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Fort Sanders (Knoxville, Tn)
November 29, 1863
written by Alethea D. Sayers
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| USA Gen. Ambrose Burnside |
CSA Gen. James Longstreet |
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In August of 1863, Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside, commanding the Army of the Ohio, began his advance to Knoxville, part of
the XXIII Corps occupying the town on September 2. Burnside then sent a column to the south to invest Cumberland Gap.
After the battle of Chickamauga, Sept. 19-20, the IX Corps was called from Kentucky to join Burnside and the main body
moved to Loudon, Tennessee.
In early November, Lt. Gen. Pete Longstreet was sent from Bragg's army at Chattanooga to oppose Burnside's threat to
Kentucky. He took with him two divisions, McLaws and Micah Jenkins (Hood's), and two artillery battalions. Wheeler's
Cavalry was ordered to cooperate with Longstreet, giving him 10,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry.
Failing to cut Burnside's withdrawal to Knoxville, at Campbell's Station, Longstreet decided he would attack the Federal
works at Knoxville. Though his men were in place by the 20th, Longstreet delayed the attack over a week, awaiting the
arrival of Bushrod Johnson's two brigades (3,500). Additionally, two cavalry brigades, led by William E. (Grumble) Jones,
arrived from Southwest Va. on November 27-28.
Longstreet finally got his assault underway at dawn on November 29. His main thrust was to be centered on a hill, named
Ft. Sanders, at the Northwest corner of the Federal works. But due to the icy 15' slopes that rose to the parapet from the
bottom of the ditch, attacking Confederates found themselves pinned into the ditch. For a short time, they could neither
move forward or retreat, while casualties were being inflicted. Longstreet ordered a withdrawal after suffering 813 in
killed, wounded and missing. Total Federal losses, including those sustained outside the fort, were 20-killed and
80-wounded. (Lee's Lts. III, 297)
When Longstreet learned of Sherman's approach, combined with the knowledge of Bragg's defeat at Missionary Ridge on the
25th, he withdrew on December 3, and took up winter-quarters at Greenville, Tennessee.
Burnside's failure to pursue Longstreet resulted in his being relieved of command of The Army of Ohio, at his own request,
on December 9. He then returned east as a corps commander.
*Interesting Note: Longstreet, plagued by dissension among his subordinates at Knoxville, relieved and brought charges
against McLaws, Law and Robertson. Richmond elected to transfer these officers to other commands. (Lee's Lts., III,
299-306)
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