90 Ten Years of my Life. 



They followed the army in droves of several hundreds, guided 

 by men on horseback, whose skill was remarkable. It was a 

 pleasure to look at these mules, with their fine deer-like limbs. 

 Thev endure as much and more than horses, and are far more 

 frugal, keeping in good condition with food which would dis- 

 able their more pretentious half-brothers. 



Lookout Mountain is an enormous rock, rising like a citadel 

 from the valley of the Lookout Creek, and from it one has a 

 view over Chattanooga and all the wide surrounding country. 

 It had been used as a signal station, and after the battle of 

 Chicamauga it was thought necessary to attack this formidable 

 position, which interfered with the connection of General 

 Grant's advancing army. The honourable but difficult task of 

 storming that rock fell on ' Fighting Joe.' He attacked it on 

 the 24th November, 1863, with ten thousand men, and though 

 the rebels were protected by breastworks, and assisted by a 

 dense fog enveloping the high summit, they were driven down 

 the eastern slopes. The fog preventing Hooker from following 

 them into the valley, he remained on the top of his stormed 

 citidel, and the thunder of his guns proclaimed his glorious 

 victory ' above the clouds,' as poetical reporters said. I must 

 not speak of the succession of battles around Chattanooga, 

 which terminated the campaign in that district in 1863, lost 

 the rebel General Bragg his place, and relieved General Burn- 

 side, who was in a rather awkward position in Knoxville. 



The slopes of the mountain ridge are covered with timber, 

 which on a fine day shone in all the brilliancy of the American 

 fall, most agreeably contrasting with the soft blue of the far- 

 distant landscape. After a quarter of a hour's ride we arrived 

 at the foot of the steep mountain, two thousand six hundred 

 feet high. The soldiers had, v/ith a great deal of labour, made 

 a road leading to the top. Many rocks had to be removed, 

 trees to be felled, and the road to be carried in zigzag to the 

 long stretched top, ending with Lookout rock, which falls off 

 nearly perpendicularly. The platform on the highest part was 

 wide enough for our small company, and we looked with 

 delight on the beautiful landscape at our feet.^ 



During the French war I ot'ten regretted the absence of 

 photographers, who generally arrived too late, when the scenes 

 had already much changed. In America they were alwa)'s on 

 the spot, and we owe them many views taken immediately 



