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[71] into the small valleys which empty their streams into the Chattooga River. On the next morning Carlin and Heg, closely following him, were occupying, the one Alpine and the other Broomtown. This double demonstration was useless, since the result which Rosecrans was expecting from it had been obtained even before the demonstration was accomplished. As early as the 8th, Wagner, who was posted on the left bank of the Tennessee, and whose outposts were facing Chattanooga, had informed Rosecrans that the enemy appeared to be evacuating that place. He had immediately directed Crittenden to ascertain the fact. On the 9th, in the morning, Beatty's and Grose's brigades were climbing the acclivity of Lookout Mountain, the one by the road known as Nickajack Trace, and the other in the direction of Summertown. The Federals encountered only a few isolated troopers, and, having reached without difficulty the summit of the mountain, they perceived at their feet the city of Chattanooga. No flag was floating over its public buildings, the intrenchments which surrounded it were deserted, and the stations of the two railways were quite empty. The news of the evacuation had already reached Rosecrans. He had received it in the night, and ordered Crittenden to push on with all his troops in the direction of Ringgold, leaving in that place one brigade only. The Twenty-first corps was closely following Grose and Beatty. At noon the Federals were in the city. But as the mountain-roads were in a very bad condition, Crittenden had been obliged to make the greater part of his troops, his artillery, and his wagons take the narrow route which winds between the Tennessee and the extremity of Lookout Mountain. This long column reached Chattanooga only in the evening. However, Crittenden was able before dark again to place on the road Palmer's and Van Cleve's divisions, which went out to camp near Rossville, a distance of five miles on the road to Ringgold.
Philadelphia, Jos. H. Coates and co., 1888.
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