the army of the cumberland-第49节

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kout　Mountain；　drawing　Bragg's　attention　to　this　point　and　away　from　Sherman　while　crossing　the　river　and　getting　into　position。　　Thomas　instructed　Hooker　if　he　found　he　was　able　to　carry　the　enemy's　position　here；　to　do　so。

At　4　A。M。　of　the　24th；　Hooker　reported　his　troops　in　readiness　to　begin　the　movement。　　As　he　advanced　he　found　Lookout　Creek　so　swollen　with　recent　rains　that　he　could　not　cross　without　building　a　temporary　bridge　at　the　main　road。　　He　then　sent　Geary　with　two　divisions　and　Whitaker's　brigade　of　Cruft's　command　up　the　creek　to　effect　a　crossing　at　Wauhatchie。　　Geary　was　then　to　sweep　down　the　right　bank；　driving　the　rebels　before　him。　　The　enemy；　watching　the　construction　of　the　bridge　under　Hooker；　failed　to　observe　the　movement　of　the　troops　under　Geary；　by　reason　of　a　heavy　mist　which　overhung　the　mountain；　until　he　was　on　their　flank　and　threatening　their　rear。　　The　enemy's　force　here　and　on　the　top　of　the　mountain　was　under　Stevenson；　with　a　command　of　six　brigades　posted　mainly　on　the　Northern　slope　midway　between　the　Palisades　and　the　Tennessee　River；　on　a　belt　of　cultivated　land。　　A　continuous　line　of　earthworks　had　been　constructed；　with　redoubts；　redans；　and　pits；　lower　down　the　slope；　with　reference　to　an　assault　from　the　direction　of　the　river。　　On　each　flank　were　rifle…pits；　epaulements　for　batteries；　walls　of　stone　and　abatis；　as　against　attack　from　either　Chattanooga　or　Lookout　Valley。　　In　these　valleys　were　still　more　extensive　earthworks。

As　Geary　moved　down　on　the　right　bank　of　the　creek；　he　soon　encountered　the　enemy's　pickets。　　These　gave　the　alarm　at　once；　when　their　troops　formed　in　the　breastworks　and　rifle…pits。　　All　these　positions　were　soon　covered　by　artillery　planted　by　Hooker's　orders。　　He　then　sent　Wood's　brigade　of　Osterhaus's　division　about　eight　hundred　yards　up　the　creek　to　build　another　bridge；　and　directed　Cruft　to　leave　a　small　command　at　the　first　bridge；　to　attract　the　attention　of　the　enemy；　and　ordered　the　rest　of　Grose's　brigade　to　cross　with　Wood's。　　This　bridge　was　completed　at　11　o'clock；　when　the　troops　under　Wood　and　Grose　crossed；　and　joined　Geary　on　the　right　bank；　who　had　driven　the　enemy　up　to　this　point。　Under　cover　of　the　heavy　artillery　fire；　the　entire　line　advanced；　pressing　the　enemy　steadily　back。　　At　noon　Geary's　advance　drove　the　rebels　around　the　peak　of　the　mountain。　　Here　Geary　was　ordered　to　halt　and　reform　his　command；　but　having　the　rebels　on　the　run　he　pressed　forward　and　drove　them　in　a　fleeing；　panic…stricken　crowd。　Cobham's　and　Ireland's　brigades　on　the　high　ground　on　the　right；　near　the　Palisades；　pressed　on；　rolling　their　line　up　on　the　flank；　closely　supported　by　Whittaker's　and　Creighton's　brigades。　　The　enemy　had　been　re…enforced；　but　he　was　not　able　to　resist　the　sweep　of　Hooker's　troops　as　they　rounded　the　crest　of　the　mountain　at　Craven's　house；　where　the　enemy　made　his　last　stand；　and　from　here；　with　his　line　all　broken　and　in　rout；　he　was　driven　over　the　rocks　and　precipices　into　Chattanooga　Valley。　　At　this　time　the　mist　that　had　been　hanging　round　the　mountain　all　the　day　settled　still　lower　down。　　It　was　now　about　2　o'clock；　and　Hooker　in　the　mist；　unable　to　see　beyond　his　immediate　front；　placed　his　troops　in　position；　threw　up　temporary　breastworks；　with　his　line　on　the　east　side　of　the　mountain；　the　right　resting　at　the　Palisades　and　the　left　near　the　mouth　of　Chattanooga　Creek。　　He　then　reported　to　Thomas；　who　ordered　Carlin　with　his　brigade　to　report　to　him；　when　he　was　placed　on　the　extreme　right；　relieving　Geary's　troops。　　During　the　night　the　rebels　opened　a　heavy　fire　on　our　right　as　if　intending　to　break　our　lines。　　This　was　handsomely　repulsed；　Carlin's　brigade　taking　an　active　part。　　Early　in　the　morning；　before　daylight；　several　parties　were　sent　up　the　mountain；　in　anticipation　of　the　retreat　of　the　enemy　during　the　night；　to　scale　the　heights。　　One　from　the　Eighth　Kentucky　was　the　first　that　reached　the　summit；　and　here　at　sunrise　the　Stars　and　Stripes　were　unfurled　at　the　extreme　point　amid　the　cheers　of　the　entire　army。　　During　the　night　Stevenson　abandoned　the　top　of　the　mountain；　while　the　Summertown　road　remained　open；　leaving　his　camp　and　garrison　equipage。　　This　gave　to　our　army　full　possession　and　control　of　the　river　and　railroad　up　to　Chattanooga。

