About twenty-five feet from the summit of the mountain is a line of perpendicular rocks, known as “Palisades.” General Hooker’s division, having reached these palisades, formed into line of battle, so as to face the north, the right wing resting against the palisades and stretching down the slope of the mountain. General Hooker’s army advanced in three distinct lines. The front consisted of General Geary’s division, with a brigade of New York troops, under Colonel Ireland, on the right: the Sixtieth New York held the extreme right of the line, while the extreme left and front were held by the One hundred and second, the One hundred and thirty-seventh, and the One hundred and forty-ninth New York. The second line was formed of the two brigades of Grove and Whittaker. The third was formed by General Osterhaus’ division, which held itself in readiness to aid either of the other lines. These dispositions having been made, the entire corps, with a strong line of skirmishers thrown out, was ordered forward. After a short march they came upon a detachment of the enemy, which totally unsuspicious of the movements of the Union forces, was taken by surprise. The enemy, outnumbered and outmanœvred, attempted to escape by running up the hill; but they were instantly assaulted by the Union soldiers from above, and finding themselves thus between two fires, were compelled to make a stand and to fight. The rebel batteries on Lookout Mountain, and the Union batteries on Mocassin Point, now opened a heavy fire upon each other. The rebels, attacked on both rear and flank, were not capable of making a steady resistance, although their skirmishers, sheltering themselves behind trees and rocks, poured in a heavy fire upon the Union line, but were at length driven back by General Geary’s skirmishers. The enemy on the point of the mountain being severely pressed, gradually gave way, and fell back, in disorder, till they reached the line of breastworks on the eastern slope of the mountain. General Geary here drew his line parallel with that of the enemy, and boldly advanced; but finding himself met by strongly organized troops, he was obliged, for the time, to retire. In the mean while very large numbers of the enemy had been captured—for, whenever the Union troops succeeded in bringing in the rebels, they secured them by hundreds; and in this manner, over a thousand prisoners were taken, in a short space of time.