In the mean while General Hooker, following up his victory of the 24th, had completely possessed himself of Lookout Mountain, had descended into the valley, crossed the Chattanooga creek, passed through Rossville, and advanced northward along Missionary Ridge, to cooperate with General Grant. His advance drove the rebels out of Fort Breckinridge, and captured many prisoners. He came up late in the afternoon of the 25th. A final effort, made by Bragg, to retake Fort Hindman, was successfully repulsed, and then the rout of the Confederates was complete. They fled in great disorder towards Ringgold, leaving hundreds of killed and wounded in their track. A few vollies of grape and canister converted their retreat into a wild rout. [Illustration: BATTLE OF MISSIONARY RIDGE.] [Illustration: PURSUIT TOWARDS RINGGOLD, GA.] Though utterly defeated and disorganized, the rebel army was still powerful in numbers and material, and the Federal commander, fully sensible of the importance of following up his advantage, ordered a vigorous pursuit. By daylight the next morning the Union forces were pressing close upon the dispirited and fleeing enemy. So disheartened were the rebels that hundreds threw away their arms and surrendered, soon as the victorious Union columns came within range. All day the pursuit continued, and, when night came on, the country for miles around was lighted with huge fires, where the rebels were compelled to destroy their stores, to prevent them from falling into patriot hands. The road was strewed with commissary stores, and broken-down caissons and wagons. The line of retreat was mostly along the railroad by the valley of Ringgold. The entire Federal loss in these combined battles did not exceed four thousand in killed and wounded; while that of the enemy, in killed, wounded, prisoners, and deserters, has been estimated at fifteen thousand. Between sixty and seventy cannon, and seven thousand stand of small arms were among the trophies of the victors. By this brilliant success, the Federal power was firmly established in East Tennessee, and no serious attempts were afterwards made by the rebels to invade that portion of the State. BATTLE OF RINGGOLD, GA. NOVEMBER 28, 1863.