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

---

[278] Mountain has disappeared from the eyes of the two armies; only the crack of the musketry reveals to them the phases of the battle which is in progress amid the clouds. Fearing, with reason, lest his troops should scatter if they move forward too rapidly, Hooker has ordered his lieutenants to halt after having conquered the crest. Happily, this order reaches them somewhat late, when they have passed nearly a mile beyond that point. Cruft, on the right, occupies the road which leads directly up to the summit. Geary, leaving behind him on the left both the mouth of Chattanooga Creek and the railway-bridge across this stream, makes a flank attack on the works occupied by Cumming, and compels him to cause his left to fall back as far as the very cross-roads which the Confederates are so interested in defending.

At this juncture his operations are stopped by the prudent orders of Hooker, who does not yet know how complete is the success achieved by his subalterns. Johnson, on the right bank of Chattanooga Creek, was watching for an opportunity to aid Hooker. Warned of his approach by the rattling of the fusillade, he ordered Carlin's brigade to advance on the right in the peninsula lying between the river and Chattanooga Creek, and to clear the latter at the foot of the mountain when Hooker's soldiers shall have come up to him. As soon as he saw Geary pass beyond the ruins of the railway-bridge, he quickly threw his troops over on the left bank by means of a large flatboat provided by the engineer department, and dislodged the Confederate sharpshooters, who were posted on that side. He ascends on the run the first slopes occupied by Geary, with whom he effects a junction toward five o'clock; then, continuing his upward march, he proceeds to relieve on the right Whitaker's brigade, which, though standing firm, is rather warmly engaged with Pettus' regiments. Carlin brings to the combatants the ammunition of which they were beginning to feel the lack. But if Hooker's valiant soldiers hail him with special joy, it is because his arrival is a proof that the direct road to Chattanooga is open and the entire series of defences of Lookout Mountain has been definitely turned.

The Confederates have understood this, as did Hooker's soldiers. Stevenson, unwilling to withdraw troops either from the crossroads