Another Lookout Mountain Flag Story

[19thOhio]

J. A. Reep, Co G 19th Ohio, tells the following story in the Sept. 24, 1891 National Tribune:

On September 6, (1863) General Beatty's 1st Brigade was camped along the Wauhatchie River and to the rear of the XXI Corps as the Army of the Cumberland had been moving east slowly getting closer and closer to Chattanooga. At 2 AM on the 9th, the brigade was aroused, and after a hasty breakfast, the 19th Ohio marched our, past the rest of the XXI Corps in the direction of Chattanooga. At daybreak they left the road, and after marching cross country, through woods and fields of corn higher than their heads and covered with dew, soaked, they arrived at the base of Lookout Mountain. Their mission was to scale Lookout Mountain and intercept and capture a Rebel signal corps and any other troops that might be found there.

The brigade was guided by the 19th Ohio. led by Henry G. Stratton, followed by the 9th Kentucky, 79th Indiana and then the 17th Kentucky. It was a race of strength and endurance to see which regiment would get to the top first. The route, a narrow steep path called Nickajack Trace, was so steep that officers had to dismount their horses in order to get them to the crest of the mountain. The 19th Ohio was the first to reach the summit. Eventually they reached the observation position at the end of the ridge where they could see Chattanooga nd the fortifications the Confederates had been constructing.

Reep recalled with this illustration:

"There was spread out before us for our inspection that great amphitheater on the arena of which two months later was enacted that great drama in the war of the Rebellion which ended in the defeat of Bragg and his army and the opening of East Tennessee to the Union armies."

From that height, the regiment could see clouds of dust down in the valleys as the Confederate troops marched south below Rossville and Ringgold, Georgia. Eventually the brigade descended the mountain and able to stop and rest along the road just south of Rossville at 11 PM, "completely tired out, having made one of the longest and most fatiguing marches in the whole history of our four years' service."

Granted that this is a recollection rather than a contemporary account. Reep writes that Manderson was leading the regiment, when it actually was Stratton. However. I have no reason to doubt the veracity of this story. I had my bicycle with me while visiting the area and considered trying to ride up the road that follows Nickajack Trace as best as I can tell. I chose to just drive instead and was glad I did since the top of the trace really was steep! I would think that the flag of the 19th Ohio and the other regiments in the brigade would have reached the summit.

Above: the area where they would have marched through the tall corn fields before climbing Lookout Mountain.

 

[gjpratt]

@19thOhio what roads or trails most closely follow the old Nickjack Trace?

 

[19thOhio]

I can't say exactly. I just googled Nickajack and find it is a generic term for that general area. Nickajack Trace was the term in the article quoted. So I just did some Google maps-street viewing to try to recreate my driving route. And I am sure I did since I re-found that funny sign I posted, which should have been placed between the flat area and the viewpoint photos. (the tri-state location is a bit confusing on maps).

The route I took is: starting at Trenton, Georgia, I-59, US 11, going (south?) on La Fayette, then left on Piney Rd. At the funny sign Piney splits into Creek Rd and Buckhalter Gap Rd. Take Buckhalter Rd. to the top of the ridge. Than a left on 189 will lead to Lookout point.

This makes sense because:
-it fits the narrative in their observations, distance and time for a long day march with their equipment,
-Lookout Mountain was somewhat settled so some sort of early access from this direction seems reasonable,
-the brigade would have used any access available at the time from that direction, having marched that summer from Corinth

With Street View, you can reasonably follow Beatty's First Brigade up Lookout Mountain as the Army of the Cumberland approached Chattanooga prior to the Battle of Chickamauga.

My thoughts, anyway. What say you?

 

[DixieRifles]

The brigade was guided by the 19th Ohio. led by Henry G. Stratton, followed by the 9th Kentucky, 79th Indiana and then the 17th Kentucky. It was a race of strength and endurance to see which regiment would get to the top first. The route, a narrow steep path called Nickajack Trace, was so steep that officers had to dismount their horses in order to get them to the crest of the mountain. The 19th Ohio was the first to reach the summit. Eventually they reached the observation position at the end of the ridge where they could see Chattanooga nd the fortifications the Confederates had been constructing.

So what day did they reach the summit?
And this was still a week before the Battle of Chickamauga, right?

 

[19thOhio]

The date was Sept. 9, and, correct, that was about a week before the Battle of Chickamauga. By Sept. 12, the brigade was at Lee and Gordon's mills eventually to take part in the battle.