of staff, making a general examination of the river with respect to selecting a point below Lookout Mountain for throwing the bridges, and a special examination of Brown's Ferry where the bridge was finally thrown. The plan was that of Gen. Rosecrans. The details were left to Gen. Smith.

A glance at the map will show the features of the project. It is but a few miles from Chattanooga across the narrow neck of Moccasin Point to Brown's Ferry. The latter point. was on the old stage road to Nashville, and beyond the reach of the Confederate batteries on Lookout. If Gen. Hooker could march from Bridgeport along the south side of the river to that point, boats could ascend to it, or near it, and the wagon haul into the city would then be but six or eight miles. The movement would also open two wagon roads to Bridgeport, one on each side of the river.

Upon reaching his headquarters after his return from reconnoitering Brown's Ferry, Gen. Rosecrans found an order relieving him and putting Gen. Thomas in command, and at daylight he left for the north. The same night, Gen. Thomas directed Gen. Hooker to be ready to obey the order given him in the morning by Gen. Rosecrans. But Gen. Hooker's trains did not reach him till October 25th and 26th. At daylight of the 27th, he crossed to the south side of the river and moved toward Chattanooga in execution of his part of the plan for opening the river.

Gen. Grant had arrived, October 23d. The plans for the movement were explained to him by Gen. Thomas, and approved, and Gen. Smith was directed to execute them and given command of the movement from Chattanooga.

Gen. Rosecrans had selected Brown's Ferry as the point for throwing his bridge. At this place a low ridge ran on the south bank parallel to the river, and the road from the ferry penetrated it through a gorge. This was held by the enemy, and the Confederate pickets along the river bank extended seven miles up stream to the mouth of Chattanooga Creek, and down stream to the bluffs of Raccoon Mountain.

BROWN'S FERRY, MOCCASIN POINT, CRAVEN HOUSE, AND CHATTANOOGA FROM LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN. (See page xiii.)

The plan involved simultaneous movements from Chattanooga and Bridgeport. Gen. Thomas' troops were to seize Brown's Ferry; and Gen. Hooker was to cross the river at Bridgeport, march by Whitesides to Wauhatchie and Brown's Ferry, and occupy Lookout Valley.

For the seizure of Brown's Ferry, fifty pontoons with oars were prepared at Chattanooga, each having room for the crew and twenty-five infantry men, and two flat-boats to carry forty and seventy-five men, respectively.

The troops assigned to the expedition were the brigades of Gen. Turchin, of Baird's Division of the Fourteenth Corps, and Gen. Hazen, of Wood's Division of the Fourth Corps. The boat and bridge construction was in charge of Capt. P. V. Fox, of the Michigan Mechanics and Engineers.

Fifteen hundred men were put into the boats at the Chattanooga Landing the night of October 26th, and at 3 A. M. of the 27th, the flotilla of fifty-two boats, with 1,600 men, including the crews, all under the command of Gen. Hazen, and accompanied by Gen. Smith, rowed to the north shore and started down the river. By previous observations of logs floating from the city to Brown's Ferry, the starting was so timed as to reach the latter point at daybreak. The column of boats proceeded without discovery under the shadows of the willows on the north bank along the whole seven miles of the enemy's pickets on the south shore, and, guided by range lights, landed, surprised the pickets at the ferry, and hastily occupied the position and points above it. The boats were then rowed across the river, to which point the remainder of the force, that had not come in the pontoons, had been marched under command of Gen. Turchin. These crossed rapidly and occupied the ridge below the ferry. By daylight, the position was strongly protected by felled timber. The losses in the skirmishing incident to seizing the position were 6 killed, 23 wounded, and 9 missing. The picketing of the river next below Lookout, and the station at Brown's Ferry, was in charge of the Fourth and Fifteenth Alabama

Regiments, of Law's Brigade, Hood's Division, Longstreet's Corps. After October 23d, this brigade was the only Confederate force west of Lookout Mountain. Withdrawing their pickets, these regiments retired to Lookout Creek, where they were joined by the rest of the brigade. In the affair at the ferry, Col. W. C. Oates, of the Fifteenth Alabama, was severely wounded. Gen. Hooker left Bridgeport at daylight of the 27th of October, and encamped at Whitesides. The next afternoon, at 3 o'clock, his head of column reached Wauhatchie, where Geary's Division of the Twelfth Corps went into camp, at the junction of the Kelly's Ferry Road; while the Eleventh Corps marched on, reaching Brown's Ferry at 5 o'clock.

The Union forces having fully occupied Lookout Valley, thus commanding the river to Brown's Ferry and the wagon roads to Chattanooga on both banks of the river, had opened safe and speedy lines of supplies. The question of holding these communications was decided in their favor by the battle of Wauhatchie, which occurred the succeeding night.

CHAPTER X.

RE-OPENING OF THE TENNESSEE

HATCHIE.*

RIVER--BATTLE
-BATTLE OF WAU-

At 3 P. M. on the 28th of October, the head of Gen. Hooker's column arrived from Bridgeport at Wauhatchie Station, in Lookout Valley. Gen. Steinwehr's Division of the Eleventh Corps led, followed by Gen. Schurz's Division, with Gen. O. O. Howard in command of the corps. This force continued to Brown's Ferry, where, at 5 P. M., it united with the troops from Chattanooga, which had occupied that point the day before. Upon reaching the junction of the road over the point of Lookout to Chattanooga with the road to Brown's Ferry, the head of the column was fired upon from the right near the railroad bridge by troops of Law's Brigade, which had retired from Brown's Ferry the preceding day. This attack was repulsed, and the Confederate troops withdrew across Lookout Creek to the foot of Lookout Mountain.

Two brigades of Gen. Geary's Division of the Twelfth Corps reached Wauhatchie at 4:30 P. M., and took position at the Kelly's Ford Road. This was three miles from Gen. Schurz's camp, near Brown's Ferry. Gen. Geary directed his troops to bivouac on their arms, with their cartridge boxes on. Shortly after midnight, his lines were suddenly and heavily assaulted by Jenkins' Brigade of Hood's Division.

Gen. Longstreet was in command of the left of the Confederate line in Chattanooga Valley east of the mountain, with Law's Brigade of Hood's Division in Lookout Valley west of it. The chief duty of this brigade was to picket the passage through the Raccoon Range, six miles.

river to its

* See map, page 100.