Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-12-03

ori1AAohI Snorgc. upon Lookout NJ Oun
tain-The Rebels Concentrate Oh
Missionary Ridgc-F1ank Move
ments OF Sherman and Hooker
Charge upon the Certer-Route O
the RebeIs--Losses, sc.
tfE
Especial Correspondence of the Nashville Union.
CHATTANOOGA, Nov. 16.-The opera
tons of the army in front of this place
during the last three days, have been no
only brilliant, but of a decisive charac
| ter. Hitherto we had struggles-bit.
ter, stubborn and bloody-but when the
tragedy had ended, the combatants re,
tanned their organization, and too fre-
quently their positions But not SO in
this instance. With the exception OF
the Mississippi campaign, last summer,
this is the first time that rebel army,
with comparatively triAing loss to oar
own, has been demoralized, broken and
crushed
Sherman, having arrived at a point
opposite the mouth of the Chicamauga,
and four miles above the town, the or
ders were issued, and the plan of attack
made known to the corps commanders,
and each directed to execute his portion
in accordance with it.
The first object was to deceive the
rebels; they held almost impreguable
positions, on Lookout Mountain and Mis-
sionary Ridge; positions which could not
be won by prowess alone, but to obtain
which an unusual degree of prudence,
and perfect combination of the highest
order of strategy and courage were re-
quire1.
Sherman, at the head of the divisions
of John E. Smith, Morgan L. Smith, and
jeff G. Davis, made a feiut of moving
up the north bank of the river, as if to
attack Longstreet, and relieve Burnside,
while the 1lth Corps, consisting of the
divisions of Schurz and Steinweher,
were moved into Chattanooga, leaving
but small force in view on the west
side of Lookout Mountain.
Simultaneously with these movements,
and on the eve of the 23d, our lines, op-
posite the rebel right, and right centre,
were extended three-quarters of a mile,
and beyond the outer line OF rebel rife
pits, which were captured, with three
hundred prisoners, by a brilliant and
unexampled dash of Hazen's and Will
lich's brigades of Brood's division, of
the 4th army corps Our loss in this
skirmish was slight-less than $50; while
the positions gained were of the highest
Importance From thence the foot of
Missionary Ridge was plainly visible,
and the nature of the ground readily as
certained.
The enemy was completely deceived
by the happy combination of strategy
From Gen. Bragg's movements, it is evi-
dent that he believed Sherman was NOV
ing northward, and that the concentra-
ton of our forces opposite his right was
intended to prevent him from sending
reinforcements to the relief of Long
street. 1t, therefore, became matter of
the highest Importance, that Tunnel
Hill o.Isd tIAe-ro-tb ar,5 sc 7 onkont
Mountain, should be protected at every
hazard; it was the base of operations
for the whole army; and if taken by
Grant, commun alton between East
Tennessee and North Georgia would be
seriously threatened, and perhaps sew
cred.
From Fort Wood, on the East of Chat
tanooga, the movements of the rebels
could be distinctly seen, with glasses,
and must have given entire satisfaction
to those who had been initiated into the
secrets of the campaign.
The movements in this direction had
been completed at dark, and the rebels
lay upon their arms for the night, conf
IDENTIFY expecting, if not a general en-
gagement, at least a severe skirmish at
daylight of the Oath. But they were dis
appointed-seriously disappointed. No
sooner had darkness set in, than Ewing s
ands Osterhaus division of Sherman s
corps, and a part of Cruft's division OF
the 4th corps, which had been supposed
to be engaged in other duties, filed
along the foot of Lookout Mountain, and
took up position near Geary's division,
of the 18th corps, and were placed in
condition to make an attack on Lookout
Mountain, the following morning.
The rebels did not discover the arriva
of these reinforcements, till about mid
night; and by that time, it was too late
to reinforce their left, even had it beer
deemed safe to spare any troops from
Missionary Ridge. At 7 o'clock in tbs
morning, Gen. Gearys division crossed
the creek, and commenced the ascent o
the Mountain. Their first progress wa
seriously resisted; but an incessan
shower of shot and shell from our bal
teries, on the heights, so gallantly wo
some weeks ago by Hooker, soon had tn
effect to drive them, and enable our co
umns to swing around, and sweep th
whole western slope, from the ledge
the foot.
- The rebels, for at least two miles, re
sisted every foot of our progress, frol
behind rifle pits, rocks, and trees; bl
having been driven to point nearly OF
posite the railroad bridge, Osterhau
commenced ascending the Ridge, whe
the rebels, finding themselves utter
overpowered, fed precipitately, and
confusion. The guns from our batterit
played upon them with terrific effec
and hundreds threw down their arms, al
), surrendered themselves prisoners. A
other attempt at resistance was made
in the point of the Mountain, but the
~ ranks were soon broken; and from tn
W moment prisoners were captured by hu
dreds. The rebel rife pits and batteri
> were stormed, and the guns taken; al
- the pursuit only closed with the night
In the meantime, Sherman had GRO
&. ed the river, on the night of the q
near the mouth of the Chicamauga, a
A on the 24th he occupied and fortified o
all of the knobs at the northern terminus
* Missionary Ridge; and Howards II
Corps had been moved to the left, to
feet junction. This was accomplish
with Slight skirmishing, and compa
: lively little loss, and our lines were r
80 dered solid from left to right.
During the night of the 24th, Ewin
. Division passed Lookout Mountain, a
- Joined Sherman. The rebels, find
that concentration was necessary, ev
A uated the small portion of Look
Mountain which had not been wres
GE from them, and also removed their car
,me from the Chattanooga to the Chicam
ga Valley, andsswere thus prepared to
fend their position on Missionary Ri