The firebox and the smokestack is on the same end of the cooker...
with a built-in baffle plate that forced the smoke from the firebox to be
deflected underneath the full length of the smoker... allowing the heat to
be evenly distributed via the metal baffle... then the smoke rises and 'reverse flow'
back across the meat before exiting thru the exhaust stack.
Actually the smoke will still pass across the meats...
From the firebox... travels right to left under the baffle...
then travels left to right above the baffle... across the meat before exiting the smoker.
The baffle allows a better efficiency of the smoke's energy.
See you are from Georgia...
check out Ben Lang's site... www.pigroast.com.
Now I understand. At first i was thinking it went under the baffle then went above the baffle but still under the meat. It makes since and I can see how it is beneficial