The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-10-24
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN.


above, but in the clouds, or fog, as ii was 20 us
who were there. Descriptions of it Mt second
hand have been printed heretofore. Perhaps
description Of il by one who was in the fore
front Of il may be worth making aud reading.
I once saw ut a fair in Boston what pretended to
be painting OF this battle; but it was as COM
plete falsity as painter could conc0ct. There
was nothing true in IT, The real event was
splendid. wonderful, extraordinary. perhaps un-
paraleed. l would that il might 90 down TO
history such as ii really was.
The battle cannot be understood without the
lay Of the land is known. Let me try TO make
that lay OF the land as plain as we can in
words.
Lookout Mountain is a wedge Of rock some
so miles long, rising several hundred feet out
OF the valley. and standing TO the northeast
aud southwest with the edge of the wedge TO
the northward. The sides are as steep rs
house-ro0f aud thiuly wooded. The top is a
plateau, which by freak Of nature has been
lifted up 80 as 10 make perpendicular wall of
rock about 80 feet high something like the
Palisades on the Hudson. and extending along
the western side as far as the eye can reach.
The edge of the wedge iuts out into the valley,
forming a high, perpendicular precipice, around
which The Tennessee River rolls. At the foot
OF the mountain. along each side. consider
able stream flows, the two emptying into the
Tennessee not far apart. From the top of the
precipice the edge OF the wedge slopes steeply
mp TO the foot of the palisade-lke wall of rock,
forming distinct nose The battle was along
the western slope, and around the nose 10 the
east aud south.
The Second White Starr Division. Twelfth
Corps. were camped on the Wauhatchie hills a
mountainous hight a mile or two rs the crow
flies 10 the north and little westward from
lookout Mountain. 1t was commanded by
Brighten. John w. GeaTy, a man who, once
known. woald never be forgotten Six feet
T.vTl
weighing some go pounds, and finely formed,
be sat a horse the most superb knightly man
ever saw; aud he was as brave aud gracious
as be was large and strong.
Tuesday morning, Nov q, 1863, broke low
cry and cherries. Dali. leaden clouds STROUD
ed all the mountains aud hung low and heavy
in the valley. We had been enjOined, So BE
always ready and were looking for a move
mcnt SO il was no surprise when early that
morning the Adiutant passed around, giving
the order: =" Move iH 30 minutes with one day
rAtions and no knapsacks or blankets" AT
O'Clock we filed ont Of camp. Winding down
The steep paths along the mountain-sides. we
moved right across the valley 10 the south
ward in silence. all the way through thick fog.
A short march brought rs near 10 Lookout
M0uHtai8 Creek, which lows close along the
western foot OF the mountain, to where,
ccaled by hill. our division was formed closed
IN mass. As we stood il was talked about in
low tones among the men that the day before
tile rebel picket who had been on guard at the
ford where the mountain road crosses the
stream. had been driven away, aud was now a
halt mile back mp that road on the mountain
slope toward the edge of the wedge. The fog
was so thick that nobody among the rebels
could sec any Of our movements; aud we were
SO still and the rebel pickeis so far away that
they heard not nor knew what we were doing
S00a word passed around among the men
again. " We are 10 storm Lookout Mountain"
Hardly could q task have been assigned us
which seemed more difficult, dangerous. and
appalling. But our hoB0red Division General
was there. and we felt confident that whai ever
was TO be done uBder his direction would be
done in the best way; for he WAS no blum
derer.
Again word passed around that our First
Division had gone 60 the other end of the line
Of our army TO act with Sherman. and that the
division Of Gen. Osterhaus from sherfnan's
Command was 20 take its place. After some
delay We showed 20 the stream, and saw an old
dam, washed OHt in the middle, so that the
whole stream AOwed through, and there was
no pond. The gap had been spanned by "A
BtrInEer or two OF some kind, and SO a narrow
fDotfrath had been made In single file along
the top o. the dam aud this narrow bridge we
crossed over and then stood awhile again. closed
~ uIass, waiting for the rest. Some were cross
inE above u. and soon all were over
u
less, open, thiBiF SET with scant underground
covered tie monHiAin-sidc. which stopped as
steep as a EGuserOOf up from Us 10 the pali-
saGe Ike wall Of TDck on which the top Of the
EOuulaiB lay. Through the fog we could
cimly desrry that wall; Int eastward, toward
tie rebcls, we could see nothing but the nearer
forest stripped Of leaves aud bare. Overhead
was 10 sky. No ray Of sun shone al that day.
il WAS log aud dull November. We looked up into
tie fDgs We looked about upon tire ground We
saw % or mind tile sun aud stars aud the dear
ones ~ home. We knew il would be the last Of
earth Tor some, il might bc the last for Us aud to
the sun aud tie * and the stars aud all the dear
ones at hone said go0d-by in our hearts.
Then came IA nHderlones, passed along the line,
the order 10 H0Fe.
Whoever planned the battle OF Lookout
Mountain deserves immortality. No ordinary
person would have thought Of the way Il was
done, or have deemed that way possible. The
p.aH may not have been A. original and extra
q IHafE a. the plan Of Hannibal with the oxen
aud torches. by which he destroyed Roman
array, bot IL showed the same fertility of re-
source. Evidently u was not thought Of by
the rebels, they had made no provision
against iti and il was overwhelmingly sue
ce-sfa
When the order came for us TO move. at once
the plan was disclosed. Up the steep slope Of
the mountain our command was marched By
the flank, until tie right Of the line, the See
Old Brigade, was ST well against tic paiisade
Ol rock Al the top: while 0nfs-the Third Bri-
Rade-cODtfnued the liBe down the slope. the
tifkt Brigade being IN reserve. We were told
that tic division u Ostcrhaus was to the left
yet below,
The task appointed Us seemed weIl-nigh an
imPDssibIity. the steep mountaineering was
furrgwef with deep, narrow guliies, having al
most PERCEPTIONS bauks; and was strcWn with
huge powders. Our flank was entirely pro.
tected by the wall Of rock and the enemy coul
not get dove from the tableland into our rear
but how could cur line a third Of q mile or
more long, march over such ground ana
Keep tGgetherf Besides, every advantage that
nature could give for DEFENSE every obstacle
that sine could pot In the way Of an advance
seemed 10 be there. How could we overcome
foe lying ready in It's dcfenses 10 receive as
sith such advantage ia It's fagOrY
However the line Is c0n peted, the order Il
given " F1rBard-guide right 1" aud on we 90
Who could have believed beforehand that a line
Of battle could have marched there as we did
We reach the edges Of the PERCEPTIONS gnilies
plunge down into them, scramble up out ii
ITEM aud keep right on, while frequently
buide right" 10 passed along the line and
with strict attention aud tense endeavor, every
soldier gives heed 10 the order We meet Tho
great hoElderR. and, dividing pass around them
and reuHite, keeping guide right all the time
Away along up the steep slope Of the mountain.
clear - the wall Of rock, one can see the arrav
Of soldiers. TIE line waivers and winds lils
the moving Of gigantic serpent but II does
not break. The discipline Of the Army of m,