The Confederate forces, had their armies camped on Lookout Mountain, Signal Mountain and Missionary Ridge. Artillery was placed in strategic positions to render a direct attack and this status quo remained for around six weeks. Passivity was not the friend of the Confederates and they were about to pay the price for their in-activity. On the sixth week, President Lincoln ordered General Grant to Chattanooga and to use whatever means necessary to open up the blocked supply lines and break the rebel siege.
After General Grant had appraised the situation, punched a hole in the Rebels western guard, which re-opened his supply line, and met with his commanding officers, a plan was formed. The Union forces would probe the Confederate forces on Lookout Mountain and after this feint, a battle strategy would be formed based upon the resistance the Union soldiers faced.
However, instead of the Union soldiers stopping their "fake" attack, they started climbing the mountain! In the ensuing battle, Union Major General Joseph Hooker captured Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge fell soon after. There were over 11,700 casualties on both sides of the battle and we can only imagine the horror of the soldiers fighting among the clouds on Lookout Mountain, firing blindly into the fog, desperately trying to stay alive. This Battle soon became known as the "Battle Above The Clouds". The Confederate soldiers atop the mountain firing their cannons and rifles down the mountainside and the Union soldiers climbing up the mountain while dodging near suicidal fire. Bravery ruled on both sides during this pivotal battle but the Union armies prevailed and the Confederates were forced to retreat. The Confederate General, Braxton Bragg resigned shortly after this battle, having lost the confidence of his men. (Most likely due having all the military advantages and still losing the battle of Chattanooga.)
Late in the evening, I would drive up Lookout Mountain and park my car near Point Park. I would walk to the rocks overlooking the city of Chattanooga and imagine the scene over a hundred years ago. The sound of the cannons, the screams of the wounded, the unbelievable courage it would take to climb the face of this mountain while dodging rifle and cannon rounds. Some of these young men gave all they had for this piece of land, for their love and cause they had promised to give their all to achieve. To visit these battlefields without remembering their sacrifices would be a sin. These monuments are a steady reminder of the price of liberty, and the fragile nature of peace.
