Brown's Ferry, seizure of.
Gen. G. W. F. Smith undertook to open a more direct way for supplies for the
National troops at
Chattanooga (q. v.). In cooperation with
Hooker's advance on Wauhatchie, he sent
General Hazen from
Chattanooga, with 1,800 men in bateaux, to construct a pontoon bridge below.
These floated noiselessly and undiscerned in the night (Oct. 26-27, 1863) down the
Tennessee River, past the
point of Lookout Mountain.
along a line of Confederate pickets 7 miles in length.
They landed at Brown's Ferry, on the south side, captured the pickets there, and seized a low range of hills that commanded
Lookout Valley.
Another force, 1,200 strong, under
General Turchin, had moved down the north bank of the river to the ferry at about the same time; and by ten o'clock a pontoon bridge was laid, and a strong
abatis for defence was constructed.
The Confederates, bewildered, withdrew up the valley.
Before night the left of
Hooker's line rested on
Smith's right at the pontoon bridge.
By this operation the railway from
Bridgeport well up towards
Chattanooga was put in possession of the Nationals, and the route for supplies for the troops at the latter place was reduced by land from 60 to 28 miles along a safe road; and by using the river to Kelly's Ferry, to 8 miles.