was still kept up with Missionary Ridge. For firing at the summit, Lt. Crosby cut his fuses for twenty seconds, and for firing at the enemy on the Craven farm and the Summertown road, for ten and twelve seconds. A little later a section of 20-pounder Parrotts was placed on an elevation to the right and some distance to the rear of the batteries mentioned, which enfiladed the enemy's lines on the western slope of the mountain. The firing from Lookout Mountain though frequent did little damage on Moccasin Point, the shells either falling short or going over our heads into the Tennessee river.

One evening while sending a message by torchlight it became necessary to fill the stationary foot-torch with turpentine. In doing so some of the fluid was accidentally spilled on the ground, which afterwards became ignited from one of the torches, the flame spreading rapidly among the dry pine needles and brush on the ground. The enemy seeing the fire commenced shelling us, one shell striking very near, but with the assistance of some men from the battery, by stamping and beating, we soon succeeded in extinguishing the fire. Waiting a few minutes until everything was quiet, I lighted my torches again and finished my message without being again disturbed. Not long after this there was a forest fire on the eastern side of Lookout Mountain, which burned for nearly a week, but as it approached the houses near the point it was extinguished.

The following are a few of the messages sent in cipher from the signal station on Moccasin Point to the station on Cameron Hill:—

It is very probable that the firing of our batteries at this time was intended to draw the attention of the enemy from the approach of Gen. Sherman's troops above Chattanooga.

This message was sent from Gen. Bragg's' headquarters on Missionary Ridge without address or signature. In the evening of the same day the following message was secured from another source:—

The troops from Raccoon referred to were Gen. Sherman's. From the summit of Lookout Mountain and from Missionary Ridge the movements of the Union army could easily be seen in the day time, but the Confederates seem to have been surprised by the coming of Generals Hooker and Sherman. In Gen. Longstreet's book, "From Manassas to Appomattox," in the month of October he states: "Gen. Longstreet's command occupied Lookout Mountain and the left of the Confederate army. Alexander's batteries occupied the top of the mountain. Gen. Alexander managed to drop an occasional shell about the enemy's lines by lifting the trails of his guns, but the fire of other batteries was not effective." President Davis visited Gen. Bragg's army Oct. 9, and viewed Chattanooga from Lookout Mountain. We on Moccasin Point were informed of his presence and looked for him with our glasses. He seemed to have been much encouraged by the view from Lookout rock and predicted that the town would soon be again in his possession with the Union army which surrounded it. The Union army was surrounded on every side but one by the Confederates, occupying fortified positions on summits which seemed naturally impregnable. The supplies of the army had to be hauled from Bridgeport over a wagon road through the Sequatchie valley, a hostile country, a distance of 60 miles, in some places exposed to sharpshooters and the guns from Lookout Mountain, and then must cross the Tennessee on a frail pontoon bridge. Gen. Longstreet had established a signal station in observation of Bridgeport. He writes:

"On Oct. 27 the signal party reported the enemy advancing from Bridgeport in force, artillery and infantry, but the report was discredited at Gen. Bragg's headquarters. On Oct. 28 Gen. Bragg while laying his plans sitting on the point of Lookout rock, the battery from Moccasin Point threw a shell which exploded about two hundred feet below them. That angered Gen. Bragg and he ordered Gen. Alexander to drop some of his shells about the enemy's heads. As this little practice went on a dispatch messenger came bursting through the brushwood asking for Gen. Longstreet, and reported the enemy marching from Bridgeport along the base of the mountain, artillery and infantry. Gen. Bragg denied the report and rebuked the soldier, but the soldier said: 'General, if you will ride to a point on the west side of the mountain, I will show them to you.' They did so and saw the 11th and 12th corps under Gen. Hooker marching quietly along the valley towards Brown's Ferry. Gens. Bragg and Longstreet were surprised, but the latter was surprised because Gen. Hooker did not march along the mountain top instead of in the valley. They saw the enemy go into bivouac with the rear guard of about 1500 men about three miles in the rear and planned to capture it by a night attack."

Gen. Hooker left Bridgeport Oct. 27, and marching up the river left Gen. Geary with the rear guard to protect Kelly's ford, and with the main body of his troops proceeded to the vicinity of Brown's Ferry, a few miles further up