New-York daily tribune., 1864-04-16
.u. uArTLK OF LOOKOUT NOUN
TAIN.
Gem. usokcr's Report.
HEADQUARTERS 1lTH AND l3Th So"r
roovnUT VlLIRY, Tenn, Feb. 4. Ioof.

~, AZ the operations Of the Army Nh'o"
,,nr the Rebel forces from their positions IN ,D'
..,,t, OF Chattanooga and Of its paTnepS''0i' A""''
sn4ly afterward In their pursuit ,.,,,
Pm ,rder that these operations may ", u'
x.s,.os-thnt the troops concerned nc kho"n' anu
.a,,e the honor due them il is necessary "
st;yc that the general attack was oroereo W 'o n''
tse enemy's extreme right, at dn!hght on tno ~s'
rsveUsber and that preparatory oiuers were s'"N
..,eb mo on the lsth for the nth Corps 10 cross 70
o. .orth bank Of the Tennessee River ON the ~th Al
-, time the nth and part OF The l2th corps "efe Ell
..,pes in Lookout Valley opposite to the 'e oi 'be
speny's line.
c.,soouence OF the non arrival Of the force mainly
,bed on to lead Off the attack was postponed 70 .he
morning and again postponed until the 24th Tor
.oe reason Meanwhile orders were recevedfort the
,h Corps 10 20 10 Chattanooga where II reported on
e,e I'D This divided my command and sS the ofGcIs
coniemp plated advance from LcoAGnt NaHey, alAc3
- Was made BY me 10 tie Major General CommHnd-
sDg the Department for authority 10 accompany tne
nj CORPS assigning reason tlat II was my dn'y
70 join that part of my command gong INTO paie is
w.s ,eeeed 10 and preparatory 10 leaving, invitation
was sent for Brig. Gen Geary, who was the senior ui-
eev in rly absence, 10 examine with me the eneiys
positions and defenses, and TO be lniormea al what
sesxts desired 10 have his troops held This was 70
enable TO make use Of the telegraph IN connumcat
i.e with him advisedly during the progress Of the tgLt
sbesld favorable opportunity present sei loT LIN 10
On the 2ad the Commander Of tNa Department re.
ssssted me TO remain in Lookout alley ana lltte /"
demonstration eally possible le following n'Il
ing Oh the point sf Lookout Mount my cominsne
10 consist Of the parts of two diyisio Later M tn'
dsy The 23d, copy OF teiesi va, sas nvis;ou
Of the Mississippi to the eheo+ ihat ~ W
event the Pontoon bridge at bro~Is ieIis
sou,a not be repaired in season. for Osterhh"ss
D;,,sion of the i5th Corps TO /, O'clock. H.
On the oath the division would report 10 me- soon L. t
snsther telegram. from the Headquarters o t9e -
esod, in Tho ffgrp ~
rort of Lookout Mountain ii my demo- slration sho a
Seyeop its practicabiiy. At t2oelock ~ IN. word us
received that the bridge co1id not De pct IN SER eeo
sssiition for twelve hours hut to be certain on the sun
lec, stall officer dispatched 10 sseetiin and Of
Visa m. on the gath the report was confirmed
As now composed. my command consisted OF Ostei
hans, division 18th Corps Crufis Of the 4th Geary,
of tSe 10Th excepting from the two last named dvson
sueb regiments required to protect our commit
nieAtons With bridgeport and kely's FelT!.( Battery
X Of the list Ohio and Battery K, Isl hewIOr Of
TIE nth Corps Qhe two having horses for but onel
part Of the I'd Kentucky Cavalry and Company n o.
The 18th Illinois Cav arynakng an aggregate force OF
assa. We ali strangers; no one division ever
having either Of the others.
