New-York daily tribune., 1864-04-13
THE CHATTANOOGA CAMPAIGN
GENERAL GRANTS OFFICIAL REPORT.
The BATTLES of Chattanooga, Lookout Noun
tain and Missionary Ridge.
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE D
MISSISSIPPI, IN FIELD, (
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, Dec. 23, 1909

ro,ovvr. In pursuance OF General OrderS
No 397 War Department, OF date washington, oIt, ~ io
Ssea Syered TO me by the Secretary oil War at LOUIS
I'M WentTcky on the 18th Of the same MONTH as
noed command of the Military Division OF the MIS-
sioni comprising the Departments OF the ONO, the
cumberland and the Tennessee, and telegraphed the
order assuming command, together win tae orueT oi
the War Department referred TO TO MAJ zen; a; l
Burnside, at knoXNllle, anu 10 hhJ -ueh W. % V'N
Grams at Chattanooga n, ...o.o
NV action in teegraphng these orders TO
An advance of my arrival there was induced D lhl0r
ston furnished INC by the Secretary OF War OF the dl
fcntcs with which the Army of the Cumberland had TO
contend in supplying itself over long, mount2nous,
and almost impossible D5 ToSH Ss Spa T s1 Rolecrs %
woed fall back 10 the north side Of the tennessee VeI
To guard further against the possibility OF the seere
tarys fears also teegraphed 70 MAJ ten Thomas on
the 9th of October from Louisville 10 hold Chattanooga
t all hazards that would be there as soon as pos
sble. TO which he replied on same date, Il Will hold
sho town till We starve"
Proceeding directly 70 Chattanooga arrived there
on the 23d Of October and found that Gen. Thomas had
Immediately on being placed III command OF the De
partment Of the Cnmberand ordered the concentration
Of Mai Gen. Hookers command at bridgeport prepar
atOTy to securing the river and main. wagon foau
between that place and Browns Ferry, lmmeulaty
below Lockout Mountain. The next morning. after my
arrival AT Chattanooga in company with Ihoinas ana
Brig.Gen. w. +. Smith, Chief efEngneer, made arecon
nossance Of Browns Ferry and the hills on the sGhth
aide Of the river and at the mouth Of Lookout valley
After the reconnaissance the plan agreed upon was lor
Hooker to at Bridgeport 10 the soula siae Of .o
river with al the force that could be spared from the
railroad and move on the main wagon road BY way oi
Whitesides 10 Wuuhatche in Lookout valley. MaJ'0en
Palmer was TO proceed by the only practicable rone
north OF the river his position opposite Chatanoo
80 10 point the north bank of the Tennessee TFe
and opposite Wbitesides then TO cross TO the south sde
20 hold the road passed over by HOOKER.
In the mean time and before the enemy could be ap
prised of our intention force under the direction OF
Brig. Gen. w. +. Smith, Chief Engineer, was to De
thrown the river at or near Browns ferry 10
reizo the range of hills at the mouth Of Lookout Naey
covering the Browns Ferry road and orders were
II was known that the enemy held the north end of
Lookout Valley with brigade of troops and the road
leading around the foot OF the mountain from their
man camp in Chattanooga Valley TO Lookout valley
Holding these advantages, he would have had little dim.
Guilty IN concentrating sufficient force 10 have defeated
driven him back To remedy this the seizure OF the
range of hills the mouth Of Lookout Valley and COW
ering the Browns Ferry road was deemed of the high
est Importance. This by the use OF pontoon bridges at
Chattanooga and Browns Ferry would secure TO u.s. by
the north bank Of the rive. across Mockesin Point
shorter line by which TO reinforce troops In Look
out Valley than the and tOrtuous road around
the foot of Lookout Mountain afforded the enemy forre
The force detailed for this expedition consisted of
four thousand men, under command of Gen. Smith,
Chief. gineer, eighteen hundred Of which, under
Brig Gen. Ii. B. Hazen, in sixty pOntOOn boats, con
tanning thirty armed each, foated quietly from
Chattanooga past the enemy's pdets TO the foot Of
Lookout Mountain the night Of the 27th Of October
landed the south side of the river at Browns Ferry
surprised the enemys pekets stationed there, and
seized the hills covering the ferry without the loss of
killed, and but four or five wounded The remain
der OF the forces. together with the materials for
bridge. moved by the north Dank OF the river
across MOckGsn Point TO Browns Ferry, without at
tracing tic attention Of the enemy; and before day
davned the whole force erried TO the south bank
Of the river and the almost inaccessible nights rising
from Lookout Valley at lis outlet 10 the river. and
below the mouth Of Lookout Creek, were secured.
