Federals drove the Confederates from their headquarters here

Robert Cravens, an ironmaster, built the first house on this site in 1856. Seven years later, in the fall of 1863, Confederate troops occupied Lookout Mountain, and Cravens' house became the headquarters of Confederate Brig. Gen. Edward C. Walthall.

On November 24, 1863, the Union troops stormed the foggy slopes of Lookout Mountain in the famed 'Battle Above the Clouds." Federal infantry pushed the outnumbered Confederates around the north end of the mountain (to your left), and across the Cravens Terrace where you are now standing. As the Confederates fell back, the Cravens house fell into Union hands.

The skirmishing ended here about dusk, and at 2 A.M. the Confederates, short on men and ammunition, withdrew from the mountain. At dawn, Union soldiers climbed to Point Lookout just above here and planted the U.S. flag.

Picture on lower right
When Robert Cravens returned here after the battle, he found little of his home standing except the basement, the chimney, and the stone dairy. In addition to artillery damage, soldiers had stripped the house looking for souvenirs and firewood. The house you see today was rebuilt by Cravens on the same site.

Picture in upper center
Union infantry capture the Cravens House in this engraving from Harper's Weekly, December 26, 1863.

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