
General Hooker scaled tho slopes o
lookout Mountain from the valley o
Lookout Creek drove the rebels arOunt
the point captured 1000 prisoners, NnC
established himself high up the noun
tain side in full view OF Chattanoo
ga.
This raised the blockade, and nov
steamers were ordered from Bridgepor
to Chattanooga. They had before rul
only to Kellcys Ford, whence 10 mile
of hauling over the mountain roads ant
twice across the Tennessee upon pom
toon bridges brought us our supplies
All night the point of Mission Ridge, OF
the extreme left and the side of Look
out Mountain on the extreme right
blazed with the camp-fres of loya
troops,
The day had been one of mists ant
rains, and much of General Hooker
battles had been fought above tn
clouds. which concealed him from OH
view, but from which his musketry wa
heard.
At nightfall the sky cleared and tn
full moon, the trdtors' doom, shony
upon the beautiful scene until l A. NJ
Twinkling sparks upon the mountain
side showed that picket skirmishin:
was going on; then it ceased.
A brigade sent from Chattanoog
crossed the Chattanooga Creek ant
opened communication with Hooker
General Grants headquarters, dur
ing the afternoon of the 23d and day 0
the oath, were in Woods redoubt, eX
cept when, in the course of the day, h
rode along the advanced line, visiting
the headquarters of the various com
manders in Chattanooga Valley
At daylight on the 25th, the star
and stripes were discovered on the peal
of Lookout. The rebels had evacnat
ed the mountain.
General Hooker moved to descend
tho mountain and striking Mission