the point of crossing the creek. We very soon after came up with the main body of the enemy,who occupied a strong position behind rocks and other natural defenses. Our whole line at once engaged the enemy without halting, and drove him steadily before us for about 1 mile, when the whole line of the brigade advanced in a furious charge, the colors of each regiment leading. The enemy were unable to withstand the advance and gave way in great disorder, losing at every step great numbers in killed, wounded, and prisoners. The charge was continued for a long distance through the enemy's camp, he halting and attempting to reform the line at every available point, but unable to stay the onward movement of our victorious column. Colonel Barnum, who had been previously unfit for duty, and was still scarcely able to march with the regiment from the effects of wounds yet unhealed, feeling unwilling that the regiment should go out to battle leaving him behind, had accompanied us and been in command of the regiment up to this time. While struggling forward greatly exhausted, a great portion of the time in front of the line inciting the men to greater action by words and example, he received a musket ball through the right fore-arm, inflicting a severe wound, which, with his previous exhaustion and fatigue, totally disabled him from proceeding farther.*

The regiment, however, pressed steadily forward until we came to the clearing around the mountain, when the men, becoming wrought up to the highest pitch of enthusiasm, rushed furiously forward, swept like a whirlwind around the point of the mountain far down the slope on the opposite side, and Lookout was won. Large numbers in this last charge, from mere inability to get out of our way. The prisoners were passed through the lines to the reserve following behind us. What number was taken by the regiment it is impossible to state. Suffice it to say, that it largely exceeded the number of men in the regiment. We passed to the rear in one squad some 40 or 50, including 5 commissioned officers, one of whom was said to be a colonel. While the regiment was advancing over the works and rifle-pits through the cleared space before the white house, I discovered that a portion of the regiment, consisting of the left three companies, did not continue with the rest of the line. The main portion of the regiment continued the advance under command of Captain Hopkins, acting field officer, to a point some 400 or 500 yards beyond the line of the house on the farther slope of the mountain. At this time the distance to be occupied by our line had become very much extended, and there was a large gap at the right of the line of our regiment.

At this point we were received with more stubborn resistance than at any previous time, but the fragment of the regiment held its ground firmly and drove the enemy beyond the end of their rifle-pits down the slope. At this time it was impossible to distinguish clearly the movements of the enemy or of our own troops on account of the fog and rocks, but they appeared to be forming for the purpose of moving around and turning our left. Captain Hopkins applied to some officers of the reserve who had just come up to move to his assistance, but instead of doing so they immediately fell back to a line of rifle-pits, some 150 yards in our rear, when Captain Hopkins, finding himself unsupported, connecting with no one on his right or left, and apparently in advance of the general line, also fell back to the same point. After remaining a short time in that position, and

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*Colonel Barnum was awarded a medal of honor for bravery in battles around Chattanooga.

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