Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 08.djvu/513

fifty men, and attacked the first detachment of the enemy which had landed and been placed so as to cover the passage of other troops. This detachment was driven almost to the river bank, where a second line was formed in position. This reinforcement had crossed and been placed in position, while the fighting with the first detachment was going on. Encountering this additional force, which could not be driven by the mere handful of our men engaged, our line was ordered to retire. This was accomplished in good order, and a line of defence taken up across the valley, which was held until all the pickets on the river were withdrawn. In about two hours and a half from the time the crossing began, a brigade of the enemy moved out from the hills bordering the river (which they had been diligently engaged in fortifying) into the valley beyond. The section of howitzers, commanded by Lieutenant Brown, opened upon it, throwing it into confusion, and compelling it temporarily to retire. The enemy was evidently much astonished at the presence of the artillery, and its fire was very effective. When a second advance in additional force was made, and upon information that the enemy was crossing at another point above them, the two regiments, Fourth and Fifteenth Alabama, which had now succeeded in collecting their pickets with the artillery, retired slowly towards Lookout mountain (I met them with the remainder of the brigade at Lookout creek), where I placed the command in line to await any further advance. The enemy, however, did not advance as far as the creek, but continued to strengthen his position on the hill above Brown's ferry, and commenced the construction of a pontoon bridge a quarter mile above the ferry, which was completed before noon. In this affair we lost six men killed and fourteen wounded. Among the latter was Colonel W. C. Oates, the gallant and efficient commander of the Fifteenth Alabama regiment. One of the wounded was left in the hands of the enemy, too severely injured to be removed. At five o'clock, in the afternoon of the 27th, I learned from my scouts that a considerable force of the enemy was moving from Shellmound in the direction of Chattanooga, and that this force was then in eight or ten miles of my position on Lookout creek. I ascertained further, that a force of cavalry was advancing from Kelley's ferry, where a bridge had been thrown across the river. This information was communicated to the Brigadier-General commanding the division with my views as to the object of the movement. My views as thus communicated were, that it was probably not the intention of the enemy to attack Lookout mountain at present, but to take possession of the railroad as far as the Trenton junction, two miles from the foot of Lookout mountain; and by holding Lookout valley, to