Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 39.djvu/24

 12 Southern Historical Society Papers.

separated from Missionary Ridge by a wide valley (a half mile or so wide), had an enormous area to defend, and could easily be "turned" (/. c, taken from the rear) unless held by a force large enough to meet attack from all points of its great area. And once "taken," it practically "enfilades" the Ridge, com- manding completely its left end, much of its center and also the valley between it" and the Ridge. In other words, "Look- out," once taken, the battle practically was won ; that is, against the little force Grant must have known Bragg had reduced him- self to. Now, that is exactly what happened. Bragg could spare for the defense of that huge Lookout Mountain the piti- ful little force of about three or four thousand men. Grant's army when it attacked had grown to 100,000 men or more. He first "flanked" by a heavy column our little force off from "Lookout" and gained it. There was but desultory, feeble fight- ing, but little opportunity or occasion for fighting, and but few casualties. They gained our rear with ease, attacking at the same time in front, and our handful of men had great difficulty in escaping capture. Many, indeed, were captured.

"The Battle in the Clouds" Northern historians call it. The term excites a smile with all who know the facts. Our men fought until they saw fighting meant being surrounded, cap- tured and sent to a Northern prison. The enemy behaved well, showed themselves to be soldiers in doing what they did ; but, as to fighting, it wasn't the thing to do. The thing to do was to hold our men engaged in front while their flanking force gained their rear and edged them off of the mountain or cap- tured them. Most of our men escaped, but they secured the mountain, .which was, of course, their main object.

General Grant next day used the same strategy as to Mis- sionary Ridge and our main army, then, posted thereon. Here, too, the distances to be defended were even greater, viz: just as long as the Ridge itself to where there is a "pass" or "gap," which afforded an opportunity to "flank" or "turn" our posi- tion. This distance, possibly, is from four to six miles. The 'Ridge" at the far right (as you stand on it and face Chatta-