THE COAST ARTILLERY JOURNAL - Air Defense Artillery

234 THE COAST ARTILLERY JOURNAL
western hill. Sherman made no attempt to drive them off. They were reinforced
by other troops and were never dislodged.
BATTLE OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN
General Stevenson held the Confederate line from Chattanooga Creek to
Johnson's Crook, about 30 miles, with some 8500 men. The line from Chattanooga
Creek to the Summertown Road was held by two brigades of about 3000
men total strength, leaving about 5500 men for the defense of the mountain
proper. The troops on the mountain were disposed in part on the plateau and
in part on the northern and northwestern slopes of the mountain. The plateau
was held with about 2900 men and the northern slopes with about 2600 men.
In the vicinity of the Craven House was General Jackson with Moore's and
Walthall's brigades.
The forces on the mountain bivouaced near its northern tip. The infantry
on the cliff picketted the cliff as far south as Nickajack, while a small amount
of attached cavalry (about 150) men picketted the line from Nickajack to
Johnson's Creek.
Moore's brigade and Walthall's brigade picketted the line from the Summertown
Road along the turnpike to the bridge near the mouth of Lookout Creek,
thence south a short distance beyond the railroad bridge, then directly up the
mountain slope. Walthall's command bivouaced on the northwl'stern slope of
the mountain, Moore's command near the Craven House.
The Confederate defenses of the mountain consisted of a partially completed
line from Lookout Point to the mouth of Chattanooga Creek together with
older breast works enclosing the northern nose of the mountain. Walthall held
some of the older works on the west side of the mountain paralleling Lookout
Creek about one-half mile from the Craven House. His works were dominated
by the ledge that extends around the mountain at the foot of the cliff.
Floods and Confederate rafts broke Grant's pontoon bridges on November
23 and left him with 9700 men along Lookout Creek. On the night of November
23 he ordered Hooker, with this mixed command of 9700 men, to attack
Lookout Mountain on the morning of November 24.
Starting early in the morning Hooker sent Geary, with 3824 men, south
along Lookout Creek to a point about three miles from its mouth where they
bridged the creek and effected a crossing without opposition. On crossing the
creek they marched straight up the mountain side to the cliff at the crest and
then marched north in line of battle with their right on the cliff at the crest and
their left on Lookout Creek.
In the meantime, Cruft with about 1600 men established a bridgehead in the
vicinity of the railroad bridge over Lookout Creek about a mile south of its
mouth. Osterhaus formed in rear of Cruft and by 10:30 A. M. had passed
through Cruft and formed line of battle facing east with his right near the
railroad bridge.
There was a hea"J', though shifting fog over the mountain all day, so the
Confederates lost much, if not all, of the advantage of their observation.