Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1863-12-25
Desperate Rebel Assault Upon Konxviile.


The army correspondent Of the Cincinnati
Gdsotte under date Of Knoxville, Nov. Both,
writes that the long, tedious and painful sus-
pense is over, and that Longstreets thirteen
days Of menace seige, gathering Of forces, and
fierce attempt to demolish the defences and cap
ture Knoxville, proved an utter aud disastrous
| failure. He waited until reinforced by the
forces OF Generals Jones, Jackson Carter and
Williams, and then selected three brgades of
picked regiments for night attack; always the
most dangerous and bloody, but ifsuccessful the
most decisive. He felt sure Of storming Fort
Sanders, no part Of which was completed. One
bastion on the northwest angle, and parapet on
the west side, were up. Temporary traverses
we're made by cotton bales, and also two salients
from which guns could sweep the bitches on
| the north and west. To resist the storming
forces were part of the 18th Now York in the
front, four companies Of the Tooth Pennsylvania
ON the right, and four companies ofthe 2d Mich
| igan on the left. Spirited skirmishng com
menced on the right ofthe position at 10 o'clock
Saturday night. or the terrible struggle which
| ensued the writer says:
The enemy dashed upon the left Of our posi-
tion several times as if in confident bravado
and finally drove our skirDshers from the ad-
vanced ri1e-pits occupied them about daylight
Sunday morning. Our men rallied and as de-
terminedly regained them, driving the rebels
back in turn. Suddenly an avalanche of men
were hurled upon the disputed riAe-pits our
Il skirnishers were forced back and covered by
our guns from the fort by our retreating men,
Two storming brigades were enabled to approach
within one hundred yards Of the bastion. 1t
was their intention, probably, TO draw out our
boys and then attempt to return with them and
enter the works. In this they were foiled-
Our skrinishers fell in on the left and the rebel
storming party advanced directly upon the bas-
ton. Then ensued scene Of carnage and hor-
ror which has but few parallels in the annals Of
warfare. Balaklava was scarcely more terrible.
Stunned for moment by the torrent of fcannis-
ter and lead poured upon them by Buckley's
lst Rhode Island Battery and our line of mus
kerry, on they came. Again and again the
deadly missiles shattered their torn and man.
ged columns. Their march was over dead and
wounded comrades, yet still they faltered not
but onward, still onward; whole ranks STUN
bled over wires stretched from stump 10 stump
and fell amid the dead and dying, yet still over
their PROSTATE bodies marched the doomed he.
roes of that forlorn hope.
) At last the ditch was reached and the slaugh
G ter became butchery, as il on wager of deatl
against mortality. Benjamin's guns on the sa
lients swept the ditch as the tornado would tn
: corn. The earth was sated with blood-mel
>, waded in blood, and struggled pthe scarp an,
l. slipping in blood fell back to join their mangle
j. predecessors in the CORY mud below. Tn
e, shouts of the foled and infuriate rebels, tn
If groans of the dying and sbrieks of the wound
h cd, arose above the din of the cannon. Benja
o min lighted shell and threw them over the par
e apet, and artillery men following their example
c One rebel climbed the parapet and planted tht
flag of the 18th Miss. Regiment on the summit
e but the rebel shout that greeted its appearance,
had scarce left the lips that framed it than mai
: and flag were in the ditch together pierced by
e dozen balls. Another rebel repealed the fea
S and reioined his comrade A third essayed t.
s bear off the flag and was cloven with an AK
i Ono man opta onI
e, to fragment; two more were cut down in anoth
d er, but not one entered the fort. The three vet
Gran regiments of the Ninth Army Corps stooC
A up to the work before them unhinching ant
It glorious to man. The heroes of dozen cam
l. paigns from the Potomac to Vicksburg, they
&c found themselves for the third time arrayed TO
i trial of courage and endurance with the fowc
It of the Southern army-the picked men of Long
streets boasted veterans, and saw the sun rise
d on that chill Sunday morning in November, oI
el an entire brigade annihilated, and two more Sc
Y, verely punished. Even the dead outnunbere,
y us, for not more than three hundred of our fore
n participated in the defence of Fort Sanders
le Benjamin, of the Sd U. s.. Artillery, and Buck
l. ley, ofthe list r. j. battery, were foremost !
Of acts Of daring and gallantry. Ger. Ferraro VIII
ID has never left the fort since Longstreets appear
In ance before it. to whose skill and foresight muc
Lh of the admirable dispositions for defence wer
of due, was in command, and right nobly has h
ne earned his star His GOODNESS, energy and ski
ly are subjects ofuniversal encomiums.
le The dead and wounded were left on the fielt
he and the ghastly horrors were rendered sicken
l. ing by the vain cries of hundreds for water an
to help. In full view from the embrasures tn
y ground was covered with dead, wounded an
OF dying Forty eight were heaped up in the ditc
a. before the baston; thirteen in another plac
in almost within reach of those who, though LAT
their foes, would have willingly needed the
= anguished shrieks for water, but none dare go
Sc their assistance. The humanity of Generi
is Burnside was not proof against so direct an az
p peal and he at once sent in flag of truce, offe
ing an armistice until 5 o'clock P. M. for Il
as purpose of burying their dead and caring
On their wounded Our own loss was but kill,
)i- and II wounded. Some pickets have been C
on off and captured, raising loss to As in all.