The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-04-28

The firing at this point alarmed the reb-
els, and Immediately their columns were
seen filing down the mountain from their
camps and moving into their rihe-pits and
breast works. At the same time numbers
established themselves behind the e1abank-
ment of the railroad, which enabled them,
without exposure, to sweep, with FIRE Of
musketry, the field over which our troops
Would be compelled to march for q distance
Of three or four hundred yards.
These dispositions were distinctly Wis bic,
and as facilities for avoiding them were
close ut hand, 0sterhsus was directed 70
send q brigade, under cover Of the hills
and trees, about eight hundred yards high
er up the creek, and prepare e crossing at
that point. This was Brigadier General
Woods brigade.
Soon after this Cruft was ordered to leave
a sufficient force at the bridge 70 engage the
attention Of the enemy, and for the balance
Of Crosses brigade tO'follow Woods. Mean
while section Of howitgers was planted 70
enfilade the positions the enemy had taken
and OsterhsGs established a section of
twenty FOUNDER PARROTS, TO enflade the
route by which the enemy had left his
camp. Tho battery on Bald Hill enfladed
the railroad and highway leading to Chat
tenoOga, and all the batteries and sections
of batteries had direct OF enflading fire,
within easy range, on all the positions tax
en- by the rebels. Besides, the twenty
FOUNDER PARROTS could be used with good
effect on the rebel camp on the side Of the
mountain. With this disposition Of the ar
tillery il was believed we would be able to
prevent the enemy from dispatehing relief
TO oppose Gesry, and also keep him from
running away.
At eleven o'clock Wood had completed
his bridges. Geary's lines appeared close
by, his skirmishers smartly engaged, and
ell the guns opened. Wood and Crosse then
sprang across the river, joined Gesry's left,
and moved down the valley. A few Of the
enemy escaped from the artillery fire, and
those who did, ran upon our infantry, and
were captured. The balance Of the rebel
forces were killed or taken prisoners-many
of them remaining in the bottom Of their
pits for safety, until forced out by our men.
Simultaneous with these operations the
troops on tho mountain rushed on in their
sdvance-the right passing directly under
the muzzle ofthe enemy's guns on the summit
climbing over lodges and boulders-up
mill and down, furiously driving the enemy
from his camp, and from position after posi-
ton. This lasted until twelve o'clock, when
Geary's advance heroically rounded the peak
Of the mountain.
Not knowing to what extent the enemy
might be reinforced, and, fearing, from the
rough character Of the field of operations,
that our lines might be disordered, direc-
tions had been given for the troops TO halt
on reaching this high ground; but, fred by
success, with a flying, panic stricken enemy
before them, they pressed petuously for
Ward-CObhsm's brigade occupying the
high ground on the right between the enc
my's main line of defence on the plateau,
and the Enthusiastically piled them
with FIRE frcin above and behind-while Ire
lands brigade was vigorously rolling them
up on the falkland both closely supper
ted by the brigades of Whittakerand Creigh-
ton, our success was uninterrupted and ire
sistible.
Before losing the advantages the ground
presented US, the enemy had been reinfor-
ced. Meantime, after having secured
the prisoners, two Of 0sterhaus' regiments
had been sent forward on the Chattanooga
road, and the balance Of his and Cruft's Di-
visions had joined Geary. All the rebel eff
forts to resist US only resulted in rendering
our success moro thorough. After two or
three short but sharp conflicts, the plateau
Yves cleared-the enemy, with his reinforoe-
ments, driven from the walls and pits
around Craven house, the last point at which
he could mako s stand in iOrce--al bro
ken and dismayed, we're hurled in great
numbers over the rocks and precipiceS into
the valley.
It was now near two o'clock, and our ope-
rationf were arrested by the darkness. The
clouds, which had lowered over and envel-
oped the summit Of the mountain during
the morning, and to some extent favored
our movements, gradually settled into the
valley, and completely yelled it from our
rriar h. h.
rounded the peak Of the mountain, il was
only from the roar Of battle, and the occa-
sional glimpse our comrades in the valley
could catch of our lines and standards, that
they knew of the strife or its progress-and
when from these evidences, our true eondi-
ton was revealed TO them, their painful
anxiety yielded to transports Of Joy, which
only soldiers can feel in the earliest mo-
ments Of dawning victory.
Deeming descent into the valley impru-
dent, without more accurate information Of
its topography, and also Of the position and
strength Of the enemy, our line was estab-
lished on the east side Of the mountain, the
right resting on the palisades, and the left
near the mouth Of Chattanooga creek, and
this We strengthened by all the means at
hand, working until four o'clock, when the
Commander of the Department was inform
ed that our position was impregnable.
During all Of these operations the bate
ries on Moceasin Point, under Captain Nay
lor, had been busily at work from the north
bank Of the Tennessee river, and had, con-
tributed IS much 70 cur assistance as the ir-
regularities Of the ground, and the state Of
the atmosphere, would admit Of.
From our position we commanded the
enemy's lines Of defence, stretching across
Chattanooga valley, by sn sn6lading fire,
and also, by direct FIRE, many Of his camps,
some Of which were in our Immediate vi
entity Also, direct communication had
been opened with Chattanooga, and at
quarter past Eve o'clock, Brig. Gen. Carlin,
i4th Corps, reported to me with his brigade,
and was assigned TO duty On the right Of the
line, to relieve 0esry's command, almost
exhausted with the fatigue and excitement
incident 70 their unparalleled march.
To prevent artillery being brought for
ward, tho enemy had undermined the road
and covered il with felled timber. This VISA
rspsiredand placed in serVieeable condition
before morning. During the day, and until
after midnight, an irregular FIRE was kept
up along our line, and had the appearance
at one time Of an effort 10 break it. This
was on the right, and was at once vigorous
y and handsomely repealed, In this, Car
Inns brigade rendered excellent service.
His report il herewith forwarded.
Before, daylight, anticipating the with
drawRl Of the rebel force from the summit
Of the mountain, parties from several regi-
ments were dispatched 20 scale it; but 70 the
9Th Kentucky must belong ths distinction Of
having been foremost 70 reach the crest, and
ct sun rise 70 display our flag from the peak
Of Lookout, amid the wild and prolonged
cheers Of the men, whose dauntIess vaIor
bad borne it 70 that point.
During the night the enemy had quietly
abandoned the mountain, leaving behind
twenty thousand Fstions-ths camp and
garrison equiPags Of thres brigsdss-asd
other material
An impenetrabls mist still covered the
face Of valley. Prisoners reported that the
enemy had Gbandoned Il, but, deeming il
imprudent 10 descend, reoonnoissSncs
report came in that the rebels bad retired,
but that their pickets still held the right
bank Of Chattanooga Greek, in the direction
and nothing vGs 20 be seen IN the valley,
but the deserted and burning camps Of the
enemy.
items may be snameratsd-ths eoncsntra-
ton Of the Grmy-ths abandonment Of de-
fences upwards Of eight miles in extent
ton the enemy had gained from our army
On the bloody feld Of ChieksmauEa, giving
70 as the undisputsd navigation OF the
capture Of between two and three thousand
u srtiliery-uPwards Of Eve thousand !
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