Above the Clouds on Lookout Mountain?

[frontrank2]

Soldiers of the 78th Pennsylvania Infantry on ( what looks like to me ) Lookout Mountain.\

 

[DixieRifles]

That photo just doesn't seem like it could be any place on top of Lookout Mountain or any ridgeline.
I would say it was on Missionary Ridge.
I looked in the appendix of a book on Vicksburg but I didn't find them listed there. The photo reminds me of the bluffs of Vicksburg.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

Soldiers of the 78th Pennsylvania Infantry on ( what looks like to me ) Lookout Mountain.\

View attachment 464551

PENNSYLVANIA
78TH INFANTRY
(Three Years)

Seventy-eighth Infantry.-Cols., William Sirwell, Augustus B. Bonnaffon; Lieut.-Cols., Archibald Blakeley, A. B. Bonnaffon, Henry W. Torbett; Majs., A. B. Bonnaffon, James N. Hosey, Robert M. Smith. The 78th regiment was recruited in the late summer and early fall of 1861, and was mustered into the U.S. service from the middle of September to the middle of October at Camp Orr on the Allegheny river, for three years. Cos. B, F, G, I, and K were raised in Armstrong county, C and E in Clarion, A in Indiana, D in Indiana and Cambria, and H in Butler. On Oct. 18, 1861, it left the state and proceeded by transport to Louisville, Ky., and thence by rail to Nolin creek, where it was assigned to Gen. McCook's division, Army of the Ohio, and was brigaded with the 78th Pa., 1st Wis., and 38th Ind., commanded by Brig.-Gen. James S. Negley. In December it moved with the brigade to Munfordville, Ky., and in March, 1862, it arrived with the division at Camp Andy Johnson, Nashville, Tenn. Throughout the remainder of the spring and summer it performed guard duty on the railroad from Nashville to Columbia, garrison duty at Pulaski and Rogersville, guard duty on the railroad from Columbia to Elk river, and was engaged in numerous skirmishes with the enemy's cavalry. While Buell's army was marching north into Kentucky, in the race with Gen. Bragg for Louisville, the 78th was ordered into the defenses of Nashville, where the garrison was often attacked. It was engaged at La Vergne, Neely's bend, White creek, Charlottsville and Franklin Pike, remaining in Nashville until Dec. 12, when it moved to Camp Hamilton, where it was assigned to Miller's brigade, of Negley's eighth division. It was heavily engaged at the sanguinary battle of Stone's River, or Murfreesboro, where it behaved with great gallantry, losing 190 men killed and wounded. In Jan., 1863, the Army of the Cumberland, under Gen. Rosecrans, was divided into three corps, the 14th, 2Oth and 21st, and the 78th was assigned to the 3rd brigade (Col. Miller), 2nd division (Gen. Negley), 14th corps (Gen. Thomas). It was engaged in provost duty at Murfreesboro until April, and in June shared in Rosecrans, campaign from Murfreesboro to Tullahoma. It then encamped at Decherd until Aug. 15, when it moved with the army in pursuit of Bragg. On Sept. 11, a part of the regiment was engaged at Dug gap, Ga., the whole regiment shared in the desperate fighting at Chickamauga and then retired with the army to Chattanooga. While here it was assigned to the 3rd brigade (Gen. Starkweather), 1st division (Gen. R. M. Johnson), 14th corps (Gen. John M. Palmer). In the decisive engagements at Orchard Knob, Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge, the 78th was engaged with a small loss, and it participated in a reconnaissance to the summit of Lookout Mountain. In company with the 21st Wis., the regiment was assigned to duty on Lookout mountain until May, 1864, when it rejoined its brigade at Graysville and moved with Sherman's army on the Atlanta campaign. It saw much hard fighting at Tunnel Hill, Buzzard Roost gap, Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church and in the long struggle before Kennesaw mountain. While in front of Kennesaw mountain it was ordered to Chattanooga to guard wagon trains to the front and was thus employed for three months, when it was ordered to report to Gen. Rousseau at Nashville. It was active at Pulaski, Tenn., and a little later was mounted and moved with Rousseau against the enemy's cavalry in Southern Tenn., returning to Nashville on Oct. 17. Its term of service having expired, all the original members, except the veterans and recruits, returned to Pennsylvania and were mustered out at Kittanning, Nov. 4, 1864. The veterans and recruits remained at Nashville and in March, 1865, the regiment was recruited to the minimum strength by the assignment of eight new companies, commanded by Col. Bonnaffon. The regiment as thus organized was finale mustered out at Nashville on Sept. 11, 1865. Source: The Union Army, vol. 1 ********************************************************************************* ​

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Judging by the direction of the bend seen in the river, and after referring to the map of Chattanooga, that position looks like it's at the northern end atop of Lookout Mountain.

If that's the 78th PA, it appears that the photo is taken after the action. If this location is on Lookout Mountain, that fits with the placement of this unit after the Battles of Chattanooga (Nov. 23-25, 1863). The regiment did reconnaissance to Lookout Mountain from Nov. 29 to Dec. 2; and thereafter performed duties on this mountain ridge till May, 1864.

