Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 4.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

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[274] breastworks which they were throwing up on the two slopes and around Craven's house. Hooker's guns, placed on the knobs, ploughed the western slope and enfiladed the track of the railway, which, first as an embankment and then as a trench, might have offered the Confederates a good line of defence. The citadel formed by the top of the mountain was for them only a source of perplexity: the surrounding rocks isolated its garrison, the road leading to Craven's house was very long, while the one which, more on the eastward, came down to the highway, alone connected Stevenson's troops with the rest of the army. In fact, the very elevation of the position renders the fire of the rifles uncertain, that of the artillery difficult, and even both often impossible, owing to the mist which those heights attracted at that season of the year.

Hooker's plan is plain. While a feint shall turn the attention of the enemy toward the mouth of Lookout Creek, the bulk of his forces shall cross the stream higher up, follow the slope from south to north, and, supported by the artillery, attack the ridge of Craven's house. No notice shall be taken of the Southern troops posted on the top of the hill. The Confederates realize the difficulties which compass their position; their chiefs even exaggerate these difficulties and communicate their uneasiness to their soldiers. The sudden departure of Hardee with Walker's division has disturbed all the measures taken long ago. Stevenson, who has succeeded him as commander in the night of the 23d-24th, is not aware of the defences raised on the two sides of the mountain. These defences consist in a line of earthworks laid out somewhat at haphazard around and below Craven's house. They extend on the east near the road as far as a point opposite Chattanooga, because, the slopes being gentler on that side, the Confederates are apprehensive lest the enemy should attack them to prevent them from descending to Summertown. The Southern generals have not been able to agree so as to guard against attacks coming from the westward, all the positions commanding Lookout Creek being exposed to a flanking fire from the batteries on Moccasin Point. They have therefore chosen Craven's house as a centre, and laid out their line of breastworks in an oblique direction from the south-east to the north-west from the foot of