In early September 1863, General James Negley led his 14th Army Corps division of the Federal Army of the Cumberland into Dade County by way of White Oak Gap, reporting that his division had arrived and encamped at Brown's Spring, that water had been obtained by excavating the spring, that the road had been repaired as much as possible and was passable though the descent of the mountain remained very rough, and that his trains were safely up except for a few supply wagons left at Moore's Spring. Negley then led the way over Lookout Mountain by way of Johnson's Crook and on to the battlefield of Chickamauga. After the battle, when Chattanooga was under siege and General William T. Sherman sought to deceive the Confederates about the route of his relief army, General Hugh Ewing moved his division against Trenton on November 18, 1863 by way of White Oak Gap as a feint toward Trenton and Lookout Mountain while the main Federal force went directly to Chattanooga. Ewing reported that the head of his column reached Trenton at 10 am, that the rear brigade camped on the mountain overlooking the town, that Cockerill and Corse were in town, and that a few shells were thrown at cavalry of the 6th Kentucky Cavalry Regiment CSA, who retreated downstream. On the following day, Ewing informed Sherman of the disposition of his brigades, including extensive fires built by Loomis on the edge of the mountain, positions for Corse and Cockerill above and below town, orders for Corse to take position at the mouth of the gap and send regiments onto Lookout, and orders for Loomis to descend Raccoon Mountain at Wimm's Gap, stretch toward Johnson's Crook, and build additional fires, while Cockerill moved two regiments across Lookout Creek. On November 20, Ewing ordered the destruction of the machinery and stacks of all ironworks in Lookout Valley, and a Dade County refugee later reported that the courthouse and jail were burned and that Trenton was completely demolished.

Photo: Duane and Tracy Marsteller