The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-10-24

guns Mt all. We found scores of guns-cleau,
| bright new Enfield rifed mnskets, mute wit
nesses of England's wicked help given to the
rebelion,) lying loaded and capped, but not
| fired once; and many of those we captured said
the same as what we found. Not checked for
an instant, or hesitating, on aud on we sweep.
Suddenly, here we are right in their camps.
And what campsl What poverty and hardship
they reveal Not tent was there save few
made from pieces of rubber blanket or shelter
tents which they had gotten from our soldiers.
A few brush shelters were there also; but for
the most part there were only nests of boughs
among the rocks, with no cover from the storm.
Everything was just as they had used them.
So swiftly had we come upon them, and so
complete was the surprise, that they had taken
away almost nothing but their arms. Two or
three poor, home made blankets were found,
aud nice Enfield rife set with hand made
German silver peak-sght, which came into
my hands.
Now we draw near to the nose of the mount
ain. There il is just little way before us.
And see! our line; il is curved, with the TANKS
out to the front, like a new moon. See again
below there aud little before us is a short bit
of a log-and-eaTth breastwork, across the
mountain road. And look! see there! straight
down below US, those two clnmps of men. may
be 200 in all, with hands empty, with heads
bent forward and hats drawn down as if facing
right between the two fires, into our lines to
give themselves up. 1t was a strange sight.
We captured over 600 men that day, SO the boys
said, the greater part OF whom thus voluntarily
surrendered.
We captured also two brass cannon. They
had been set at the breastwork. but had been
run forward down the road bit to meet our
attack. We came on fast, however, and in
such overwhelming numbers rs TO render them
useless, and while the artillerists were vainly
endeavoring 10 get them away, we captured
them without their being fired once.
AT the same moment when the clumps of
men were rushing, heads down, toward our
lines. saw three other rebs standing behind
the short breastwork, loading their guns. So |
dropped on my knees, sighted on them along
my newly found rebel English rifle, loaded
with a loyal Yankee cartridge, aud fired. The
distance was some 20 rods or more. The bullet
fell trle short, in the top of the breastwork,
and threw up squirt of dust at the men, in
stead of hitting one. But they thought it was
close call enough. aud forthwith turning
themselves about. skedaddled away at trot.
/ eau see them now as they turned and went.
Good by, Johnny rebs Wewon the battle Just
as well without killing either of you, aud q life
was saved, which was clear gain
One dramatic and very pleasant incident,
which occurred near the opening of the fight,
must not be omitted The whole army down
upon the plain of Chattanooga was out on the
Notifications watching our progress as we came
sweeping along the mountain side; viii eh they
could easily do, so open was the wood. aud the
cloud was just lifting. So, when our boys,
upon nearing the enemy, cheered as they
charged, the shout was taken up and echoed
back to us from the whole line of the army.
The capture OF the two cannon, aud OF the
men little after, about ended our work for the
day. IL was 10 minutes past noon. In the
afternoon thn rabaiz established new limo
around on the eastern side Of the mountain,
and the command of Gen. Osterhaus went to
the front But, as the plans for the movements
on the whole field would flank the rebels out
of all their positions ON the mountain, our at
tack was not pressed. We held the ground we
had gained and both sides lay OH their arms
IN silence, save for occasional picket-shots, be-
fore dark.
The reason Of our easy victory is apparent
We had entirely 0ntdanked the position of the
rebels, aud had come in upon the rear of ali
their Qualifications aud rendered them useless.
Our line extended more than mile up the
mountain side, clear by any troops they had.
We were so high above and far beyond them
that in - minutes after struck their main
line, had they made stand we should have
been pouring an enfladlng fire right into their
rear, which no troops could have endured, and,
looping right round like pursc-net. we would
have captured every soul of them. But moro
than all, there was bat one brigade OF them
there-Gen. WalthalPs Brigadc--and we were
six briRades, probably about four soldiers 10 one.
Thus ended the battle Of Lookout Mountain.
Not one fash Of muskct Of IL was above the
Clouds" Ii was partly In what looked like
clouds, no doubt. TO those who gazcd upon it
from below; but 10 us who were there IL was
only fog, which lifted, when we were disclosed,
and not sunk down below us.
When the fighting was done md the danger
n IL.
Of tIis night after and OF the next day are essen
tiAl to complete the record Of the cost Of the
victory 10 our men. Late in the afternoon the
thick mist turned into a drilling rain. which
dampened and chilled us as we stood or lay
shelterless ia it. Many fires were made. which
called out few scattering bullets from the
rebel pickets, but rs dark came on these ceased
As we have said before, the end of the wedge
OF Lookout Mountain has some resemblance 10
the profile of human face. the perpendicular
wall Of rock at the top being for the brow and
tie long slant OF the edge for the nose. It was
all along that slant that our division lay that
night, with It's right against the upper wall
In the evening the sky cleared, the wind
came out from the northwest aud blew gale
with the unbr0ken sweep Of miles over the
valley from the Wauhatchie hills il roared cold
and chill across the nose Of the mountain where
VIC lay. The haTdships Of that night cannot lie
put into words. We had been ordered 10 leave
knapsacks, blankets aud oYcrc0ats behind and
most Of the men had done so. In few cases
where the order had not been strictly obeyed
rubber blanket or a piece Of shelter. tent
might be seen stretched against the wind, af-
fordiug sorry shelter. But, save these few
officers and men alike together stood about or
sat by some FIRE, unprotected from the sweep
| ing gale. The writer had one Of the best places
1 there was. To the leeward of large log fire
| had been built. and the space between was
/ narrow, aud toward the fire hot. As IL burned
/ down somewhat he stretched himself between
the log and the fire. The log partly broke the
wind. The heat Of the fire could be endured
/ by either side OF one only little while at
/ time, aud the cold wind on the other side was
equally hard To bear, 60 all night long he turn
Cd aud turned, AS one side chilled and the other
/ side burned. sleep was out Of the question for
| anybody; now and again some may have fallen
| into d0ze, but practically the whole division
was on picket under arms. During the night
one and half days rations were brought up
and served out 10 us. with the order that they
must last three days, and cartridges sufficient
10 that each man bad hundred rounds,
But the night ended at length, the day dawn
ed and sunrise drew on When IL BECAME full
| daylight SOME yentufegome ones at the upper
end Of the line by the wall of rock, climbed u D
a broken place 10 the top, aud found that the
rebs were all gone. Instantly they shouted the
word, and the news flew along the line like tho
wind. AZ once the cOlors nearest at hand were
taken, aud as quickly as men could climb aud
hand them up they were unfured. So there
d ~