The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1903-12-31
Al FCRTTETH
ANNIVERSARY
WAR STORY

and fred with deIiberation and regu-
larity. They saw nothing before them
but d seemingly fathomless abyss Of
lurld darkness, but into this darkness
they poured their live thunders with
right good will. In the distance from
Federal batteries on Moccasin point
came the answering boom, and occa-
sionalIy a shell went screaming oyer
our heads, while MIME balls were
spinning past us continually. Below US
tho battle continued to rage with un-
ass 4 . neither side advancing
nor nc. Just after dark the
Point LocliaaG battery ceased to belch
forth It's tnsnders. and the combat be-
low also .."ldually died away. Bragg
had ordIled the mountain evacuated
forthwith"
Colonel Hundley adds that Lookout
mountain properly defended could
have resisted the assault of 100000
men. There were men enough on the
mountain at the time if properly dis
tributed to have held it against double
the number under Hooker's command.
General Nesbitt, who commanded the
Confederate reserve brigade of Geor-
gians at the base of the mountain, took
no part in the fighting, but received
from Walthalls retreating men their
fresh stories of what happened when
Geary's Federals struck the crest. Be-
ginning with the action on the plateau
between Geary and Walthall, the gen.
eral says: "Walthall, with his depleted
brigade of 1000 men, finding that he
was attacked by large column on his
left and rear, after fighting half an
hour gave the order to retreat. The
order should have been given sooner,
for about half his men were captured
there. The small number of killed and
wounded was due to the clouds, which
obscured the troops, and to the protec-
ton afforded by earthworks. The Fed
erals were likewise protected by rocks
and trees. Many of Walthalps Mis-
sissippians came down to my head
quarters and informed me of the status
of affairs, stating that General Geary's
division had got between them and the
cliffs and turned their flank. One bri-
gade of Geary's division pushed on and
had heavy skirmish under the pail
sades and was driven back. The des-
ultory firing which followed was con-
tinued during the night by a few Con-
federate pickets from behind trees on
the mountain side, which served to
draw heavy fire from the Federal
lines, thus producing the impression
that battle was going on. Thus it ap-
pears there was no battle, but heavy
skirmish."
The Federal flag was unfurled on
Point Lookout, the site of the Confed-
crate battery described by Colonel
Hundley and the extreme point of the
jutting ridge. by a soldier of the Eighth
Kentucky, who picked his way among
the rocks in the night. When Old Clio
ry was discovered next morning dane
ing in the air the cheers of Hooker's
men all along the mountain side greet
ed it and were taken up and re-echoed
throughout all the camps in the Ten
nessee valley, around Chattanooga and
in Lookout valley, where the troops
were mastering for attack upon Mis-
sionary ridge.
The account of Hooker's achieve
ment which Grant finally placed upon
the pages of history leaves no doubt
as to the importance he placed upon it.
In his personal memoirs, describing
the movements at the crossing Of
Lookout creek and ascent Of the noun
tain, he wrote: 1.-THE side of Lookout
mountain confronting Hooker was
rugged, heavily timbered and full Of
chasms. making it difficult to advance
with troops even in the absence of an
opposing force. While the op
erations at the bridge were progressive
Geary was pushing up the hill over
great obstacles. resisted by the enemy
directly in his front and in the face of
the guns on top of the mountain.
q BY noon Geary had gained thu
open ground on the north slope of the
mountain. with his right close up 70
the base Of the upper palisade, but
front. The day was haZy, so
that Hooker's operations were not visi-
BILE to us Gin the valley at Chattanooga
except at moments when the clouds
would rise But the sound of his artil-
lery and musketry was heard inces-
sanity. The enemy on his front was
partly fortified, but was soon driven
out Of his works. During the afternoon
the clouds which had SO obscured the
top of Lookout mountain all day as to
hide whatever was going on from view
of those below settled down and made
it so dark where Hooker was as to
stop operations for the time. AT 4
O'clock Hooker reported his position
impregnable BY little after o'clock
direct communication was established,
and brigade Of troops was sent
across from Chattanooga to reinforce
him.
Commenting on the result, Grant
! said: ''Why any troops Confederate
except artillery, with small guard
of infantry, were kept on the mountain
top | do not see. A hundred men
could have held the summit, which is a
palisade for more than thirty feet