GeaTys Division. support ID by Whitaker's Brigade
n Crufts Division was ordered 10 proceed up the val
lev sross the creek Wauhschie. AID march down.
sweeping the Rebels rom it. The other brigade Oi the
AhCorpe to advance seize the bridge Just below the
Railroad and repair IL. Osierhauss Division vas 20
march up fIom Browns Ferry, under cover fthe hills
b The place Of cr0sng also 70 furnish supports ior the
bssteres The Ohio Battery wee TO take position on
bald Hin and the New ok Battery the hill direct
N rear The I'd Kentucky Cavalry was dispatched 10
sbssrye the movements Of the enemy in the direction Of
Trenton and the Illinois Company 10 perform orderly
snl scout duty. This disposition OF the forces was or
dsred be made as soon after daylight as practicable
At this time the enemys pickets formed continuous
Rne along the right bank Of Lookout Greek with the re
serves in the valley, while his main frce was Cncamped
b hollow half way up the slope Of the mountain Ihe
Dyison aud these comparatively safe as the only
eaD OF access from the weSt for distance VI twenty
uniss up the valley by two three trails, admit
tha Dut tine, 0ld even
eose trails he'd u The top by Rebel Plckeis tor
ts reason, no direct attempt was mnde for the dsodg
sns Of this force On the Chattanooga SIDE which is
l0es preciptous, o road Of easy grade had been
made communicating with the summit by Gg- |
As hnes running diagona!y up the mountain I, SIDE,
sad believed that before our troops should gain
nessessiou 81 this the enemy the top would eyacuae
rs position to avoid being cut of from his main BODY
% rsjOin which would involve march OF twenty OF
skirty miles.
Viewed from vhateye point Lookou; Mountain, with
ns high palisaded crest and its steep. rugged roeAy
si@ 10 advance, and when 10 these natural obeta-
oes added almost interminsbie, well planned and
vel constructed defenses held by Americans, the as
sarlt became enterprise worthy OF the ambition end
rasswn OF the troops 10 " hon 1t was intrusted.
On the northern slope. midway between the summit
nd the Tennessee. plateau or belt OF arsbie land en-
pi,es the crest There continuous line Of oaTthvoTEs
bpS been thrown up while redoubts redans and pits
.peared lower down the slope. ~ repel assault from
for batteries walls of stone and sbatti 20
rssist attacks from either the Chattanooga or Lookout
valley In the valleys themselves, were earthworks
sf stil greater extent
ceary commenced his movement ss instructed. He
srsased the creek at O'Clock captured the entire picket
f " men posted TO defend H. marched directly up the
rasxntain, uau his rlEht rested On the psa1es aLo
headed down the valley.
hsey With brisk skiTmishng; drove the enemy nom
tAe bridge and st proceeded 10 put II in repair
The firing at this point alarmed the Rebels end IN
neSiatey their columns we're seen fling down the
ruosntain from their camps and moving into ther rife
hrpastUOrka the numbers grtQb
hhsd themselves behind the embankment Of the ralI
road which enabled them without exposure. 70 sweep
vsh Ere Of musketry the fed over which our rooPs
would be compelled 70 march for distance OF three Or
Eur hundred yards.
These dispositions distinctly visible and as n
kties for avoiding them close at hard OsteThaUs
WIS directed TO send brigade under Of the hills
sD< trees, about eight hundred yards higher up the
creek, and prepare crossing at that point Ills ws
fngsdier- General WOodss brigsd
Soon after this, Cruft was ordered 70 leave q
sufficient force at tte bridge 70 engage the al,
Ssno. Of S. ne eoeTy; and w of the nx,s psanSe Gi
section Of bowitEers planted 70 enlede the pcai
tons the enemy had taken. aud Osterhaus established
cetOn Of 2Oponnder PARROTS cnhlade the route by
which the enemy had left bis camp The battery on
Baa Hill enflsded the railroad and highway leading 10
chattanooga and 81 the batteries and sections Of bat
bfies had direct enlading IRE. within easy range,
0a az the postoSs taken BY shs Rebels Besides the
Spopnder Parrots could be used with good effect on
me Rebel camps on the side Of the mountain. With
sh,s disposition Of the artillery II was believed we would
be able prevent the enemy from dspatohng relief TO
spPose Gesry. a1a also keep him from running away.
At II o'clock Woods had completed his bridge Ges
~ lines appeared close BY his skrInishers snsrtly en-
gagged and al the guns opened. Woods and Grose then
eFfsDg across the rver ioined Gesrys left and moved
dswn the valley few Of the enemy escaped from the
artillery fire, and those who did upon our infantry
ana were captureA. The balance Of the Rebel forces
were killed or taken prisoners-msny OF them remaining
IN the bottom Of thek p for safety until forced out by
enr men.
Simultaneous with these operations the troops ON he
Desntn r9snea on In their advance the right passing