of the rebel cavalry while supplies were being accumulated at
Stevenson awaiting the opening of communication with the army at
Chattanooga. Without driving back the entire of Bragg's army in
Lookout and Chattanooga Valleys, it was impossible to use the railroad
from Bridgeport east in bringing up supplies. The wagon-trains
could no longer be depended on, and, under the spur of necessity,
Rosecrans was preparing a plan to utilize the river with boats.
A new one had been built at Bridgeport and another captured at
Chattanooga had been repaired. By thus using the river he could
secure his supplies over a wagon-road of only eight miles from
Kelley's Ferry, via Brown's Ferry. The course of the Tennessee
River at Chattanooga is due west; after passing the town it flows
south to the foot of Lookout Mountain, from which point it then
sweeps, after a short curve to the northwest, due north, forming
here what is known as "Moccasin Point." Crossing the river at
the town, a road leads southwest across this point on to the other
side, where the river, as it sweeps north, is reached at Brown's
Ferry. Shortly after passing Brown's Ferry, the river again makes
a sharp bend to the south, forming another point of land running
northwardly. Across this point on the east bank, as the river passes
south, is Kelley's Ferry. At the extreme angle of this bend the
river rushes through the mountains, which here crowd down closely,
forming a narrow channel through which the waters rush headlong.
This chasm is known as the "Suck." The velocity of the water is so
great that steamers in high water cannot stem the current at this
point, which necessitated the landing of supplies at Kelley's Ferry,
and then hauling them over land across the bridge at Brown's Ferry
to Chattanooga.

Immediately after the battle, under orders from the War Department,