BY 10 O'Clock a. m. excellent pontoon bridge was
laid across the river at Browns Ferry thus securing 70
us the end of tho desired road nearest the enemys
forces and the shorter line over which to pass troops
battle became inevitable. Positions were taken up
by our troops from which they could not have been
driven except by vastly superior forces and then only
with great loss TO the enemy. Our artillery placed
in such position TO completely command the roads
leading from the enemy's main camp in Chattanooga
Valley to Lookout Valley.
On the 2sth, Hooker emerged into Lookout Valley ct
Wauhachie, by the direct road from Bridgeport by
way Of Whtesdes TO Chattanooga with the llth Army
Corps under MajOrGep Howard. and Geary's division
OF the 18th Army Corps and proceeded TO take up po
etODs for the defense OF the road rom Nhltesides,
over which he had marched, and also tbe road leading
nom Browns Ferry to Keney's Ferry, throwing the
eft of Uoward's corps forward 10 Browns Ferry.
The division that started under command of Palmer
for Whtesides reached Its destination and took the
position intended in the original plan Of this movement
These movements, successfully executed secured 10
Us two comparatively good lines by which 20 obtain
supplies from the terminus Of the railroad at Bridge
port, namely the main wGgon,road by way OF White,
sidos Wauhatehie and Browns Ferry distant but q
miles and the Kelley Ferry and Browns Ferry road
which, by the OF the river from Bridgeport u
Eelleys Ferry reduced the distance for wagoning TO
but eight miles
Up TO this period. our forces at Chattanooga were
pracicaly invested, the enemys lines extending from
the tennessee RIVER uDONc
and below the point Of Lookout Mountain below Chat
fanooga with the south bank Of the river pickeed 10
bridgeport his main force being fortified in Chat
fanooga Valley al the foot Of aud Missionary Ridge
and Lookout Mountain and brigade in Lookout Val
lev. True held possession Of the country north Of
the river but il from 20 10 20 miles, the most
impracucable roads 10 army supplies !
The artillery horses and mules had become 80 reduced
by starvation that they could not have been relied upon
for moving ANYTHING. An attempt at retreat must have
been with alone and with Only such supplies as
they could carry. retreat would have been almost
certain annihilatOD for the enemy, occupying positions
within unshOt Of and overlooking very fOrtifca-
tiOns, would unquesOnably have pursued TetIeatng
forces Already more than ten thousand animals had
pershed in supplying half rstions 10 the troops by tie
long and tedious route from Stevenson and Bridgeport
70 Chattanooga Waldrous Ridge. They could not
have been supplied another week.
The enemy evidently fully apprsed OF our condi-
ton IN Chattanooga, and Of the necessity Of our estab
hshiDg and shorter line by which TO obtain sup
plies If we would maintain our positions and fully
was be impressed of the importance Of keeping from
these ineslost 10 him by surprise and In manner he
little dreamed Of-hat in order 10 regain possession Of
them, night attack was made by portion Of Long
streets forces portion Of lockers troops Georges
division Of 18th CorpD the first night after Hookers
arrival In tie valley. The attack failed however and
Howards corps which moving to the assistance !
MGeary, finding that 10 not required by him.
RED the remaining nights held by the enemy west Of
Lookout Creek This gave us quiet possession Of the
hnes OF communication heretofore described south Of
the Tennessee River. OF these operations 1 cannot
speak more particularly the subreports having been
sen 70 Washington without passing through my hands
by the use OF two steambOats-onc of which had been
set az Chattanooga by the enemy and fell into our
bAhuh anu one that had been built BY by ut Bridge
Pcit anu heileys Ferry--we were enabled 10 obtain
tuPPhes Win but eight miles of wagOning The cana. |
eity Of the railroad and slesmboas WAS not snaicrt
suffering was prevented ~ " 'N'
Asser,aning from scouts nd deserers that Bragg
him IN the direction Of Knoxvino Tenn o,-idna,,