The　mist　still　clung　to　the　mountain　in　heavy　folds　early　on　the　25th；　when　Hooker　was　ordered　to　press　forward　on　the　road　to　Rossville；　carry　the　pass；　and　operate　on　Bragg's　left　and　rear。　Advancing　down　the　valley；　he　found　the　rebel　pickets　still　holding　the　right　bank　of　Chattanooga　Creek。　　Arriving　at　the　creek　at　about　ten　o'clock　he　found　the　bridges　on　the　Rossville　road　destroyed。　Here　Hooker　was　delayed　for　some　three　hours；　when　Osterhaus　in　the　advance　crossed　the　infantry　on　the　stringers　and　pressed　forward；　driving　the　enemy's　pickets　over　to　Rossville。　　Hooker　found　the　rebels　at　this　place　loading　up　their　stores。　　Leaving　a　force　on　their　front；　he　sent　Wood's　brigade　to　take　the　ridge　on　the　right；　and　Williamson's　on　the　left。　　After　a　severe　skirmish　the　enemy　hastily　retreated；　abandoning　large　quantities　of　stores；　wagons；　and　ambulances。　　The　gap　now　being　under　our　control；　Hooker　ordered　the　advance　of　our　entire　line；　Osterhaus　with　his　division　on　the　east　of　the　ridge；　Cruft　on　the　ridge；　and　Geary　in　the　valley　west　of　the　ridge。　　This　line　advancing　soon　encountered　the　rebels　under　Stewart；　occupying　the　line　of　breastworks　thrown　up　by　our　troops　after　Chickamauga。　　Cruft　charged　on　them；　drove　them　in　all　directions　out　of　these　works　in　full　retreat。　　Part　of　them　ran　into　Osterhaus's　men　and　were　captured。　　Others　were　captured　by　Geary　in　the　valley。　　The　mass　of　them　fell　back　to　their　second　line；　from　which　they　were　likewise　speedily　driven；　when　the　fight　became　a　running　one；　continuing　until　sunset。　　Part　of　the　enemy　in　their　endeavors　to　escape　ran　into　Johnson's　division　of　the　Fourteenth　Corps；　thrown　forward　to　join　the　pursuit；　and　were　captured。　　Hooker's　command　then　went　into　camp。

