By three o'clock of the same day, Colonel Long with his brigade of cavalry of Thomas' army, crossed to the south side of the Tennessee, and to the north of South Chicamauga Creek and made a raid on the enemy's lines of communications. He burned Tyner's station, with many stores, cut the railroad at Cleveland, captured near a hundred wagons, and over two hundred prisoners. His own loss was small.
Hooker carried out the part assigned him for this day, equal to the most sanguine expectations. With Geary's division (12th Corps) and two brigades of Stanley's division (4th Corps) of Thomas' army, and Osterhaus' division (15th Corps) of Sherman's army, he scaled the western slope of Lookout Mountain, drove the enemy from his rifle pits on the northern extremity and slope of the mountain, capturing many prisoners, without serious loss.
Thomas having done on the 23d, with his troops in Chattanooga, what was intended for the 24th, bettered and strengthened his advanced position during the day and pushed the 11th Corps forward along the south bank of the Tennessee river across Citico creek, one brigade of which with Howard in person, reached Sherman just as he had completed the crossing of the river.
When Hooker emerged in sight of the northern extremity of Lookout Mountain, Carlin's brigade of the 14th Corps was ordered to cross Chattanooga creek and form a junction with him. This was effected late in the evening and after considerable fighting.
Thus on the night of the 24th, our forces maintained an unbroken line with unbroken communications, from the north end of Lookout Mountain through Chattanooga Valley to the north end of Missionary Ridge.
On the morning of the 25th, Hooker took possession of the mountain top with a small force, and with the remainder of his command in pursuance of orders, swept across Chattanooga Valley, now abandoned by the enemy, to Rossville. In this march he was detained four hours in building a bridge across Chattanooga creek. From Rossville he ascended Missionary Ridge and moved northward toward the centre of the now shortened line.
Sherman's attack upon the enemy's most northern and most vital points was vigorously kept up all day. The assaulting column advanced to the very rifle pits of the enemy, and held their position firmly and without wavering. The right of the assaulting column being exposed to the danger of being turned, two brigades were sent to its support. These advanced in the most gallant manner over an open field on the mountain side to near the works of the enemy, and laid there, partially covered from fire for some time. The right of these two brigades rested near the head of a ravine or gorge in the mountain side, which the enemy took advantage of, and sent troops, covered from view below them and to their right rear. Being unexpectedly fired into from this direction, they fell back across the open field below them, and reformed in good order in the edge of the timber. The column which attacked them was speedily driven to its entrenchments by the assaulting column proper.
Sherman's position not only threatened the right flank of the enemy, but, from his occupying a line across the mountain and to the railroad bridge across Chicamauga Creek, his rear and stores at Chicamauga Station. This caused the enemy to mass heavily against him. This movement of his being plainly seen from the position I occupied on Orchard Knoll, Baird's division of the 14th Corps was ordered to Sherman's support; but receiving a note from Sherman informing me that he had all the force necessary, Baird was put in position on Thomas' left.
The appearance of Hooker's column was at this time anxiously looked for and momentarily expected, moving north on the ridge, with his left in Chattanooga Valley and his right east of the ridge. His approach was intended as the signal for storming the ridge in the centre, with strong columns; but the time necessarily consumed in the construction of the bridge near Chattanooga creek, detained him to a later hour than was expected. Being satisfied, from the latest information from him, that he must by this time be on his road from Rossville, though not yet in sight, and discovering that the enemy in his desperation to defeat or resist the progress of Sherman, was weakening his centre on Missionary Ridge, determined me to order the advance at once. Thomas was accordingly directed to move forward his troops, constituting our centre,—Baird's division (14th Corps), Wood's and Sheridan's divisions (4th Corps), and Johnson's division (14th Corps),—with a double line of skirmishers thrown out, followed in easy supporting distance by the whole force, and carry the rifle pits at the foot of Missionary Ridge, and when carried to reform his lines in the rifle pits with a view to carrying the top of the ridge.
These troops moved forward, drove the enemy from the rifle pits at the base of the ridge like bees from a hive, stopped but a moment until the whole were in line, and commenced the ascent of the mountain from right to left almost simultaneously, following closely the retreating enemy, without further orders. They encountered a fearful volley of grape and canister from near thirty pieces of artillery, and musketry from still well filled rifle pits on the summit of the ridge. Not a waver, however, was seen in all that long line of brave men. Their progress was steadily onward until the summit was in their possession.