Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-12-30
The Assault on Kuoxville-Yankeea account
Of The CaIIantry of the COnfederases'

rs. ...,,. n, RuoxvilleEYankee account
of The GaiIantry Of the Confederases'
The New York papers contain long account Of
the assault made by a portion of Gen. Lobgstree.,s
force on Knoxville. The night had been very co'',
and at dawn next morning the Conteoera.es,
seen advancing in three lines to the assat.
heavy artillery fire was Immediately opened uPo.,
them DESPITE the storm of canister, which no"ieu
round them, on came the rebel host, with origaoe
front slowly pouring the railroad cut ana anon
auickeuing in motion as the ground presented less
obstruction, until at last emerging from the nearest
timber, they broke into
THE CHARGE.
Across the open space which interveneo oes~een
the timber and the fort and which was crossed VIII,
logs and the stumps of feled trees, they now came
at inpctuous speed The first check was given wnen
The foremost column stumbled over a line OF tee'
xraph wire, which had been stretched through tne
!ow brush and cciled from stump to stump out Vi
ordinary view. As they halted here momentar'y'
nne falling over another, until the cause ol the w.
truction was discovered, our batteries IN the 1or'
mad full play, and Benjamin. Buckley, and koemer
poured in their rounds quick and fast, whle the III
iantry of Ferrero kept up CALLING fire from musket
~. The embrasures of the fort and the whoe nne 1
of the parapet blazed at with discharges Sun
the rebels pressed on their battle flags of red with
cross of blue floating above their heads, over the
serried line of bayonets. Rallying over the tem
porary obstruction, leaping the stumps and logs,
and pushing through the brush, they were Witnih
pistol shot of the fort Our men during the last ie"
minutes, had received orders to reserve their nre
until each could single out his target at close range
while Benjamin treble shotted his guns, and Buck
ley loaded with his terrible canister.
THE REPULsE, ROUTE, AND RETREAT
And now, together all launched forth. Ihe
.a... te-r;fe. Broken in their line, q few OF
the more desperate Of the rebels spring into the
ditch, clambered up the glacis, and almost side by
side with the flag Of the Union planted the banner
of treason. But confused panic stricken, the rear
of the column gave way and retreated down the
hill; Others again, afraid to advance or retire In the
face of what was certain death, and appalled, by the
heaps of slain which strewed the field, threw down
| their arms and surrendered. The most desperate
and gallant band they were-remained fast oy
their officers, who valiantly kept the lead to the
very fort ITSELF and following them as they jumped
into the ditch attempted to scale the gacis, each TO
receive his death wound as his head appeared above
the parapet A captain, In words which would
sound oddly at so thrilling moment, and IN Ian
guage more forcble than polite, demanded the sur
render of the garrison as be pushed his body through
one of the embrasures and faced the very muzzle o
the cannon. His answer was the discharge OF the
piece when, rent limb from limb, his mangleG
corpse or what was left of it, was hurled outward
into the air. His comrades still lurking around the
corners Of the trench, essaying by every means te
get within the work, now subjected to the fire
Of hand grcnades, which Lieut. Benjamin extempo
rzed by cutting short his fuses, which he lit when
he tossed the shells the edge Of the psrapet-
Bafficd at every point, and finding themselves un
supported by the rest of the charging column, they
surrendered, and were hauled within the fort
though not until the trench was piled with the deaf
and dying
As the main body gave way and fell back th'
carnage among them was fearful. Their dlsorderet
line at length disappeared within the timber, while
a wild huzza went up from our victorious boys.
few struggling shots around the angle of the for
and in the trenches mingled with the heartrendlns
means of the wounded and dying, and the fight wa
over The grand assault had been made and re
pulsed the storming party which had advanced 81
lately in all the pride and confidence of veterans
had met an enemy their equal at least, and was nov
a scattered mob in the woods beyond. In short
Knoxville was still ours!
TRUCE-BURIAL OF THE DEAD.
And now, how sudden the transformation of mai
from fend to angel The agonizing cries of tn
wounded and dying called out the better feelings o
humanity, and on the very spot where an hou
before the combatants were struggling in deadl,
strife they now comminged in the offices of char
ity. The wounded in the trenches were first re
lieved by Captain Swinscoe and Lieutenant Benja
min who went to their immediate assistance wit
canteens of water and liquor. The trench presente
CHASTITY sight with the manged bodies and pool
of blood, while the field beyond was strewn wit
the same terrible objects. Colonels Bowen AM
Babcock, of General Potters staff, soon after mad
their appearance with formal flag of truce, All
passed out upon the Kingston or Loudon road, unit
halted by the eneny's skirmish line, They wer
met, after brief delay by Colonel Sorrell, of Ger
eral Longstreets staff, when cessation ofhostiti.
WAS agreed upon, to last until 5, p m., to PERM
the ;nterment Of the dead who were lying along ou
lines, and the exchange Of the wounded