The National tribune., 1900-07-12
BATTLE ABOVE THE CLOUDS.
A 10th KY. Captain Says Battle Recently
Described Was Not the Same.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In your
paper of June appears an article, mot
Above the Clouds" In which logic and
science are introduced to show the alb
surdity of there ever having been battle
fought upon Lookout Mountain above the
clouds. After an effort to sustain and
prove his position, he, the correspondent,
goes on to describe battle upon posi-
ton on that mountain altogether different
in location from the one referred to as
having been fought above the clouds; and
he acknowledges even then that on the
ground chosen by him there appeared
clouds OF fog. He says he was there, but
does not say that he saw anything The
battle above the clouds" was fought upon
the top of the mountain, and the one he
refers to was fought lower.
The enemy had their battery upon the
highest elevation of that mountain over
looking Chattanooga, and its whole vicin-
guns on that point many times; have
timed the boom from the rise of the
smoke with watch in hand, and, accord
ing to the table Oh computation, was
just five miles from the guns. 1 was in
about the center of Chattanooga and the
gun was on the top Of Lookout; Moccasin
Point, where we had battery, was on
the opposite side of the river and so much
lower in altitude that the enemy could not
depress their guns sufficiently to do them
any harm, while our guns could now and
then worry the rebels considerably.
After our men got across the river and
secured a foothold at the base Of the
mountain, they climbed to the top, quite
a distance in rear of the enemy, and pro-
ceeded to dislodge them with the battery
with which they had been annoying US
upon that high point of the mountain.
1t was there and then that the battle
above the clouds" took place. The battle
referred to as not being above the clouds
was fought afterwards. I saw this very
distinctly. / saw first line of men back
ing around the nose Of the mountain with
their guns pointing back, in which direc-
ton they were shooting. Then came
clear space, which was soon followed by
line of men faced and firing in the di-
rection they were advancing, the first line
falling back, the other line advancing. As
late as II o'clock that night l heard the
shots and saw the blaze as 1t left the gun.
If the blaze went in northernly direc-
tion 1 knew it was "Confed" fired it; if
in the other direction, l knew 1t to be a
Union gun. The next day we took pos
session of Missionary Ridge.
In regard to the point in question, it
matters little what the elevation of vari-
Gus points Of the mountain are, for fact
is fact, and all the theory, logic and
science on earth cannot wipe it out. Alb
surd as it may appear to this correspond
ent, the battle above the clouds" actual
ly occurred, and 1 saw it with my own
eyes, and knew it occurred before read of
it in the papers.
After this affair, early in 1864, was
detailed to serve on General Court Mar
tial and did serve as Judge-Advocate of
said court in Chattanooga some seven or
eight months, and Lookout Mountain was
there, presenting it's varied pictures every
day. Theory, science nor logic had no
effect upon it. Look at it when you will,
the scene is beautiful, wonderful, strange.
startling! Rapid changes taking place,
sometimes above the clouds, sometimes
below them, and again behind them.
l never took any measurements CT the
mountain and am ready to receive the fig
ures of those who have as being correct.
am not prepared to argue the question
of a slope being 100 feet or the cliff 500
feet; but assert positively that battle
was fought above the clouds ON Lookout
Mountain Nov. 23. 1861. B. WEBSTER,
Captain Co. /, 10th KY, Louisville, KY