The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-10
GRANTS WESTERN CAMPAIGN.
Eye Witnesses at Lookout Mountain
Agree with the General.
NO BATTLE. NO CLOUDS.
Official Rebel Reports Confirm the Statements
in the Herald Interview.

GENERAL DUKE ON SHILOH.
no BATTLE AND NO CLOUDS AT LOOKOUT
xouNTAIx-oRAPHIc DESCRIPTION OF THE
MEMORANDA DAT By AN EYEWITNESS or
THE s4ILLIANr scxSx-RooKER's ApMrRA-
BILE PLAN OF BATTLE.
70 TIE EDIroR OF TEE NEW YOxK TRIsuSs:-
sIH-Ths very general but not altogether learned
discusso. tho nature OF the engagement al Look
cut Mountain in 1868 which has boon provoked oy
,hs remark Of General Grant to HERALD correspond
emit that "shsss NO battle u Lockout Mounton,"
IL somewhat surprising, in view OF tho fact That rev
encounters OF the rebellion have been more elaoor.
ste,y described ana illustrated than 'rhs battle above
she clouds" was present a. tho engagement In tho
capacity Of correspondent Of the NEW YORK HERALD.
I am positive that william S. Furay. then corrs-
.pondent OF the Cincinnati Gasetie, and myself
were shs only correspondents who collected their
information ON the ground, and u has been
suggested 70 me that some personal ooserva'ions
a. 70 The hght might prove Of interest Puol'shed
IN the HraALp n that time elaborate account OF
shs several combats VII ieh made up the three days
battle q. Cnaanoog and have seen little occasion
70 change the narrative then written or the eenslu-
Dions then reached
Qusrssrmastsr General Msiss, In despatch 70 Con-
eai Halleck. ofhc,aily gave the fight a. Lookout
Mountain the dignity and importance oil . battle ana
the posueai aspect Of struggle Of giants above Mo
couds General Grant il technically correct in say
ing there was no battle thsre he doubtless meant 70
mako the distinction between mere combat between
small divisions Of two armies sad general engage
msnt OF the entire forces both sides Tho truth 10
,ha. there was No battle more than an
"anair," or mSrs properly spsskias. combat"
and there clouds to nght a6ove-oLiy heavy
mist winch settled down and snvsloped the base OF the
mountain.
credit due Tor one OF brilliant manouvres OF
..ths best fought battle ofths war;" ~ General hasck
very properly dssign.'ed the oae 2. "ncs
,tls blood. that a. the time No da not ees al
sbe credit he deserved II Was me nnest WORK Grant
aver did, DON'T moan the most importaut-but Ger
tapiy the most skiliuL He issued his orders Tor the
battle, detailing The movements 70 DO executed ny
each corps Axing the sims n wni"h Ihsy were 10
be MADE three days before the battle WAS begun. l
got . copy Of that order NJ the same time tnst MS
csrps commanders recsvsd II Win the knowledge
bsisrshana OF Whist was bs done was enabled 10
aecurs o. map illustrating the several movements,
ana 'nn. map GrsaI's chef topoxrspn,osI ensi
nser, and it publbhsd precisely Ms made IN
the HsRALD Of December 2 loSa was made az
GRANTS nsxdQusrters IN Chattanooga 0ut tnink ne
knew ns,n,ng about II, though General kawlins, ns
chief oil stan, gave consent " ne preparation NOR
OF his secret orders Tor tho b,t.e Que other CORE
spot don't In Chattanooga, T. D9Sie. tbsn VI
nected win the NEW YoRx HERALD also saw this
order Of battle before It was sxscuted Ny great ad'
m,rstton for Grant the leading military mind of the
civil var Is bascd largely upon the TACT that that plan
of hattie was carried the etter AS ~ tme place
ana circumstances with Two eacepuoos. AN. n,cS
no had no control. II WAS ouly asoeher PROOF OF
hts genius Ter war that these unforeseen accidents
d,d not materially dscencert his prearfanged
plana The first change was IN the Time Of
opening the baiilsa Reports Came that Bra wa:
xoun.a,n asd Aiss,on R'Ass-ths mountains snclr-
cling Chastanooga ON two sides-pes.'ons strong
ssna can't rsmsmbsr which one Of US y was 'po.
stt,ops sIrong eneugn TO hold shcmselvsA IN oroer
ae,aa Bras. Sss enough sr ~. onp.r,s o. po
salon In front hts centre, on the afternoon Of No
vemesr e. Which no nae . s 40 xss
the passage oil the Tennessee river Inc otner
change tho plan WAS forced ~ she dsssfacuen .!
mis- pontoon bridges across The Tcpne1se River, ana
=, Wa ana sccident winch gave HoUker the oppor.
sanity for has brilliant aad euocessfui movement a.
