William 'Baldy' Smith identified Brown's Ferry as the link between a river crossing and the overland route from Kelly's Ferry through Lookout Valley. Union troops floated past Confederate positions at night and seized the crossing before dawn. They repelled the 15th Alabama and fortified before an effective response arrived. Hooker's approaching column then made the lodgment too strong to remove, allowing supplies to flow over the Cracker Line and effectively breaking the siege.
Chapter · 52:54-1:00:04
Brown's Ferry opens the Cracker Line
Baldy Smith's river-and-road plan seizes Brown's Ferry, links with Hooker's column, and restores a secure supply route into Chattanooga.