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

[444] and Brigadier-General W. F. Smith, chief engineer of the Department of the Cumberland, and made a reconnoissance on the north side of the river and at the mouth of Lookout valley, as well as of a crossing of the Tennessee, known as Brown's ferry.

A bend in the Tennessee, just below Chattanooga, shapes the northern shore into a singular peninsula, called Moccasin point, from its resemblance to an Indian moccasin. This point runs out immediately under Lookout mountain; and, at its narrowest part, about three miles below the mouth of Lookout creek, Brown's ferry is situated. Moccasin point was still in the hands of the national army, but the opposite bank, from Chattanooga creek to Kelly's ferry, was occupied by the rebels. A sharp range of hills, whose base is washed by the Tennessee, extends along the southern shore, below the mouth of Lookout river, and is broken at Brown's ferry by a narrow gorge, through which a road runs to Kelly's ferry, on the western side of Raccoon mountain. The valley between this ridge and the Raccoon mountain is narrow, and a lodgment effected there would seriously interrupt the communications of the enemy up Lookout valley, as well as give complete command of the Kelly's ferry road. Now, from Kelly's ferry to Bridgeport, the river was free from the rebels. The ridge was thinly picketed, and the valley apparently unoccupied by any large force of the enemy. It seemed, therefore, quite practicable to take by surprise what, if strongly defended, could not have been carried by assault.

It was proposed that Hooker should concentrate at Bridgeport, and move east, while a force from Chattanooga, cooperating, was to establish a bridge across