nearly the whole length. It was completed by nightfall, however, and in time to supply the exhausted ammunition and rations of the troops upon the mountain. The officers in charge of it and the men who labored upon it deserve commendation for their energy.

After carrying the enemy's works and camp upon the hill-side, about half past 12 p.m. our assaulting lines pressed up the mountain side, driving the foe before them at every point. About 1 p.m. they made the bench of the mountain just below Lookout Point, stormed the rebel works there successfully and planted the national colors upon them, and pressed on beyond the white house as far as the Summertown road by about 1.30 p.m. Dispatches reached me at the left of our line on the mountain shortly after 2 o'clock from Brigadier-General Whitaker and Colonel Grose, dated at the white house 2 p.m., announcing the complete success of their commands, and the fact that they were in positions indicated and would be able, on receiving an additional supply of ammunition, to hold them successfully. In clambering up the mountain there necessarily was much irregularity of line among the assaulting regiments. Colonel Grose, with a portion of his brigade accompanying him, had pushed to the right in the ascent, and had connected with General Whitaker's left on the mountain, and both had some of their regiments in the front line.

At, say, half past 2 p.m. my command lay upon the bench of the mountain thus: Brigadier-General Whitaker at or near the extreme right; Colonel Grose farther on the left with four regiments; Colonel Waters with two regiments upon the extreme left, resting upon the main Chattanooga road and holding it. The line of skirmishers was beyond the white house. Log barricades were rapidly constructed along the front of the whole line. The residue of the afternoon was spent in sharp skirmishing with the enemy, who still appeared in considerable force on the east side and top of the mountain; a heavy fog enveloped the mountain, and a vast deal of ammunition was uselessly consumed by skirmish parties on both sides with trifling casualties; this continued until about midnight. The regiments in the front were relieved from time to time, so that during the afternoon and night all the regiments in my command had borne their part in the skirmishing and had more or less exhausted their ammunition. Before nightfall, thirty boxes of ammunition were conveyed up the mountain by the horses and troopers of my escort, and shortly after dusk the ammunition wagons were got over the bridge at Lookout Creek and a short distance up the slope of the mountain, and from these the men of the various regiments supplied themselves during the night by carrying it on their shoulders. Rations were also similarly procured, and the men made as comfortable as possible during the night.

The storming of Lookout must rank as one of the most splendid achievements of the war. It was a complete success throughout. It was comparatively bloodless on our part, but this was the result of the dash and intrepidity of the soldiery engaged. Detachments from three armies fought here side by side engaged in a common purpose, only emulating each other in the amount of peril and labor that each should encounter.

The spectacle of the assault on the west side of the mountain was sublime, and one which is not rewitnessed in a life-time. The exploit will become historical, and must take rank among the noblest feats of the arms of any nation.

10 R R-VOL XXXI, PT II