Early　on　the　morning　of　the　25th　Sherman　made　his　disposition　for　his　main　attack。　　Holding　his　centre　with　three　brigades；　he　was　then　to　move　along　the　east　and　west　base　of　Missionary　Ridge　with　his　right　and　left　flanks。　　Corse　advancing　from　the　right　centre　moved　forward；　supported　by　Lightburn　on　the　left　and　Morgan　L。　Smith　on　his　right；　and　occupied　a　crest　in　the　woods　about　eighty　yards　from　the　intrenched　line　of　the　enemy。　　From　this　point　Corse　assaulted　the　main　rebel　line；　and　for　over　an　hour　maintained　a　heavy　contest；　driving　the　enemy　and　at　times　being　driven　back；　but　still　holding　his　crest　as　first　secured。　　Here　Corse；　Loomis；　and　Morgan　L。　Smith　fought　the　rebels　under　Hardee　with　Cleburne's；　Gist's；　Cheatham's；　and　Stevenson's　divisions　in　a　stubborn　struggle　all　day　up　to　three　o'clock；　holding　their　own；　but　making　little　headway。　　About　two　o'clock　John　E。　Smith's　two　brigades；　while　moving　to　the　support　of　Ewing；　were　driven　in　some　disorder　by　a　charge　of　the　enemy；　heavily　massed。　　They　were　quickly　reformed　and；　aided　by　Corse's　troops　taking　the　rebels　in　the　flank　with　a　hot　musketry　fire；　the　enemy　was　soon　driven　back　into　his　line　of　works。

Here　Sherman　was　fighting　the　heavy　column　of　the　enemy　on　our　left；　and　the　main　part　of　the　battle　had　been　his　share。　　Grant　was　waiting　for　Hooker　to　reach　the　rebel　left　at　Rossville；　in　the　hope　that　this　would　afford　some　relief　to　the　stubborn　fighting　Sherman　had　encountered。　　Finding　that　Hooker　had　been　delayed　by　the　destruction　of　the　bridge　longer　than　was　anticipated；　and　that　the　diversion　was　not　to　come　from　that　quarter；　Grant　ordered　Thomas　to　move　out　the　four　divisions　constituting　the　centreBaird　on　the　left；　then　Wood　with　Sheridan　on　his　right；　and　Johnson　on　the　extreme　right　of　the　linewith　a　double　line　of　skirmishers　to　the　front；　supported　by　　the　entire　force；　press　forward　to　carry　the　first　line　of　rifle…pits　and　there　halt　and　await　orders；　the　movement　to　commence　at　three　o'clock；　at　a　signal　of　six　guns　fired　in　rapid　succession　from　Orchard　Knob。

There　was　some　little　delay　attending　the　preliminaries　of　the　movement；　and　it　was　not　until　after　half…past　three　that　the　commands　having　moved　out　and　taken　the　alignment　were　in　position　for　the　advance；　when　the　guns　sounded　one；　two；　three；　four；　five；　six。　　With　this　the　troops；　impatient　all　the　day　with　being　kept　in　the　breastworks　while　Sherman's　men　were　hard　at　work；　eagerly　pressed　onward；　divisions；　brigades；　and　regiments　striving　each　with　the　other　for　the　advance。　　With　the　first　movement　Bragg　at　once　hurried　reinforcements　from　his　right　and　left　to　strengthen　his　troops　in　his　works　to　resist　the　advance　on　his　centre。　Here　his　line　was　under　the　command　of　Breckinridge；　who　had　his　own　division　under　Lewis；　Stewart's　division；　and　part　of　those　of　Buckner　and　Hindman　under　Patton　Anderson。　　The　enemy　had　originally　four　lines　of　breastworks。　　The　first　one　on　our　front　was　captured　by　Thomas　on　the　23d；　when　Orchard　Knob　was　taken。　　This　left　three　lines　of　rifle…pits　remaining。　　The　second　one　was　about　half　a　mile　to　the　rear　of　the　first；