osition against attack from an enemy who came through
Liberty, it possessed no strong features at all--in reality the
advantages were all on the side of the attacking party if he possessed a
numerical strength which would enable him to occupy all the approaches
to the position and maintain a connected line. It is a long slope, or
rather collection of sloping ridges, which, beginning at the table land
eastward of the valley in which Liberty is situated, point due westward.

The road from Liberty to Smithville runs through the center of the
position upon Snow's hill, which was selected for defense, but bends and
curves according to the necessities of the grade. The ridges all point
toward Liberty and are parallel to the general direction of the road.
They can not be called rugged and inaccessible, for although their
northern and southern sides are somewhat precipitous, the back-bone of
each is comparatively smooth and the ascent is by no means abrupt or
difficult from the points where they subside into the valley to their
summit at the eastern ends. The ravines between these ridges can be
readily traversed by troops and the bluffs at the eastern extremity of
each, or where they "head," can be easily climbed. It is true, that the
conformation of the ground presents at one side, a serious obstacle to
an attacking force. The base of these ridges, which have been described,
or the parent hill, of which they seem to be offshoots, is separated
from the level ground to the eastward by a singular and deep gulf, some
two or three hundred yards wide and I know not how long. This abyss (it
may be called) is crossed by a sort of natural wall, or what would be
termed in railroad parlance, "fill," the sides of which are very abrupt
and steep. It is not more than thirty or forty feet wide, and the road
runs along it. To the southward of this deep, long chasm, is a gap in
the hill through which ran a road by which the rear of the entire
position could be gained. If this gap had been occupied and the narrow
road across the wide, deep chasm had been adequately commanded by
earthworks which could protect the defenders from artillery planted on
the tops of the hills, the position would have been impregnable,
perhaps, from attack against its front, and the enemy could have carried
it only by marching far around upon one or the other flank. But the
position always selected by our forces, stationed there, for fight, was
about half way down the r