The National tribune., 1886-02-04
AROUND CHATTANOOGA.
Lockout Mountain, Mission Ridge, and Rnggold.


To THE EDITOR: Having served nearly three
years in the First Division, Fifteenth Corps, /
desire TO give your readers a short account of
the part our division had in the above mcmor-
able engagements over % years ago; and more
especially do | wish to speak of our movements
there for the reason that quite a number of old
comrades ofother organizations not being aware
that our division Was Temporarily detached from
the Fifteenth Ccrps) contend that Joe Hook
er's Twentieth Corps alone did the fighting on
the mountain above the clouds" We arrived
III Lookout Valley the evening OF Nov. 23, 1863,
and camped scarcely out Of range of the enc
my'S guns on the mountain, expecting to pro-
coed at daylight to Browns Ferry, with the
other divisions of the Fifteenth Corps, and join
in Gen. Shermau's movement on the extreme
left at Missionary Ridge. But we GOT left on
this occasion, owing to the damage done the
poatoons by the enemy, who during the night
loated trees and other Instructions down the
river. thereby OBTAINING rs Gen. Osterhaus
at once got orders to join the left of Hooker S
Corps i'll the assault OH Lockout Mountain.
At 8 a. IN. we succeeded in crossing Lookout
Creek, at the base OF the mountain, under cover
of our batteries DE GresSs 4th Ohio, and +,
LIST Mo-, which vigorously shelCd the enemy
for an hour, while we advanced onward and
upward among rocks and trees, behind which
many of the enemy surrendered when they
found themselves outilanked, while our boys
swept around the point to the eastern slope,
near the Craven House.
Col. James Peck ham, of my regiment, was
here seriously wounded, besides many others.
The clouds seemed 80 envelOp the mountain
top around u.s. and many of our boys became
confused and lost from their regiments for a
time At about ( y. IN, after assisting Ii wound
ed cOmT;ide, i wandered about in search of my
command. and soon found myself ia the ranks
of the Goth n. Y. and 18th Pa, OF the Twenti-
eth Corps At that moment destructive VOL
ley from the enemy on the mountain-top over
our heads caused very serious loss in those
regiments, especially in the former. | skipped
from that corner rs SOON as practicable, and
found my regiment a hundred yards below,
where We remained for the night among a score
of dead bodies. The morning of the 18th opened
up clear and frosty on the mountain. while
shouts rent the air as we behed the Stars and
Stripes waving from the summit of Lookout,
and the thunder Of SEerman's guns away across
Chattanooga Valley answered us back. and sig
nifed that the ball was already opened on Mis-
sionary Ridge, and soon we were marching
down the eastern slopes of Lookout and away
up the valley towards Rossville Gap while the
great battle OF Missionary Ridge was raging on
our left. Approaching the gap our division was
met by a lively Smelling, causing some loss, but
we fled oil by the right flank nearly half a
mile, then in line OF battle over the ridge and
by the left to the rear of the gap, and up the
Cleveland road miie directly in rear of the
enemy's position on the ridge, where we ran
right into considerable body of them endeav-
oring TO escape with part of their artillery,
which We succeeded in capturing, together with
a large number of prisoners
Our division encampcd for the night near
Bragg's headquarters on the ridge, thus COM
pleting one of the greatest victories of the war.
On the 26th We moved out in the direction of
Ringgold, passing over portion of the battle
field of Chickamauga, where we found number
of the withereG remains Of our soldiers in blue
still unburicd. The morning of Nov. % we
approached the East Chickamauga near Ring
gold, Ga. The enemy was discovered in strong
! force occupying Tay!or's Ridge overlooking
the town on ne east Our First Division being
in advance, was ordered to ford the stream
and al once to charge through the streets to
the ridge occupied by the division of Gen. Pat
ClebGrne. Oar men advanced in splendid
form till the base Of the ridge was reached,
when they were met by murderous Ere from
the enemy concealed III the pines and under
growth in the sap and from their strong posi-
ton on the ridge Col. Waugeiin's Missouri
Brigade lost heavily in the charge in front OF
the gap where the enemy had two pieces of
artillery, the 29th losing a total of 81 men out
of the eight companies GAO mem engaged,
including seven Of our officers killed and
wounded. The 4th and 9th Iowa, of Col. Will
liamson's Brigade. which charged up the ridge
farther 10 our left, also suffered severely, but
held their ground, while the brigade of Col.
William B. Wood succeeded in turning the
enemy's right Oh the ridge, completely dislodg-
ing him. Oar whole line now advanced, the
enemy rapidly retreating to Dalton. We &C.
cupied Ringgo!d, a town of some 1000 nhabit-
ants, the remainder of that day, when we re-
turned 10 Chattanooga, and after a few days
rest resumed our march westward TO Hunts
vile, Ala, and vicinity, where we went
into camp for the Winter, and to prepare cur
selves for the great Atlanta campaign COM
mencing May l, lS64.-J. r. TIsDALE, Chilli
cothe, No.