Ieogout Meuutain For ibis part Of the battle Grant
deserves no more credit than do, ana Tor the con-
cspton OF which Hoeksr entitled 70 all ths ere ~,
All the nonors for !. Is either selfish mn,ntorm
And am assured that besn GLASSES are very arge.
Mr. 81 ,nves,msn, Of Cns,anooga II was he'll by a
s,ngie dvis,on oil rebels just excsansed alter cspu
NJ vloksSsrg, ana eonmcaaea oy oenta s'svsnsUs
Hovsra's anu OsIsrnaus' divisions, confronted me
nountain. lying 10 the valley west Of II me reoelf
Nd veil ioruAed the sspe Of the mountain It's sum
nit or crown Was OF perpendicular PALISADES, thirty
Or iorsy nigh, and cousd BE- reached only oy :
ROAD which ihe opposite side from the position
held by Hooker. rhs rebel works nrar Ihs base were
verv strong and Stevenson could have withstood the
s,rso sss.ut Of three times Hooksrs three divisions
r. vss mot Grants insenIion seriously assault sns
FORKS. bat ne had ordered Hooker 70 sena howaru's
ana Oslsrnaus' divis'sas, Under cover o. nlsnS
of the csn.rs which ''Pap" Thomas george H. wa
70 conduoL The moment Bragg weakened his centre
Hovksr with Gsary's division. vas 70 make such
asmonstra,oas against tbs rebel works ~ 70 detsiu
s,eyenscu there aad possible ssoe bragg 70 weaken
happened snat amer Howard hsa set acrsss the en-
ussses 20 Thomas' position the two poateon bridges
me [sS so w :. Hoossr va. lei. .. lie
lag Of Move ~ with Gsasy's snd Ostsrbaus divi
ssss asa ,.o detached ors.oss ss .ss me-" ~
terrupted In their march 10 the centre where tns
great movement was 10 De made under teese or
eumstaucss Grant word to Heeker thai no might
carrv Lookout Mountain u he could do so without
serious Ios. But IL wouldn't pay 70 sacrihce toe much
Hooker. 1 remember, was N rapturss. He had beer
stuay ing Lockout Tor weeks, and naa devised P'sz
capture not osiy the rebel WORKS ou. sne ,soe :.
With more than his usual snthus,asm. Inc noun
lam has curious form at rs nSt.nefh pony, "rsr'
uesssc River which NJ It's loot The pnlisade VI
brow 70 psrpsnoieular tor th'rsy or ier'y seI inc.
u souss Tor about ave hundrsd feet to "bcnch"-af
smest level stretch Of 200 feet In width, running fo
ssvsral miles southwark on BETH sioes Of inc noun
ssd Loososs Greek a. lis western base. Tho rebe
v.rrs we're iust below this "bench" on the lowe
slsps aad rau back about = mile from me Tennessee
River. Thsy did NOS lace southward inc rso9's neve
anticipaiing attack from that drccuon. hooNcf
pIau vas not only TO attack them on tnh nank, pa
II The rear also, and ssteaiy from We meanta'
above instead Of below the rebel posssoo; ana ms
practically what WAS done
Nasurs favored Rockers plan IL had begun rain
ing early Ia The mernins-a mere drzx's. however
vStch ceatnued opiy lev hours the moisture
abe cara termed . heavy mist which enveloped tn
Ss-s Of he nsunssin, slowly ASCENDING Unasr cove
m ms mtst or log Hseksr moved Geary, Wntttakc
"a l,revo several nitcs south 81 the recel works
nnd Thea marched them, stin undiscoverea, a,Iec.l
u.lisaass At the top. rhsy coad 20 no iurnef y
w,sAsu. sesass iasasra rhsre they were iermsa
sehsIen by brixsAeA the sae on the right busging
uslrssAsa and we're marched ohecsy DOR
sssia al The rear OF the rebel WORKS. Meantime osts
mans, uAd:r hosser,s d,,se.'ons was " s...a,s