Re-Opening the Tennessee River

After Chickamauga, the Confederates by holding Lookout Mountain and Valley, closed the river line of supplies. Rosecrans' plan for its re-opening was to move Hooker's force from Bridgeport into Lookout Valley, Gen. W. F. Smith to co-operate from Chattanooga by seizing Brown's Ferry, on the Tennessee River.<br><br> At 3 A.M. Oct. 27, 1863, fifty boats carrying 1500 men of Hazen's Brigade, started from Chattanooga, floated undiscovered past the Confederate pickets, landed at Brown's Ferry about 5 o'clock, seized the gorge, and with the assistance of Turchin's Brigade from the opposite shore, occupied the crests above and below the ferry after a short engagement.<br><br> Gen. Hooker with the 11th Corps and Geary's Division of the 12th marched from Bridgeport the morning of the 27th, the head of the column reaching Brown's Ferry at 5 P.M. of the 28th.<br><br> Geary's Division, six regiments halted for the night at the junction of the Kelly's Ferry Road.<br><br> Geary was unsuccessfully attacked at midnight by Jenkin's Brigade (six regiments) of Longstreet's troops, the latter withdrawing at 3 A.M. on account of the advance of the 11th Corps to Geary's assistance.<br><br> Lookout Valley thenceforth remained in Union possession and the river line of supplies was open via Brown's Ferry and the short wagon haul thence to Chattanooga.