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

---

[219] he reaches the vicinity of Brown's Ferry. One can imagine the joy felt by Smith's soldiers when they could take by the hand their gallant comrades of the Army of the Potomac, who had come from so great a distance to extricate them from a perilous situation.

A messenger from Hooker is quickly despatched to carry the good news to Grant. However, the latter takes care not to divulge it, and that night every one retires yet in doubt and anxiety. But suddenly, about one o'clock in the morning, the dull roar of cannon, swollen and repeated by the grand echoes of the mountain, is heard as far as the town. The Federals bend their ears, for all are aware of Smith's expedition, and it was known since the evening before that he had crossed the river. But it is also known that his artillery has remained on the right bank, and still the sound of this distant firing comes from the far end of Will's Valley. After a moment of hesitation a shout of joy goes up from every breast. There cannot be any doubt: it is Hooker's cannon. They hail it as the signal of deliverance, though they do not yet know the issue of the distant battle of which it brings the tidings.

At last the Confederates endeavor to retrieve the time they have lost. Strange to say, Bragg, blinded by his confidence, perhaps deceived by the reports brought in by his cavalry, has ignored Hooker's movement; he has even refused to credit the information that Longstreet transmitted to him about the march of the Federals since they left Bridgeport. On the 28th he was with his lieutenant on Lookout Mountain: to overcome his incredulity the latter had to take him to the top and thence point out to him the Union battalions marching at his feet. It is four o'clock in the afternoon: the three divisions of Longstreet's corps are stationed en échelon on the mountain-side. It is too late to stop Hooker, but if there is no fear to risk a night-attack the Confederates may try to cut his long line stretching from Wauhatchie as far as Brown's Ferry—a line which is all the weaker because he has neglected to occupy a portion of the hills commanding it on the east. When Geary shall have been thrown back upon the defiles of Raccoon Mountain, Howard will find himself isolated, and uselessly swell the already half-famished garrison in Chattanooga.

But at this decisive moment the Confederate chiefs seem to have lost all clearness of mind. After having simply ordered Longstreet