the Cumberland Mountains; nearer, at its base, the Tennessee River; below, to the east, the Chattanooga Valley, with its creek of the same name; at its head, on the banks of the river, the city of Chattanooga. About four miles. east of this stretches Missionary Ridge, passing round whose northerly end is the Chickamauga River, which is distinctly seen in the valley beyond. To the west are Lookout Creek and the Racoon Mountains. They tell us we look into seven States from this point.

On the extreme point stands Umbrella Rock. The staff is a rock column about fifteen feet in height, surmounted by a flat rock which overhangs it in all directions, but does not rest directly on the column, there being interposed a small round boulder, which is countersunk into both the flat rock and the staff. So perfectly balanced is this that one man can easily teeter it. Several attempts were made by some of the soldiers to dislodge it with long, strong poles forced between the two rocks, but fortunately without success.

The rock forms upon this table-land are varied and wonderful, standing as they do on the open plain at this great altitude, moulded into many grotesque shapes, as if cut and placed there at great labor and expense, the largest group being known as Rock City.

It was just west of Umbrella Rock that the first of Hooker's men reached the mountain top by a narrow path, where it would seem that one man should keep a thousand at "bay."

I was fortunate next morning when I awoke in finding myself above the clouds, and seeing a sun-rise which was gorgeous beyond description. My window opened to the east, and as I looked out the sun was visible, but no valley below. The reflection from the clouds was dazzling to the eyes, as it was like looking on a sea of silver. Here and there in the distance could be seen the peaks of the highest mountains. projecting through the clouds; while, nearer, an occasional pine-tree, on some high summit, pierced with its top the "silver sea."

I had to make an early start for the city, and as I rode down the mountain-side I passed through the clouds, and there was no sun visible in the valley below.

Almost directly under the point of Lookout is an extensive cave, the residents say as extensive as "Nickerjack " cave. At this time no one knew much about it. There were no guides at the cave, as there were few visitors. A party ventured in some distance, and reported extensive caverns and fissures of great depth, so deep that a stone thrown into them could be heard to bound and rebound until the sound was lost in the distance.

Near the river issues a large spring, discharging enough. clear, cool water to supply a city.

My principal duties were the payment of workmen who had been employed to rebuild the railroad for Sherman's advance into Georgia.

My most interesting work was at the rolling mill, where the rails, that had been given the Sherman twist, were cut up and made over. There were millions of them, covering acres of ground. It is hardly credible that his army could have given the "twist" to so many rails as were brought in there to be smelted.

My payments on these accounts ran into the millions.

Our offices and quarters were in a double detached house, with numerous out-buildings in its rear, as is usual with Southern houses. Our safes were kept in one of the rooms on the first floor; the tent of the color guard being just outside of these windows, they kept one post mounted in front of the house day and night.

One Sunday we were aroused in the middle of the night by a noise down-stairs, and on getting up we heard a number of men beating a hasty retreat. On going down we found that they had attempted to carry off a small safe in which were the keys to the large safe. Had they succeeded they would have gotten less than $20,000 that night, though we seldom had less than $100,000, often half a million.

Something has been written about the system of military

telegraphs during the war; but I have seen nothing published in regard to the system of military railroads, of the risks taken, of the courage displayed, of plans rapidly formed and quietly executed, which have on more than one occasion saved an army. One instance will serve to illustrate the care, skill, and courage displayed by many of the civil appointees. General Sherman was at Atlanta. His men had not been paid for some time, and a paymaster was sent with half a million dollars to pay them off. He left Chattanooga with his pay-car, supposing that the road was open to Atlanta. When he reached Dalton he found that the road had been raided and torn up for some miles south; all traffic was suspended, and every available siding filled with engines and

cars.

There was only a small garrison in the town, entirely inadequate to protect the supplies that were stalled there. The paymaster, who was a nervous man, talked loud and unguardedly about the amount of money he had with him, and the risks he was running in being detained.

The constructing corps were pushing repairs, but it hardly seemed possible to get things into shape for traffic before the next day. The superintendent of the road, a man of fertile resources, was on hand. He had noticed a man hovering round and listening to all that was said, and he made up his mind that he was a spy.

He went to the post commander and asked for protection for his trains. The captain told him that his scouts reported the enemy concentrating for an attack with much superior force, and he would have to keep his men together. Even then it was doubtful if he could hold the post. The superintendent then formed a plan for getting the pay-train to Atlanta before they could be attacked. He slipped away quietly, ran out an engine, and, going down to the scene of repairs, took the chief of constructon aside, and asked him how soon he could have a temporary track laid, over which he could run an engine and one car at a slow rate of speed. He was informed that they would try to do it before

dark, which they did. He was back at Dalton before anybody had missed him, and his strange friend was still hovering round. He selected his most trustworthy engineer and conductor, telling them to be ready for orders at a moment's notice.

He then gave orders to have all trains drawn out on the Chattanooga side of Dalton, as if to return there. They were to make all the noise they pleased. No sooner were these arrangements under way than the stranger disappeared. An hour later the post commander sent the superintendent word that the enemy were moving towards Chattanooga, and would probably strike the road nearer that place, which they did. Before sundown he received notice that the temporary track was completed. The paymaster was asked to go to his car, the superintendent mounted the engine, with his engineer and conductor, and with pay-car in tow went down to the break with them, and told them what they were expected to do. They passed over the break in safety, and were in Atlanta before morning. More than this, before morning every car had passed on towards Atlanta, and all reached there safely.

GRANT AT CHATTANOOGA.

An Address delivered December 4, 1889, before the New York Commandery, by Major-General OLIVER O. HOWARD, U. S. A.

COMRADES, Companions of the Loyal Legion, Gentlemen: In taking the subject, "Grant at Chattanooga," I do not intend to give a history of the battles fought there, but to describe one or two phases of the conflict.

The battle of Chickamauga had just been fought, closing on the 21st of September, 1863, by Rosecrans withdrawing his army from the battle-field into that curious place, Chattanooga, which became afterwards so familiar to our peoplea sheltered nook lying against the concave bend of the Tennessee, and hemmed in by Lookout Mountain below, and by Missionary Ridge above. Here the Confederate General Bragg, with his forces shattered and weakened by the terrific fighting near that river of death, the Chickamauga, undertook to besiege the Army of the Cumberland.

The first week of October, two divisions of the Eleventh and Twentieth Corps, all under General Hooker, transferred from the Army of the Potomac, had reached the Tennessee River. Across the river, beyond Bridgeport, the Confederates had all the country in possession, for their scouting parties to roam over, for eighteen miles along the railroad to Chattanooga. They had their sentinels and pickets so arranged as to interrupt the most direct wagon-road on our side of the river, by firing across at favorable points. All our supplies for Chattanooga were hauled by way of a road farther back, it being more than forty miles from our station at Bridgeport to the army at the front. Raids had even been made upon this road by the Confederate cavalry, and a large supply train destroyed. Brave and determined as the Army of the Cumber