 

[Rhea Cole]

Profile of Lookout Mountain looking west. The Tennessee River skirts the foot of the mountain camera right. The low profile of Moccasin Bend can be made out. The vantage point is 1/2 way up the ridge adjacent to where McArthur charged up Missionary Ridge. Raccoon Mountain is on the horizon.

I agree with Nathan Stewart. That is definitely what is now Point Park on the northern extremity of Lookout Mountain. Moccasin Bend & even the area of Brown's Ferry are visible. The northern point of Lookout above the escarpment is the only place with such a vertical vantage of the river bend. As can be seen in the image below, Missionary Ridge has no such vantage point.

I am familiar with this vista because of living history signal flag programs up there. Both Union & CSA signalists used this unique vantage point. CSA captain Charles Eastman wrote a very amusing letter about being chased off there by 30 pound Parrott rifles on Moccasin Point. The trails were set down in holes to gain the proper elevation. Fuzes were cut to 28 seconds to bring. fire down on the Summer Town Road. Gun crews from FT Negley in Nashville manned the battery.

Uniquely, the signalist assigned to the Moccasin Point Station kept copies of the orders given to the battery. Both General Thomas & General Hooker used flags to control the fire of the battery indirectly.

Orchard Knob taken northward from the veranda of Sugar's BBQ about 1/2 way up Missionary Ridge. The river is a mile beyond the knob. Lookout Mountain image above is to the left / west.

When you visit CHIC-CHATT the veranda at Sugar's is a brilliant place to take in the dramatic scenery. You can't miss it because it is adjacent to the interstate tunnel through the ridge. The day I took these images a front rolled through & completely obscured the entire river valley. As they liked to say during the Civil War, it was sublime.

 

[DixieRifles]

While here it was assigned to the 3rd
brigade (Gen. Starkweather), 1st division (Gen. R. M.
Johnson), 14th corps (Gen. John M. Palmer). In the decisive
engagements at Orchard Knob, Lookout Mountain, and Missionary
Ridge, the 78th was engaged with a small loss, and it
participated in a reconnaissance to the summit of Lookout
Mountain. In company with the 21st Wis., the regiment was
assigned to duty on Lookout mountain until May, 1864

I didn't see it listed in Hooker's command of a mixed divisions from other armies that launched the attack on the defenders of Lookout Mountain on 23rd November. There was a 78th New York.

What was their role in the reconnaissance?

 

[Rhea Cole]

I didn't see it listed in Hooker's command of a mixed divisions from other armies that launched the attack on the defenders of Lookout Mountain on 23rd November. There was a 78th New York.

What was their role in the reconnaissance?

I think everyone in Chattanooga had their photo taken at the point. Even groups of officer's wives made the pilgrimage… they probably stayed clear of Hooker's HQ.

 

[J. D. Stevens]

what looks like to me ) Lookout Mountain

I believe this is close to the same view.

 

[Little Mac]

I believe this is close to the same view.

Awesome picture!

 

[Rhea Cole]

I believe this is close to the same view.

View attachment 464675

Exactly right. Porter Alexander's attempt to shell the Army of the Cumberland from this position was a fiasco. As you might expect, calculating the fall of shot from atop the escarpment was an exercise in futility. When they saw the bloom of the shot, Cumberlanders leapt up out of their trenches & placed bets on where the visible ball would land. More often than not, the em pact was met with gales of laughter. A bit of a come down from the supposed glories of Gettysburg.

The battery at Moccasin Bend showered the CSA batteries from the northern end of the mountain. The CSA Lookout Mountain signal station played hide & seek with the cannoneers from FT Negley. Eventually, they chopped a viewport through the treetops pointed at Bragg's little White House on Missionary ridge. An illustration of Capt Charles Eastman's single board in the crook of a tree is in Brown's history of the Signal Corps.

 

[farrargirl]

Kept this one from LOC in my files….maybe?

 

[Rhea Cole]

View attachment 464699
Kept this one from LOC in my files….maybe?

Excellent image… it also documents the little known defeat of the Borg by the combined Armies of the Cumberland & Tennessee. Many Lost Cause believers claim it was only the captured Borg alien technology that allowed Grant to defeat the clearly superior Gen Lee & Army of Northern Virginia. Thanks for documenting this oft overlooked incident.

 

[frontrank2]

Another image I just found of the 78th.

 

[Rhea Cole]

Soldiers of the 78th Pennsylvania Infantry on ( what looks like to me ) Lookout Mountain.\

View attachment 464551

This what is now Point Park on Lookout Mountain. I know it well. Moccasin Bend is clearly visible in the background. A second shot of this group on the Point has been posted down thread. That image is the unmistakable point of the mountain where everyone had their picture "floated" as they said at the time.

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

With my fear of heights, just looking at the guy sitting at the far right of the photo gives me the shakes….maybe there is a shelf of rock just out of sight beneath his feet?