The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-12-05
Grants Chattanooga Campaign.
Detailed official RepOEt by Gen.
Ms5gs.

of battle, as if on parade. The rebels
watched the formation and movement
from their picket lines and rifie-pits, and
from the summit of Mission Ridge, five
hundred feet above US, and thought it
was q review and drill, so openly and
deliberately and 60 regularly was it
done.
As the line advanced, preceded by
skirmishers, and at two o'clock P. NJ.
reached our picket lines, they opened
rattling volIey upon the rebel pickets, who
returned il and ran into their advanced
lines of rifs-pitI. After them went our
skirmishers, and into them, alohg the
center of the line, which Gen. Thomas
had quickly deployed.
UnJil we opened fire, prisoners assert
that they thought the whole movement
was review and general drill, and that
il was too late to send to their camps for
reinf9rcements, and that they were over
whelmed by force of numbers. 1t was a
surprise in open daylight.
at three P. NJ, the important advanced
position of Orchard Knob and the lines
right and left were in our possession, and
arrangements were ordered for holding
them during the night. The next day,
at daylight, General Thomas had 5000
men across the Tennessee, and establish
ed on its south bank, and commenced the
construction of pontoon bridge, about
six miles above Chattanooga. The rebel
steamer Dunbar, repaired at the right
moment, rendered effective all in The
crossing, carrying over 5000 men.
By nightfall Gen. Thomas had seized
the extremity of Mission Ridge nearest
the river, and was entrenehing himself
General Howard, with brigade, opened
communication with him from ChAtta-
nocga on the south side of the river.
Skirmishing and cannonading continued
ali the day on the left and centre.
General Hooker scaled the slopes of
Lookout Mountain from the valley of
Lookout Greek, drove the rebels around
the point, captured 1000 prisoners, and
established himself high up the mountain
side in full view of Chattanooga.
This raised the blockade and now
steamers were ordered from Bridgeport to
Chattanooga. They had before run only
to KelIy's Ford, whence ten miles of
hauling over the mountain roads and
twice across the Tennessee upon pontoon
bridges brought US our supplies. All
nig ht the point of Mission Ridge, on the
extreme left, and the side of Lookout
Mountain On the extreme right, blazed
with the campfires of loyal troops.
The day had been one of dense mists
and rains, and much of General Hooker's
battle had been fought above the clouds
which concealed him from our view, but
from which his musketry was beard.
At nightfsll the sky cleared and the
full moon, The traitors doom, shone upon
the beautiful scene until l A. N. Twink
ling sparks upon the mountain side
showed that picket skirmishing was go
ing Oh; then it ceased.
A brigade sent from Chattanooga
crossd the Chattanooga Creek and opened
communication with Hooker.
General Grants headquarters, during
the afternoon of the 23d and day Of the
24tb, were in Woods redoubt, except
when, in the course of the day, he rode
along the advanced line, visiting the
headq rarters of the various commanders
in Chattanooga Valley.
At daylight on the 25th, the stars and
stripes were discovered on the peak of
Lockout. The rebels had eYaeuated the
mountain.
General Hooker moved to descend the
mountain, and striking Mission Ridge at
the Rossville Gap, to sweep on both sides
ard its summit.
The rebel troops were seen, as soon as
it was light enough, streaming by regi-
ments and brigades, along the narrow
summit Of Mission Ridge, either con-
centrating on the right to overwhelm
Sherman, or marching fer the railroad to
raise the siege.
They had evacuated the valley of
Chattanooga; would they abandon that
of Chickamauga? The twenty Founders
and ri1ed guns of Woods redoubt opened
on Mission Ridge, and Orchard Knob
sent its compliments to the Ridge, which,
with riled PARROTS, answered, and the
cannonade, thus commenced, continued
all day.
Shot and shell screamed from Orchard
Knob to Mission Ridge, and from Mission
Ridge to Orchard Knob, and from Woods
redOubt over the heads of Generals Grant
and Thomas and their staff, who were
with us in this favorable position, where
the whole battle could be seen as in an
amphitheater.
The headquarters were under fire aii
day long. CannOnsding and musketry
were heard from Gen. Sherman.
Gen. Howard marched the 11th Army
Corps to join him. Thomas sent out
skirmishsrs, who drove in the rebel pick
cts and chased them into their intrench-
ments at the foot of Mission Ridge.
Gen. Sherman made an assault against
Bragg's right, intrenched on high knoll,
next to that on which Sherman lay forti-
fed. The assault was CALAMITY made.
They reached the edge of the crest, and
held their ground for, il seemed to me, an
hour, but were bloodily repulsed by the
reserves.
A general advance was ordered and q
strong line of skirmishers followed by a
deployed line of battle some ten miles in
length. At the signal of the leader
shots from the headquarters on Orchard
KnOb-they moved rapidly and orderly
forward.
The rebel pickets discharged their
muskets and ran into their rife-p pits
Our skirmishers followed on their heels.
The lire of battle was not far behind, and
We saw the grey rebels swarm ont of the
ledge line of rife-pits in numbers which
surprised Us, and over the base of the
hill; q few turned and fired their pieces;
but the greater number collected into the
many roads which cross obliquely up its
steep face, and went Cd TO the top. Some
regiments pressed on and swarmed up
the steep sides Of the river. Here and
there a color was advanced beyond the
lines. The attempt appeared to be most
dangerous, but the advance was support
ed, and the whole line ordered to storm
the heights, upon which not less than
forty pieces of artillery, and no one knew
bow many muskets, stood ready to
slaughter the assailants.
With cheers answering cheers, the
men swsrmed upward. They gathered
10 the points least diificult of ascent, aud
the line was broken. Color after color
was planted on the summit, while mus
ket and cannon Wanted their thunder