The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-11-28
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN.
Part Taken by osterhnus's Division In the BAIT


rade finally adds: +" 1t would be relief if we
could hear from some of 0sterhauss men on the
subject"
Now / expect you will have more letters than
| you can publish, for no doubt there are
many of Osterhaus's men yet living and taking
| The NATIONAL TRIBUNE.
Yes, Osterhaus's Division was there, Com
rade Helder, and | suppose formed Hooker's
left, consequently would be nearest you. After
the railroad line was broken, our corps
| 1.-THE Fifteenth had come from Vicksburg,
Miss by way of Memphis and Corinth. Our
division being in the at this time, and
coming TO the Tennessee River very late on the
I'D OF November, camped for the night instead
of crossing over and following the other
! three divisions of Sherman's army TO the left.
! The next morning we were ordered TO assist
! Hooker IN the capture of Lookout Mountain.
1t was reported to us that the reason why we
did not 20 on to take our place with Sherman
was that the rebels, during the night had made
J raft OF logs at the foot of Lookout and IL had
noated down and broken the pontoon bridge.
How true this was have never learned, and
! shall only give short, condensed sketch of
! what saw as a member of the division, and not
| the parts all three brigades took.
| Let me quote from my diary, as sketched at
the time and not from mcmory-.and yet,
although 20 years have passed away, see
the scenes of % enacted over again. The
! grand, majestic, frowning Lookout Mountain
| towering at times above the clouds; tho line of
| blue encircling its base. Still tender memories
come over us. A comrade in boyhoOd days and
| are drinking coffee from the same cup, on
the little hill facing the railroad grade at the
! foot of Lookout, with thousand muskets
| pointing toward us.
Fal! in rings yet in my ears. We spring
into line knowing full well that amid the
storm that will burst upon US some must fall
Forward, stcady-Double-quick! F" and the
storm breaks upon us. My comrade at its first
blast Is swept down. and | leap over him and
pass on. His sacrifice TO his country there ian
Osterhaus man made it possible for the flag of
our Countrywide flag OF our whole army-to
wave the next morning from the top of Look
out Peak. o! let the living give the honor to
the noble dead. IL is the blood Of freemen
shed that makes the price OF liberty so dear.
But am wandering. i present the diary of
three days:
Sunday, Nov %, 1S63-Camped over night
near Shell Mound Station, near Nickajack
Cave. This morning fell in at o'clock. We
left all camp equipage and knapsacks took
four days rations, and continued our march.
The roads were awfully bad, We passed Raccoon
Peak and stopped ut Whitesde Station and got
supper, receiving orders 10 continue the march
at 10 at night and loaded up with 100 rounds of
cartridges, our box full, our pockets full, and
some IN our grub-sack; but We delayed in start
ing until II in the night and so our journey in
the dark aud mud WAS slow and wearisome.
7 little after daylight on Monday, Nov. %.
We stopped aud got breakfast in sight of Look
out Mountain. During the night we had seen
lights moving on the top of the Mountain. AZ
| ter breakfast we moved on again, and came TO
where the timber was cut down aud some
works thrown up. In the afternoon we heard
cannonading toward Chattanooga. IL was said
Grant was reconnoteriHg At night we camp
ed near the foot of Lookout Mountain at the
Zen frA
Fourth Divisions were across the river. We
were now near the camps of the White Star Di-
vision, oil the Twelfth Corps. aud other troops
under command of Gen. Joe Hooker
Tuesday. Nov. 24-Instead of moving on to
JOIN the rest of our army we were told the pom.
toon bridge had been broken by the rebels aud
we were to be turned over TO Hooker 10 help take
Lookout. So fall i'll was the order, aud we
faced the Mountain; climbed over quite steep
hill, then advanced up the river and took
position on little hill facing Big Lookout
not far from the river, Moecasin Point OF
10 our left In sight, my regiment (4th
Iowa. and the 18th Ill., and n battery, while
the rest climbed the mountain to the right
las was given IN THE NATIONAL TKIn-
UsE few weeks ago. yet not 80 foggy but
That could see them as they were climbing
the mountain between rs and the rebels Be.
hind the railroad guards was deep Lookout
Creek. Along It's banks were Rockers pickots
while just beyond them the rebels lined the
railroad grade at the foot Of the mountain. ali
IN good rfe-rango, yet not shot was cred.
When the right started up the mountain,
around aud out Of sight OF these fellows the
piekeis were relieved, and the fellows on
the railroad slid off behind the grade. while
our battery gave them q shell. / could now
sec at glance what our mission was We
were to hold those fellows aud let the right.
unobserved, swing around them. A noise must
be kept npso that they would not hear te right
when IL became engaged. Moccasiu Point also
sent over compliments. The right was now
steadily advancing up the rocky face OF Look.
out, driving the enemy back. aud gradually
force Was working its way 10 the rear of lilo
rebels ia our 'front.' aud then. for fear they would
hear the noise, six companies Of our regiment
were ordered 10 charge down the hill 10 Look.
out Greek to engage them. or rather DO a target
for them TO shoot at, aud hold their atten.
ton 10 the front. We started down oil the
double quick, a shower Of balls greeted us at
every jump, and quite Il number Of the boys
fell. John smith, first man TO my left was shot
through the heart aud instantly killed, falling
right In front OF me. / ieapcd over him aud
passed on. James Baker another of our com.
pany, was shot through the knee When We
came 10 the creek we lay down IN the big
weeds for We could not cross the creek Our
men from behind, OH tho little hill where We
started, shot over us with cannon aud Inuskets.
Our line on the right was fast closing around
these fellows. They soon found il out and beat
nasty retreat; yet quite Il number were can't
ured. We then buried our dead and cared for
the wounded, our men holding part OF the
mountain. We then fixed Il crossing and COM
menced the ascent Of the mountain. We passed
through some heavy, misty clouds and on above
them, aud went on in the front line 10 relieya
some other regiments who were out of ammuni-
ton, our right resting against the high rocks
OF the peak of Lookout Here VIC remained in
the cold until midnight, aiming at the FIRE from
the rebel guns. About 10 o'clock quiet reigned.
and got under big rock for part protection
lIoln the cold, when all at once the whole rebel
line opened IRE, and seemingly very close vet
not directly IN front OF us, as We were too near
the top. We directed our fire TO the left. IL
seemed as though the fire from the guns almost
met aud for about 10 minutes the whole sida
OF the mountain was lit up by the blaze of
thousands OF muskets Finally the 6rine ceased
on the left, and while was wondering whether
the rebs had driven our men back a voice called
out down our line! " Hey! rebs, don't you want
TO charge again?"
About ii o'clock the firing entirely ceased,
and at midnight two regiments coming 10
relieve us at the front, we fell back a short
distance and built up big fires, as il was pretty
cold on The nigh mountain, and we had some.
thing TO eat, the frat since early morning and
then endeayored 10 sleep little by curling
around the fire.
Wednesday. the 25th, in the morning. the
rebels were gone, and the flag of our country
iioated from the peak of Look out OsterLausis