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The aptly named Pulpit Rock looks down about 1000 feet to the Tennessee River valley near Chattanooga, in the southeast corner of the state. Here Mr. and Mrs Scofield (it seems) and their daughter take to the rock. Beside them, on the right, is a robust plaque interpreting the Battle of Waunatchie, named for a suburb of Chattanooga. According to Wikipedia, this battle of Oct. 28-29 1863 was one of the rare night fights during the Civil War, and the fighting was confused on both sides. Lookout Mountain served as a, well, lookout for two confederate officers who were surprised to see, by daylight, a large union force marching along the river. When night well things went to hell. About 1000 – very roughly – were lost or wounded, with the Union army prevailing in part by luck and low light in its attempts to control a supply line to Chattanooga across the river on Brown’s Ferry. If you visit Lookout Mountain – a long ridge – on Google you will discover that it is now covered along its long summit with upscale homes. Perhaps you will also find Pulpit Rock. I did not.
