Adam Badeau, Military history of Ulysses S. Grant from April 1861 to April 1865. Volume 1

[447] river about nine miles, seven of which would be under fire of the rebel pickets. This risk was taken rather than launch the pontoons near the ferry, because the boats would move more rapidly than intelligence could be carried by the infantry pickets of the enemy; and, although the rebels might be alarmed, they could not know where the landing was to be attempted, and therefore could not concentrate with certainty against the landing.

By sundown on the 26th, all was ready. The night was dark and foggy, and at three A. M., on the 27th, sixty pontoon boats, each containing thirty armed men, floated quietly from Chattanooga. The current was so strong, that there was no need of oars, and by keeping well under the opposite shore, they passed the rebel pickets undiscovered; then rounded the foot of Lookout mountain, and landed on the south side of the river, at Brown's ferry. Here, a volley was fired by the rebel pickets, who had now taken the alarm; some slight skirmishing ensued, but, by five o'clock, Smith had seized the hills covering the ferry, without the loss of a man killed, and but four or five wounded. The remainder of the troops and the material for a bridge were moved, by the north bank of the river, across Moccasin point to Brown's ferry, without attracting the attention of the enemy; and, before day dawned, the whole force was ferried to the south bank of the stream, and the almost inaccessible heights rising from Lookout valley, at its outlet to the river, were secured. The men carried axes, to be used in cutting an abatis for defence, as soon as the ridge was gained; and, in two hours, the command was sufficiently protected to withstand any attack likely to be made. As soon as the last of the troops