Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 08.djvu/404

392 point, and could distinguish the enemy's troops in the plain in front of Chattanooga—all quiet, no massing, no movements of any kind from this point. I sent another staff officer to the Cravens house to report to me immediately anything of interest, and returned myself to my position at the forks of the road.

The demonstrations of the enemy did not up to this time indicate the point of attack, whether upon my portion of the line or further to the left. General Stevenson inquired of me about this time if I needed reinforcements; to which I replied that I could not tell until there were further developments. I sent orders by a staff officer to Generals Moore and Walthall to place their troops in line as soon as skirmishing commenced, but not unnecessarily to expose them to the fire of the enemy's artillery. I expected from the rugged nature of the ground, and the fact that the enemy had to ascend the mountain, that the picket fighting would continue for some time before the main body would be engaged. About this time I received a message from General Moore, that he did not know where the line was. I sent back immediately an order that General Walthall would occupy the left, and that he (General Moore) would form on his (Walthall's) right, prolonging their line in the earthworks between the Cravens house as far as his troops would extend. About 12 M. I received a note from General Moore that the enemy had forwarded his line and commenced skirmishing with our pickets near the railroad bridge crossing Lookout creek; that he could not then tell their object, and inquiring where he should place his brigade. I sent to General Stevenson to ask for the offered reinforcements. Information came to me from General Walthall about the same time that the pickets had commenced firing, and a message from General Stevenson by Major Pickett, that the enemy was making an attack on my line. I now asked in writing for a brigade from General Stevenson, to be sent down at once, and ordered Major John Ingram, Assistant Adjutant-General, to direct General Walthall to fight back the enemy with his pickets and reserves as long as possible, and finally to take position with his left against the cliff and his right at or in direction of the Cravens house, and to direct General Moore to advance and form on the right of General Walthall and prolong the line in the earthworks below the Cravens house. Major Ingram reported to me that he rode rapidly forward to a point some two hundred (200) yards from the Cravens house, passing General Moore's brigade moving up to their position and to support General