New-York daily tribune., 1864-04-16
It now moor 2ocloch and onr OPERATIONS wpr sad


during the morning and TO some eAcnt iaVore our
movements gradually settled int the VaHey anu com
p,etely veilod II from onr view ihoeed. no 10 .,
moment we had rounded the peak Of the mouhih, i,
was onIy from the roar of battle and the occasohai
glimpse our comrades in the valley coud ct tt u oui
lines and standards that they knew OF the slle or us
rrogrcs,. and when from these evidences, our true
condition was revealed TO them. their painful snxie'y
welded TO transports Of 10Y which only soldiers can lee
In the earliest moments Of dawning victory.
Dceming descent into the valley imWudent' Sltn,
out more accurate information Of It's topography hhd
also OF the position and strength Of the enemy our he
was cstGl shed the east side az the mountain, me
right resting tho paliaGes ana the ieit near the
mouth OF Clattancors Greek ard this we
hy all the means at hand working until four O'Clock;
when the commander OF the Department was informed
that Our position w6s npregnlue.
During all OF these operations the batteries Oh D,
Moccssin Point under Capt NGylor had been busiy al
work from the north bank Of Tie Tennessee RIVER ana
had contributed much TO our assistance as the lreg
usIitiCs Of The grorDd and tie state Oi the atios
phcrc would admit Of. It,
From our position we commanded the enemy's lines
Of defense stretching across Chattanooga Valley, .!
an cnfading iIe, ana also by direct lire many ~ m
camps. some Of which were IN our mmedise w -
Also direct communication had been opened VIII Oa
taAooga and al "a O'clock. Brig. Gen CaIi; Iitn @
Corps reported 10 me with lis brigade, ana W., M"s
assigned 10 duty the right OF tne me " .. tSu
Geary's command almost exhausted Win tnc lu'is w
and excitement incident their unparalleled MAJ On.
To prevent artillery beng bI0ugnt Ioi ~ Tl,o
envy had undermined the road, ana co Grey "Ir
timber. This was repaired ana pi"ceu Ia s0i
Dnrivg ,be dsy and until after midnight, an iIreeu'
lar Ere az ker mp along our line, ona ha1 lne hppe
ance al one time OF an effort 10 break H. ms was ga
the rrht and was at once vigorously and handsoney
repeed In ths CaIliu's brigade rendered eAceheu'
q, Tyice. Ills report is herewith Forwarded. n
Before daylight, a1ucp'ting the WllhdiaWm o. o.
Reb, force rom the summit Of the mountain parties
fun several yeCmeats dispatched 10 scale Nput
10 the sih kentuCky must belong the distinction o nav
ing been foremost TO reach the cre: and at sunrise 70
L.. a. tlp MAIL nf
wild and prolonged cheers OF the men whose dauhess
valor had borne it TO that point ,-.-,,,os
Duling the night ile enemy had quietly aDand"heu
the mountain leaving behind 2OOS Tenois, Tie can
and garrison equipase Of ti!ee bIieades, and other
An impcnetrable mist still covered the face Of the
valley Prisoners reported that the enemy had aban'
doned it; but deemils il nprndent 10 descend re-
oonnossaAoe was ordered and after o'clock 'e'
port in that tic Rebels had retired Uui that u Al
pickets st held the right bank 0f Chattanooga creek.
IN the direction Of Rossvic. Soon afcr the fog van
.hcd and nothing was 10 BE III the valley but the
deserted and burning camps Of the enemy.
Among the fruits Of tie preceding operations may pe
enumerated the concentration of the army the ADAM
dosnpn OF dcfenses upward Of eight miles IL extent
the recOvcry OF all the advantages in position tle enemy
had gained from our amy on the bloody ncId o Chcke
mauga giving 70 us the unClFppted navigation oi the
river and the Of the railroad the capture Of be-
tween two and three thousand prisoners, five sands o
coors two pieces Of artillery, upward Of hve thousand
musEetS, &c. -
OF the troops opposed 10 us were four brrades all OF
" alters division Of Hardoe's corps, a portion OF
Stuard's division Of Breckuridges corps and on tle
top of the mountain were three bTigades OF stevenson
division. .
