CAPTURE OF ORCHARD KNOB On November 23rd, reports reached Grant’s headquarters to the effect that Confederates had been seen retreating from Missionary Ridge. This was Buckner’s Corps leaving for Knoxville to assist Longstreet. Grant at once ordered an attack against Orchard Knob, the outpost of the Confederates in front of Missionary Ridge. Thomas, with five divisions, charged out against this position, soon capturing it. The Confederate pickets moved back to the base of the ridge. Grant then established his field headquarters at this newly acquired point immediately, where the entire Confederate line could be seen. BATTLE OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN Hooker’s command had been assigned to Thomas who had obtained permission for Hooker to make a demonstration against the left of the Confederate line on Lookout Mountain. During the night of the 23rd, Sherman crossed the Tennessee River near the present site of the Chickamauga Dam. He reached the hill he had selected before crossing. He made no effort to dislodge the Confederates during the 24th. His position was not on the north end of the ridge as he thought it to be. A deep ravine separated him from the main north end of the ridge. From this position, the Confederates could be seen to the south. Early on the morning of the 24th, Hooker left Wauhatchie, moving northward to within two miles of the point of the mountain. His troops climbed the slopes to the foot of the palisades, made a march northward until they were near the point. They were then joined by Osterhaus’ division which came directly up the northern slopes of the mountain. They were met with a sharp volley of fire from the Confederates as they emerged from the woods. The Confederates had two entrenched lines running from the foot of the cliffs to the river. They were driven out of the first line into an open field—the Craven’s farm. Here the fighting was desperate and the casualties were very heavy. The Craven’s house was used as the Confederate headquarters. The Confederates withdrew to their second line of entrenchments. While in this latter position the battle ended. The sharp-shooters and the two Confederate batteries on top were of little value during the battle. The Union soldiers never reached the top of the mountain during the battle, nor did they make any effort to. Therefore, there was no fighting on top of the mountain. It was so foggy during the day that the artillerymen or sharpshooters on the top were unable to see the troops on the slopes. The artillery could not have been depressed sufficiently to reach the Union troops at the foot of the cliffs—almost directly under them. It was the troops on top that nicknamed this battle the “Battle Above the Clouds.” The Confederates were outnumbered at least four to one during this battle. They were in danger of being surrounded, so during the night Bragg ordered the withdrawal of all