The New York herald., 1878-08-16
More Conflicting Accounts OF
Western Battles.
INDICATING FIGHTING JOE.
Bravery of the Skirmish Line at
Lookout Noun ain.

FIGHTING ON THE PLATEAU.
TO EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-'
/ have been greatly amused and at times highly In
terested In the various descriptions OF the battle Of
Lookout Mountain. AS SO many witnesses and as
participants dner in regard TO the scene OF the
battle and the combatants, II may not be unnterest-
Ing to your readers to the impressions OF the
officer who led the skirmish limo from the formation
pt the battle line TO the last rally beyond the Craven
House the plateau.
AS Judge Advocate Of General John W. Geary's d.
vision, the Second division OF Socum's Twelfth army
corps, then under the immediate charge OF General
Joseph Hooker, became thoroughly oonversant with
every regiment IN the division On the morning of
November "a 1868, met General Geary at early
nour ana having heard of tho probable assault upon
Lookout, requested permission to lead the skrmisn
line, to which no assented. / thereupon reported
to Colonel David Ireland, commanding the Third
New York brigade, and was ordered to my own regi-
ment, the 1929 New York, with instructions to take
out the right wing as skrmishers, tho left wing,
under Colonel Jamos G. Lane. In quick support.
Geary's division at this time CONSISTED OF three
brigades-the First, OF Ohio men the Second, OF
Pcnnsylvanians; the Third, of New York soldiers In
tue crossing OF Lookout Creek, after the capture OF
the Confederate picket Ine the Pennsylvania brigade,
having The right was the lrst TO cross, ascending tho
slope L the palisades by the flank following Them
came tho New Workers. forming The centre, ana then
regiments composing the Pennsy vania brigade were
The Twenty eighth, Twenty-pinth, l09th, l1lth and
CONSISTED OF the SixIeth seventy eighth 1921
137tn and l49th, the Seventy-eightn IN re-
serve. The 0nio brigade consisted OF the Fifth,
Seventh, Twenty y-nintn ana Sixiy-sixth regiments
The reserves remained IN the valley OF the Wau-
batchee, ut which point we had located ate. the
severe nght light OF Geary's troops, In The month OF
October preceding, whcL Longstrects onslaught had
been repused. The valley OF the wauhaichee Is To-
Gated directly under the mountain OF Lookout, and
bet RnCcCOu Frequently.
10 the capture oil Lookout the large gun on the nose
OF Inc latter sent its lis low ara our camps
but committing no damage. Riding around frequently
in the valley and looking toward the summit OF
LOOKOUT lis toriincauons aud defenders in PLAIN
sight, became thoroughly conversant with It's gen.
erai geography ana appearances. These nave been
gwen 30 frequently nnu well tna do not propose TO
describe tnein here, but merely 10 suggest tDat my
object in requesting tho lead OF the skirmish line was
that, In my estimation with my knowledge OF The
topography OF tho mountain assault by our troops
meant hazardous duty and death or woundlng 10 all
concerned. and, as expressed IL to General Gcary,
wish to 20 down In tne front line and not sec the
SlnughteL" sE4
To return, however, 10 The limo Of battle. Upon
reaching the palisades the PennsyIvanaps moved
BY the lott nank, hugsngi the clns the
View Workers. and Ohio boys joining in the
forward movement. whittakcr's DIVISION IN reserve
and following. The skirmish line had started The
meantime aud at one time Was nearly u quarter oil
mile IN advance OF the man hne. AS ,he line ad-
vanced and the slight INST which had obscured the
palisades was ed The rebel picEeis discovered our
movement ana macy sno,s were hurled at US even nc
fore came IN contact with the main skrnsh line.
Except occasional shot from outlying picket VIC
met with little resistance until our approach toward
thc nose Of the mountain. Here received a cneck
aud the nrng beca me prsk but The order to owardo
the men, ana We plunged forward with cheers,
coming IN view OF the works OF the enemy. From
these witherng nrc greeted US, replied to by
the skrmsbers Win their rides aud yes and cheers.
