Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-01-15
Correspondents for the Delaware eA1stts.
Frsn send Regiment.
LooKoUr VALLEY, TENNESSEE,
December goth, 1853.

% AR. EBfTOR =
si Not often in the annals of war have bee
a recorded greater achievements. with an equ;
If loss, than those accomplished within the fou
e weeks Just past by the combined armies con
e manded by General Grant. Within a bri,
: and comparatively bloodIess campaign {
2 twenty-five days, some Of the most formidabl
e sfrongholds on the continent, have been wreste
from the rebels. East Tennessee has been pei
), usinentiy redeemed to the Union, and the inso
: Lent army Of Bragg has been discounted an
!, compelled to seek safety in disgraceful fight
e Ard yet the Inherent grandeur OF these re
0 suits can scarcely challenge more of our ad
8 miration than the skill, vigor, intrepidity ant
harmony OF movements by which they wer
2 achieved.
On the calm and beautiful morning of Sun
2 day November 22d, the Sd Division of tht
, flIth Army Corps. received the stirring order
: to march to Chattanooga at ] 80 P. NJ. A
the time stated our long, blue lines Of I1fan
try, began fling out or their camps and wind
Ting up through the valley. The rebels from
their eyrie o1 Point Lookout watched our
movements and al each opportunity sent q
hnrtliug shell 10 execute puerile vengeance
upon some detachment or train that Eentured
within range. But we had listened too long
to the sbrieking of those savage but generally
harmless messengers from our "erring breth-
ren," to care much for this parting testimony
of ill-will. Encamped for weeks under the
very muzzles of those guns without suffering
but few casualties, we had learned to despise
those frantic efforts at our destruction.
Night had fallen, and the Moon cleaned on
the water ard illuminated the gorgeous land
seape. as we tramped over the long pontoon
bridge across the Tennessee. Passing under
the dark shadows of the cliffs, we asccnded to
the pleteau, upon which Chattanooga is built,
and bivouaced under the guns of Fort Wood
1t began to be whispered about that the
result Of our movements would be an attack
upon the enemy's position next morning. An
early reveille aroused us before the stars had
been dimmed by the dawn yet, not until ten
A NJ, did we receive the suggestive order,to
march at a moments notice. What that
meant with the enemy's pickets within few
hundred yards of US, and his camps plainly Wis
ible on the slope OF Mission Ridge, in front,
we well understood.
At ten o'clock P. n, the troops OF the 14th
corps began to move to the front. The two
Divisions Of the 1Ith corps were formed in
columns in reserve. 1t was a magnificent
sight, seeming too much like grand review
or parade to be meant for real demonstra-
tiou against an enemy. The rebels who OBJ
served our slightest movements from Mission
Ridge and Lookout, l have DO doubt really
thought our movements only ceremonial, or
at most, mere sham demonstration or recon
noissance.
With perfect sgularity and order, the l4th
corps advanced as far as the out posts and en-
tered the neutral ground that had lAtterly Sc
parated the two armies. In breatbless sus-
.pense we watched their movements, until sud
denly white pufs of smoke are seen and the
cracking Of rifles breaks the silence. Our
skirmishers and the rebel pickets had stimuli
teneOusly fred and the first blow of this great i
eampa ign was struck The rebels bounded
back into their rifles pits, rapidly pursued by
our glorious fellows. Without scarcely a
check, forward goes he blue line, until it reach
es the base of small elevation between the
plateau of Chattanooga and Mission Ridge
The cracking OF rifles had grown almost to the
magnitude of volleys and we now anxiously
feared defeat. But no that living, moving |
wall OF blue sweeps right mp the slope, reach
es the crest and disappears into the rebel en-
trenchments, and ringing cheer announces
that the heights are ours.
It is nov our time 10 move. Schurz's Divi-
sion goes Immediately to the 'front.' and takes
its position under heavy fire from the rebel
batteries and begings diminishing with the
enemy. The fortY-tuo FOUNDERS Of Ft. Wood
fred. directly over our heads, answer savagely
TO the lighter cAibres Of our foes on Mission
Ridge. Thus the contest continues until
night closes upon the seence, and all is still
save the rattling Of axes and the clicking Of
spades. Day dawzs and hnds us immovably
fixed in our position with rife pits and abat-
It's covering the weaker points The enemy,
grows more restive and skirmish-
es with US briGky for few hours, but at
length finding we cannot be dislodged ceases
to annoy US.
In the afternooA terrific battle breaks
out upon our right. 1t is Hooker storming
Lookout. A dense fog has settled around the
mountain couceaIiug his moves nents from our
view. In the absence OF correct information
no one for an instant supposed that the fan
cied Gibralter OF the rebellion was being at
tackled By common consent it had been
agreed upon, as one OF the things our army
would never attempt TO do. But the daring
hero of " Williamsburg and his compeers Of the
Potomac were under estimated. Tina. huge,
towering pile Of rocks, though
il strengthened it could be, by !
rife pits and batteries, was actually being as
saulied by Hooker and hia dsuntess braves.
The terrific contest ended not with the day. {
Long after night had fallen and the stars had {
come forth in the clear blue sky, the quick /
ieree twinkling OF the rifles could be seen far '
lp the dark. craggy side OF Lookout. In the (
ace OF q sweeping fire Of artillery aud musket- q
y, our soldiers had gained foothold among t
hose rocks, from which they could not be driv- G
m They held their position firmly during the a
tight, and, when the day dawned, in triumph t
lnfurled from the summit their shOt-torn 6
,olorS to new baptism Of glory.
Such was abe stormiDg OF Lookout, & Y
hene. for the painter, poe, and historian, for i
III coming time, C
While these operations were going on :
Sherman was not idle With admirable cele- i,
iiy and skill he had thrown a sufficient
ofce across the river above Chattanooga, to
-ain footing upon the northern extremity OF
dlsSloD nudge, mus completely turning lhe n
nemy's right flank. The llth corps was =
low ordered to effect junction with Sher- 2
nan, and did so on the 25th, marching to him ?
rectly up the left bank Of the river. But the q
nemy defeated on every hand, was now think y
ng only OF flight. His retreat commenced
nth the darkness OF night, and by dawn, on
be 26th, he was well on his way southwark. Sc
Ie was at once followed by our army, and h,
ompeed to leave immense stores, and large 81
umbers Of guns and prisoners iu our hands. Sc