My grandmother copied two pages from a book at the
Atmore,
Alabama Public Library and gave them to me to document the event. I hope it helps you a little!
_Confederate Military History_, Vol VII, The Blue &
Grey Press, pp. 176-177:
"...Walthall's
Mississippi brigade had fought the famous battle of Lookout Mountain, "above the clouds," as it has been called with poetic license, opposed to the army corps of Joe
Hooker. Walthall's brigade was under arms all night, before November 24th, in a line extending on the west slope of Lookout toward the north side which faces Chattanooga; while his pickets, under Lieut.-Col. McKelvaine, covered the creek of the same name at the base of the mountain for two miles from its mouth. He was aware of a considerable movement on the part of the enemy, concealed by a dense fog, and as it lifted from the valley a brigade was seen to go into action against his pickets. the thirty-fourth was sent to strengthen the picket line, and the Thirtieth and Twenty-ninth were posted to meet the threatened attack, and parts of the Twenty-seventh and Twenty-fourth held in reserve. the Federals opened a heavy artillery fire, and attacked in front, while
Geary with his division and part of another came up on the left. The gallant Mississippians fought from crag to crag, some of them holding their positions until surrounded and captured; but they were scarcely more than a skirmish line, and were steadily forced back. As the Federal advance came up to the Twenty-seventh and Twenty-fourth, those regiments delivered a scorching fire that withered the enemy's lines and staggered them for a moment; but they poured on around the flanks of the confederates, but the remnant of the latter retired. Meanwhile three companies of the Twenty-fourth, under
Capt. J.D. Smith, as sharpshooters, were holding the ridge on the north side of the mountain under fire from the Moccasin Point batteries, to cover the retreat of the brigade. When
Colonel Dowd reached the ridge, nothing but a handful of his men remained. The remnants of the other regiments gained this point, and formed line of battle south of the
Craven house, but the pickets on the right, under Col. J. A. Campbell, were cut off and mostly captured. Being reinforced, the brigade fought in their new line, holding back
Hooker from executing his desired movement against Bragg's left flank until night, the Twenty-ninth, Thirtieth and a remnant of the Thirty-fourth fighting under
Colonel Brantly. The loss was very heavy. Fourt companies fo4 the Twenty-fourth, on picket under command of Lieut.-Col. McKelvaine, were killed, wounded, or captured; the Thirtieth lost 130, and the others similar numbers. The brigade was about 1,200 strong, and lost 100 killed and wounded, and 845 captured. The remnant of the brigade served with credit next day on Missionary
Ridge, losing 28, among them General
Walthall, severely, and
Adjutant Campbell, of the Twenty-ninth, mortally wounded.
