Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 11.
Frank Moore, Ed.

At five o'clock in the morning the Fourth corps encamped on the hills about Catoosa Springs, moved east, Stanley taking the lead, followed by Generals Newton and Wood, arriving at Lee's House in the valley to the northwest of Rocky Face Ridge. Newton's division halted in line of battle. Stanley, with kis invincible division, moved forward about a mile further, on the left of Tunnel Hill, and throwing out a heavy skirmish line, the right of which rested at the base of Tunnel Hill Ridge, where it joined General Davis' skirmishers, under Colonel Dan McCook, whose brigade was on the extreme left of the line of the Fourteenth corps. The left rested on the base of Rocky Face Ridge. It was General Howard's intention to throw Wood's division in on the right centre to support General Stanley, but the enemy presented so weak a front that Stanley was able to accomplish all that was expected — the turning of the enemy's left flank by a movement along Tunnel Hill range to the hill immediately in front of the town.

At ten o'clock the enemy, about three hundred strong, comprising artillery and dismounted cavalry, could be discerned on the ridge commanding the town. Whitaker's brigade of Stanley's division at once moved forward up the moderate slope of the range occupied by the enemy, and with a single line of skirmishers drove the enemy from the hill, assisted by the Fifth Indiana battery, Lieutenant Morrison, one [26] section of which was located on a commanding hill about a mile north-west of the town.

While the Fourth corps were thus engaged, Johnson's and Davis' divisions moved up from Catoosa Platform, on the centre, and entered Tunnel Hill. Davis' division moved along the main wagon road running parallel with the railroad, and threw his line across the valley. Johnson came up on the right and entered the town by a narrow trail running down from the direction of Nickojack's Gap. Barnett's Illinois battery, attached to Davis' division, opened their guns upon the enemy's position about nine, and a brisk cannonading was kept up for two hours until the enemy was flanked and took flight. The fire of the enemy's artillery was quite accurate, and the cavalry displayed remarkable abandon and contempt for our fire, oily retiring when compelled to by overwhelming numbers.

On comparison of notes by brigade commanders, it was found that less than ten wounded was our total loss in the occupation of the town and the surrounding ridges.

Immediately on the retirement of the energy Stanley threw his column forward along the ridge overlooking the approach to Buzzard Roost, and joined his right to Palmer at the wagon road leading to Dalton. At one P. M., a small brigade of rebel infantry approached within a mile of our advance and formed in an open field, but a few well-directed shots from the Fifth Indiana battery soon dispersed them, and they retired, leaving a small picket force.

Generals Sherman and Thomas were early on Tunnel Hill, and to-night have their headquarters within a mile of our advance line. Both Generals watched every movement of the enemy, and gave their orders with a coolness and confidence that proved them to be equal for any emergency that may arise. The brigades in Stanley's division of the Fourth corps engaged, were commanded by Generals Whitaker and Cruft, and Colonel Gross, and those of the Fourteenth corps by General Morgan and Colonels McCook and Mitchell. The principal skirmishing was performed by McCook's brigade, which lost no men.

Our line to-night is about one mile south of Tunnel Hill, and within three miles of the celebrated Buzzard Roost, near which the Fourteenth corps had the spirited engagement on the twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh of February last. Our line extends from Rocky Face Ridge to (report says) the left of General Hooker, who has come up on the enemy's left flank. A large force of cavalry is under General Kilpatrick, scouring the country on our extreme right.

To-day, while Barnett's Illinois battery was playing upon the rebels, who responded vigorously, a shell struck the ground and exploded within three feet of Brigadier-General Davis and Captain Barnett. The General had a narrow escape from death, but he remained in his position and looked on as coolly as though there were no enemy within a hundred miles.