Wne this was gong on ana the ines closing up. the
Pennsylvania brigade, tar above us the slope,
pouring down In The rear OF the rebel WORKS, and
bsterhaus who had crossed above us on the creek,
1oininR with the Ohio men pushed at the front OF the
works Taken on both Hanks and rear tho enemy fed
precpitately, abandoning their inrenhnents. rifles
and batic 1ags, l300 men oil Walthaiis
brigade laying down their arms in surrender, but
many escaping TO hight US or possession oi the pla
teau aud the White House. The skirmish limo Kept
pressing tho Confederaies firing from palisades and
rifle pits, until tho plateau MAS gained. Win loud
cheers our men pressed on regardless OF The sharp
fire OF the enemy, until the Craven House was
reached sud two pieces o artillery captured. Just
beyond the house The woods aud rocks were dense
anu nlled with sharpsbooplers In some lorce. We
charged this limo repeatedly, but did not succeed In
forcing our way While thus engaged and sliiI skir
misnng ncrcoy the OHIO brigade, uuder the mand
OF the gallant Creighton oil the Seventh OHIO regf-
ment, appeared III iiue OF battle and moving to tho
front CON mencsd n heavy voiume OF lire into The
woods From the wbislng OF tue Dalls Dy our heads
IN reply TO our own fire judged that the enemy
In the woods In large numbers. Night cosed on the
scene OF Contest and our troops never got beyond tho
line OF the woods little In advance OF the Craven
House.
enme In sight Of The rebel works was incessaDt
continuing IRON curly In the morning unuI late
wounded roth Sides l opinc that every man
of Tho magnificent soldiery there engaged Will
feel that entitled call battle. From
the results the capture OF men, artillery, small arms,
battle 1ags anu the opening Of the way TO our charge
Bragg's lett at Mission Ridge on the next day, No.
vcmbcr 25 not one tittIe OF honor should be taken
fr.m magnificent old nghung general, Joe
HooKerl Hc deserves all the crcdi, attached, aud
that credit was hardly calamity won by his men un
der bs orders aud dr. eciioD.
In moving along The slope deep gullics greeted US
Ut every few steps hgn wills barred our passage,
Ihe mon we're CO ompced at times TO haul themselves
Mp the ascending grades by hard manual puiiing at
~. ue nding twcs In The morning slight rain mist
a. gQnrp nd hA lllf fsndn
afternoon, whie the OHIO brigade was hrinf, Chatia-
nooga was obscured from our view by rain mists.
leading 10 the Impression of cioudincss ou General
Neigs' part IN his apt telegram But he was right,
tor We could not be iron thc town, nor could VIC
See II.
1 have participated la many engagements during
tbe late war; but cannot recall one In which sharper
place than was met by our boys on tho plateau aud
The charges beyond the Craven House. Fifteen years
Of time have scarcely d'mmci my recollection OF ANY
part OF the engagement, aud though TINS sketch IS
con dmore feet tnat cvcry man engaged VIII bear out
l,s irulh. Yours truly, LEWIS X. srEGhAN.
BRooKLrs, august IA, 1875.
ANOTHER LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN VETERAN WHO
AGREES WITH GENERAL GRANT, THAT 1T
WAS NOR BATTLE BUT GRAND AS
sAULT-soME INSIDE HISTORY OF WESTERN
CAMPAIGNING.
70 rnh EDITOR rHK HERALD:-
Tho proportions that the discussion In regard to tho
battle ot Lookout Mountain have assumed, aud the
tor to the editor OF the Tribune Of tue 5th inst, by
William y. q. Shanks, ana reprinted In the HERALD
H SATURDAY, has caused mo to look up letter upon
that bsttlc-written Tor the Grand Army Gdzctte Of
May 1s74-whicn / tako tnc liberty OF sending you.
This letter called forth by Of some
member OF tho Eighth kentucky, "that he had
planted the Stars and stripes LOOKOUT" II Is but
naurn that soldiers should night their battles ut
reunions and gatherings, but l never dreamed
much iuss would bc made about what was but
brilliant dash compared to Antetam, Cnanceilors-
viiw, Gettysburg. or even Slaughter Mountain, but
wbiou In turn ranked high IN the nds OF Western
troops, AZ witness the remarks OF those troops after
she engagcm ent ''fou have redeemed yourselves"
ssGood Boysin Bandbox soldiers can ngh too oh' &c.
II viii bo rememb that when we lett tue Army
of the Potomac VIC received uniforms at Washing
isu and Eastern troops would never the horrid