New York Troops - 11th Corps

At Wauhatchie on October 28-29, 1863, New York troops serving in Howard's Eleventh Corps of Hooker's command, in the Army of the Potomac, took part in operations that helped reopen Union lines of communication to Chattanooga. On the afternoon of October 28, two divisions of the Eleventh Corps moved down the valley toward Brown's Ferry, where a junction was made with Hazen's and Turchin's brigades and the 18th Ohio under Gen. W.F. Smith, and after encamping they threw out strong outposts. Shortly before midnight, a detachment of 150 men from the 141st New York under Maj. C.W. Clauharty advanced beyond the foothills about 500 yards east of the site and discovered and skirmished with enemy forces moving to attack the Union troops in the valley. Soon after firing was heard toward Wauhatchie, Gen. Schurz was ordered to push his leading brigade to the relief of Gen. Geary, with Tyndale's Brigade in advance; when its left was fired on while passing Smith's Hill by enemy troops concealed in the woods, the brigade continued to the hill on the right, known as Tyndale's Hill, and quickly drove the enemy from it. Krzyzanowski's Brigade was then placed in the gap between Smith's and Tyndale's Hills, and Schurz, acting on instructions given in person by Gen. Hooker, sent Hecker's Brigade to join Geary's Division, which was accomplished about 5 A.M. Between midnight and 1 A.M., as heavy fighting was heard in the direction of Geary's Division, Steinwehr's Division moved toward Ellis' house and its leading brigade was ordered to capture Smith's Hill, already occupied by Law's Alabama Brigade of Longstreet's Corps; Orland Smith's Brigade charged uphill under heavy fire without returning it until reaching the crest, after which the enemy retreated down the slope and fell back across Lookout Creek, leaving about fifty prisoners and some arms captured. Buschbeck's Brigade, held in reserve, advanced into the gaps on either side of the hill to prevent a flanking movement. Through the operations of Howard's Corps together with Geary's Division of the Twelfth Corps, and in conjunction with the troops at Brown's Ferry under Gen. W.F. Smith, the enemy was dislodged from every position on this side of Lookout Creek and the Union line to Chattanooga was reopened.

Chattanooga, Tennessee · United States