The morning of Nov. 24 was cool and cloudy, threatening rain. There was a cloud about the summit of the mountain, and at no time during the day was the top of the mountain clearly visible from Moccasin Point. A little before 10 a.m. heavy firing was heard on the west side of the mountain, gradually growing nearer. At 10:30 a.m. I received the following message from Lookout valley by the way of Chattanooga:—
Commanding Officer Batteries on Moccasin Point:—Gen. Hooker desires that you will keep a sharp lookout on the eastern slope of the nose of Lookout Mountain. If any of the enemy's troops go up there, shell them.
(Signed) D. Butterfield, Maj. Gen. and Chief of Staff.
Not long after, suddenly, crowds of the enemy came rushing round the western point of the mountain and filled the trenches and earthworks on the northern slope close by. All the guns on Moccasin Point now opened a destructive fire.
Gen. Hooker's command consisted of Gen. Geary's division of the 12th corps, Gen. Osterhaus' division of the 15th, and two brigades of Gen. Cruft's division of the 4th corps. He had sent Geary's division and Whitaker's brigade of Cruft's division to Wauhatchie to cross Lookout creek and then to sweep down the right bank, to clear it of the enemy and cover the crossing of the remaining forces. He ordered Col. Grose to seize the common road bridge just below the railroad bridge crossing and repair it, and directed Gen. Charles R. Woods, then in command of Gen. Osterhaus' division, to move his division to Brown's Ferry under cover of the hills, to the crossing of Lookout creek and support the batteries; one, battery K, 1st Ohio artillery, on a high hill a little north of the stream; and the other battery K, 1st N.Y. artillery, on a hill to the rear of the other. At 8 a.m. Gen. Geary crossed Lookout creek, captured the enemy's pickets, and then ascended the mountain side until his right touched the base of the palisades. The fog which overhung the mountain top and upper steeps and the woods concealed the movement. Then with the right clinging to the palisades he swept round towards the mountain's point. Simultaneously with Gen. Geary's first movement, Col. Grose attacked the enemy at the bridge and having driven them back commenced to repair. The noise of the conflict called the enemy's nearest forces from their camps. One detachment advanced to the railroad embankment, which formed a good parapet and admitted a sweeping fire upon the Union troops advancing from the bridge. To avoid loss of life in a direct advance, Gen. Hooker directed Gen. Osterhaus, now commanding his division, to send a brigade to prepare a crossing a half mile further up the creek under cover of the woods. At 11 a.m. the bridge was completed, and soon after Gen. Geary's division and Whitaker's brigade in line, sweeping the mountain from base to palisade, came abreast. The batteries then opened fire, and Woods and Grose crossed the creek and aligned their brigades on Geary's left as it swept down the valley. The troops of the enemy in the first positions that escaped the artillery fire ran into the infantry lines so quickly that overthrow occurred to all that had taken position in the valley and near the western base of the mountain. Many were killed and wounded and the remainder were captured. Then the line moved onwards towards the mountain's front. As the increasing roar of musketry indicated the sweep of the battle to the east, the anxiety for its revelation on the open ground became intense. Soon could be seen the routed enemy in rapid motion followed by Gen. Hooker's line with its right under the palisades. With a plunging fire from above and behind, they rolled up the enemy's lines and driving them from their intrenchments, did not halt until the middle of the open ground was gained. Here the enemy received reinforcements and a more determined stand was made.
Gen. Cruft had been ordered to move south along the western base of the mountain and charge up to the white house. Grose's brigade of his division and Osterhaus' command, having gathered up the captured on the lower ground, closed on the left and then the enemy was driven from his defenses on the open ground and retreated up the mountain toward the eastern slope. As Gen. Cruft's troops charged the last line of intrenchments near the Craven house, the sun shone out for a few minutes and the battle flags of both sides could be plainly seen from Moccasin Point. It was a thrilling sight. Gen. Hooker was greatly assisted by the batteries on Moccasin Point, which swept the northern face of the mountain, pouring shot and shell into the enemy's lines about the Craven house and the Summertown road.
At 12:50 p.m. I received the following message:—
Commanding Officer Moccasin Point:—Throw no more shells on this side of the mountain. You are throwing in the midst of our men.
(Signed) Hooker.
I immediately read the message to Capt. Naylor, who ordered his battery to cease firing. I asked him if he could see the enemy and our troops plainly, and he said he could. I then asked him if he was firing into our men, and he replied he was not. I then ran with the message to the commanding officer of the other battery to the right, who immediately ordered his battery to cease firing, and asked him the same questions. He denied that he was firing into our men or that he was firing on the western side of the mountain. I had watched the firing of the batteries and did not believe that they were firing into our own troops or that any of the shells went on the western side of the mountain. I did not think that Gen. Thomas would believe it, and as my messages went through headquarters at Chattanooga, with the consent of Capt. Naylor, whom I considered the commanding officer on the Point at that time, at 1:18 p.m. I sent the following message to Gen. Hooker:—