Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[336] the river,) sweep the ridge, and take the enemy's intrenchments, both at its base and on its crest, in flank and rear. Two divisions of the Fourth army corps, General Sheridan's and my own, were to cross Citico Creek near its mouth, just above Chattanooga, move up the peninsula enclosed between the creek and the Tennessee River, form a junction with the right flank of General Sherman's force, swing to the right, and sweep along the lower slope and the base of Mission Ridge. The remaining force in Chattanooga was to make a demonstration against the enemy's works directly in front of Chattanooga, while at the same time looking out for the safety of the town against a counter attack. The force in Lookout Valley (General Hooker) was to threaten Lookout Mountain.

It was conceeded that a direct front attack of the enemy's works on Mission Ridge could not be made with a reasonable prospect of success; or if such an attack should be successful, it could only be made at a great and unnecessary cost of life.

In pursuance of this plan, orders were issued on Friday the twentieth to be prepared to move at daylight the following morning. It was directed that the men should have one hundred rounds of ammunition on their persons, and two days cooked rations in their haversacks.

A heavy fall of rain Friday afternoon and night, with other causes of delay, prevented General Sherman's command from reaching in time the point at which he was to pass the river; consequently the movement intended to be made at daylight Saturday morning was postponed.

On Sunday, the twenty-second, the orders of the preceding Friday were renewed.

The failure of General Sherman's command to be Sunday night at the rendezvous assigned it caused a further postponement of the movement of the troops destined to cooperate immediately with it.

To a just understanding of the subsequent movements of my division, it should be remarked that during the whole of Sunday, the twenty-second, much movement, some of it singular and mysterious, was observed in the rebel army. Officers in command of the grand guards and out-posts were instructed to observe the greatest vigilance Sunday night, to send out patrols frequently as near as possible to the enemy's picket lines, and to report promptly all information of interest.

At twelve M., on Monday, the twenty-third, I received the following orders:

headquarters Department of the Cumberland, Chattanooga, Tennessee, November 23, 1863.
Major-Gen. Granger, commanding Fourth A. C.:

The General commanding department directs that you throw one division of the Fourth corps forward, in the direction of Orchard Knob, (and hold a second division in supporting distance,) to discern the position of the enemy, if he still remain in the vicinity of his old camps.

Howard's and Baird's commands will be ready to cooperate if needed.

J. J. Reynolds, Major-General, Chief of Staff. J. S. Fullerton, A. A. General.

Immediately on the receipt of this order I summoned my brigade commanders to my Headquarters, to give them full and minute explanations as to the manner in which I intended to execute the instructions I had received. I desired also to express in person the part the command of each was to perform in the operations. The disposition of the division, as then explained to the brigade commanders, and as was subsequently most successfully carried out, was as follows:

Hazen's brigade on the right, Willich's on the left, were to be formed in two lines, the first deployed, the second in double column, closed in mass.

Beatty's brigade formed in double column, closed in mass, so as to be ready to deploy to the front, or deploy faced to the left, was held in reserve in rear of Willich's left. This arrangement would fully protect Willich's left from any flank movement of the enemy during the advance. As General Sheridan had been ordered to occupy a position which would place his division in rear of my right flank during the advance, I had no occasion to look to the safety of my right. In addition to the double line formation just described, the entire grand guard on duty for the day was to be deployed on the advance sentinel line of pickets, so that the whole would be covered with a cloud of skirmishers. I ordered the formation to take place on the broad slope on the southern side of Fort Wood. This work crowns a conical eminence about two hundred feet elevation above the level of the river, situated about a half a mile out of Chattanooga in a south-easterly direction. From its parapet the rebel works and troops were clearly discernible.

The descent of this hill on the northern, eastern, and western sides is abrupt, but gradually on the southern, extending down into the valley through which runs the Western and Atlantic railway. At one and a half o'clock P. M. the arrangements were all completed, the troops were in position, and the reserve ammunition and ambulance trains in rear of Fort Wood.

Then, at the bugle signal, the magnificent array and serried columns moved forward.

It scarcely ever falls to the lot of man to witness so grand a military display.

Every circumstance that could heighten the interests of, or impart dramatic effect to the scene, was present. On the ramparts of Fort Wood were gathered officers of high rank, crowned with honors gathered on other fields. There, also,