In conformity with orders two regiments were dis.
pGtehed 10 hold the mountains Carns brigade drec
to aW ait orders the Summertown road. and nj ~
O'clock nv column Osterhaus leading. being nearest
the rood marched for RoSsvile.
On arriving at Chattanooga Creek II was discovered
that the enemy had destroyed the bridge and IN cone
ouence our pursr, was delayed nearly .hree hours As
soon rs the strnrers lGid Osterhers managed %
throw over the nth Missouri Regiment and soon 6feI
all Of his infantry. The former depoyed pushed ioT-
ward AZ slrnshers 20 the gorge in Missionary Ridge
and drew the FIRE Of the artillery and infantry holding
IL and also discovered that the enemy was attempting
train VI wagons loading with stores al the
Rossvie House.
As the position was presenting many advantages
for defence the skifnishcrs directed 20 keep the
enemy engaged in front while Woods brigade was TAX
ing the ridge the night. and four regDents OF VII
Easons the le. Two other regiments OF thls brig-
ado we're posted tho road leading 70 Chattanooga 10
prevent SURPRISE In executing these duties tse t"ops
were necessarily exposed 10 the oBemys artillery, but
a. soon as IL discovered that hs fanks were being
turned and his retreat threatened he hastily evacuated
the Gap leaving behind large quantities of artillery and
81 Harm ammunition, wagons n.nbulances, ana .
house fuH Of conmssaTy stores. Pursuit wes made as
far consistent with my Instructions 10 clear Aitscn.
ary Ridge. ~
orr troops crossing. Osterhans received in
strnctons N with his division parallel with the
ridge tie eas Crult on the ridge and Geary IN The
valley 10 the west q H. within onsy supporting dis
lance The batteries accompanied Geary, es was Dot
Known that roeds could be found for them with the Other
divisions without delaying the movements oi the COL
Gen Crnf, with Lis staff preceded his column IN as
cendng the ridge to supervise the formation OF ms
lines aud wos at once met BY Line OF the enemy sAi
mishers advancing The eth and Seth Indiana Regl'
Inepts sprang forward into line under their hre
and instantiy charging drove back the Rebos while
the residue Of the column formed their Lines Grose
bri,ede with tho 5lst Ohio and 3ih Indiana OF
lar'e In GiYaDc1-the balance
cosely supporting the front line. II was. however
found that the rdge Oh top was too narrow 10 s
nit Of this formation and the division Wss thrown INTO
four lines BY this time the divisions o. GeaTy and
Osterhaus were abreast Of il. and I'll advanced a.
charging pace.
fense the bresstworks thrown up BY our army on its
return from CLickamauga; but such was the npetuos
ty Of our advance that hs front line routed before
All opportunity afforded him TO prepare fI deter
ned resistance Many Of the fugitves 70 escape ran
down the east slope 10 the nes Of Osterhans iw 70
the wet and were picked up BY Geary. Ibe buik OF
them however sought refuge behind the second linc and
In their turn were soon routed and the fight became
almost running Whenever tie accidents OF the
ground ensblea the Rebels 10 make an advantageous
stand GeGry and Oste!heus always In the right place
would pour witherng FIRE into their fanls, md again
II race vas renewed. This continued until near sun
set when those Of the enemy Who had not been Killed
or captured gave way. and In attempting 10 escape
along the ridge into the arms Of Johhsons division
Of the l4th COTps and vero csptnred
Our enemy the prisoners stated. was Stusrds division
Gut few escaped Osterha1s alone captured OO0 OF
them This officer names the <th Iowa 18TH Ohio. and
nm Missouri Regiments having been especially dis
tnguished in this engagement LandgrsebeTs battery
OF howiisors also rendered brilliant service On tins
lsld
Here our business for the day ended. and the troops
went into byouao With cheers and rejocings, which
caugbt mp by other troops in tho Vicinity and oar
red along the ridge until lost IN the distance
soon after daylight every effort was made by recon.
noissauoe and inquiry to ascertain tho whereabout OF
the enemy, but 70 purpose. The field was as silent
as the grave Knowing the desperate eIiremliies "
which He must be reduced by success with his re-
treat seriously threatened by the only line left him
ith hope OF success felt satisfied the enemy must
be in full retreat and accordingly suggested to the com
mandcr OF the department that my column march 10