Capt. Naylor, Moccasin Point, says he can see the enemy's flank plainly and requests permission to fire at them.
(Signed) Wood, Capt. and A.S.O.
At 2:35 p.m. I received the following message from headquarters at Chattanooga.
Wood:—Gen. Thomas directs that the batteries on Point open on the Summertown road immediately.
(Signed) Merrill.
Capt. Jesse Merrill was chief signal officer of the army of the Cumberland on Gen. Thomas' staff. About this time the mists descended on the mountain and the troops were hidden from view and there was a little rain. It did not become clear again until nearly dark, so that the batteries did not begin firing again, but I read the message to the commanding officers of the batteries and we considered it a sufficient vindication that Gen. Thomas did not believe that they were firing into Gen. Hooker's men. The musketry firing continued in the fog and the enemy made a desperate stand behind a large rock to the left of the Craven house and in defending the Summertown road on the eastern side of the mountain. The heavy firing ceased about 2 p.m. Gen. Hooker's troops had exhausted their ammunition and no ammunition trains could now reach them. At 5 p.m. Gen. Carlin's brigade of the 1st division 14th corps crossed Chattanooga creek near its mouth and ascended the mountain to Gen. Hooker's right. The troops of this brigade carried on their persons ammunition for Hooker's skirmishers in addition to their ordinary supply for themselves. As night settled down the skirmishing continued very heavy, the flashes of the muskets on the side of the mountain presenting a brilliant sight to the spectators. Under cover of the skirmishing the mountain was evacuated and in the morning there were no troops to be seen on the northern slope. The weather was a little foggy, but as it gradually cleared, a line of troops without colors displayed could be seen in the valley through an opening in the trees, marching towards Missionary Ridge. Not being able to distinguish whether they were the enemy's or our own, at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 25 I sent the following message to Capt. Jesse Merrill at army headquarters:—
Can see a long line of infantry on ridge beyond Chattanooga creek a little east of South. Are they our troops?
Not receiving an answer very promptly, I left a man to watch the station on Cameron Hill with my marine glass, and unfastening my telescope from the stake to which it was attached, hastened to the guns on the point, and looking through it could see plainly by the gray and jean uniforms, the slouched hats and the furled colors, that the troops were Confederates, and asked Lt. Crosby to look at them and if he thought he could reach them, but he said that he could not train his guns upon them. At 10:10 a.m. I sent the following message to Capt. Leonard:—
Fifty degrees east of south and about two miles distant, a heavy column of rebels marching towards Mission Ridge.
Shortly after I received this answer to my message to Capt. Merrill:—