The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-01-08
nebol account q ne Assault upon

FFcbel Account sE The Assault upon
Knoxville
A correspondent Of TIRE Augusta Con-
etjtulionalist writes an interesting des-
cription Of Che gallant charge CT The Con-
federate troops upon The federal works
at Knoxville. He esys:-
To the left Of Knoxville, on = high
bill, is a lsrge.dirt fort, mounting six
guns, which commands all approaches Ia
It FOR more than mile. In it's front snd
farks was once q thick field Of pine,
which were cut down by the enemy, the
tops falling in all direction, making 9
mass Of brush and timber almost impass-
able. In addition TO this they had wires
netted all around their works and . ditch
from four 10 six feet deep, correspond
ing with the regularity of TIE ground,
the ezlreme slope CT the psTaPet wall
mixing an scuts angle with the fall of tie
ditch. Immediately in their front for
two or tlrso hundred ya7ds, all blush
sad rabbish were removed, IN order That
their grape and canister might have 9
clear sweep at any attacking column,
This fort. Bryaa's, Humphreys and 6
part Of Wcf3rd's brigSdes were orderod
to assault at Daylight on the moraing Of
the 20.h ofNoYembe-.
Through this rugged field Of obstacles
bsfoye day, Bryan's Brigade feltits way,
with many fail and many q truise
vet quietly, uncomplainingly the men
folio yed the dark figure of their leader
guiding US through ths gloom, to the ire
of sharp shooters stationed at the edge OF
the clearing. Hare the command rested,
waiting daylight. Each man pTessad
bis cap more firmly down upon his brow,
and, with lips compressed and stesdfast
eve, waited for the word 10 move, whilst
Generals Bryan and Humphrey glidso
noiseIeseIy through their commands,
carefully examining the ground before
them.
All was qaiet as the grave. Suddenly
The stiffness was broken by the sharp
crack Of Mimic rifle, when "up boys,
charged was given by our commanders
The brave fellows, springiug up with 3
shout, On they pressed to the fort
through murderous fire ofshot and shell.
Owing to . rain the day before,
and frost on the night Of the stack, the
earth would give way from under our
gallant men as they climbed upon the
shoulders Of esch other, endeaYOring to
reach the parapet, and down they Weuld
tumble into the ditch. Hand grenade
after hand grenade were thrown Upan
them, and yet they still remained climb
ing and falling for over hslf an hour,
whilst the sir spsrkled with Whistling
fuses and incessant rolls Of musketry
from the walls. When, finding all at
teDpts 10 scale the sides Of the fort i'm
possible Only one man, Sergeant Major
Bailey, CT the Fiftieth Georges, reaching
the top, he, poor fellow was killed imme-
diately) we slowly Withdrew under 8
terrible fire from the enemy.
Il was q sight long to be remembered
TO see Gen. Bry an at the head Of the col
umD, leading and cheering his men,
giving orders in a calm and self-possess-
ed tone Indeed, he seemed to bear a
charmed life. Whilst hundreds around
him were killed and wounded, be was
untouched, and when the assault failed,
walking away crying, rally, boys, rally,
we are not whipped, We could not climb
the fort, that's all!' The men all stop
ping at his command, and pressing for
ward to shake hands in grateful delight
of his safety. 0ae Of his Colonies scol-
ded him severely fox exposing himself so
rccklessly.
Many sons Of the sunny South redden-
ed the field with their hearts blood,
whilst not a Yankee, that could see,
vas slain! Oh! it was q sad sight to see
those two old warriors, Generals Bryan
and Humphrey, who essayed to speak to
each other after the fight, but could not.
They turned their heads, and Wept; yes,
uept bitter tears to the memory Of their
gallant dead. Never did men 60 80
boldly up TO death. The entmy run up
a q g of truce and acted very humanely
TO our wounded, sending 81 who could be
moved to US. The Yankees say il was
the charge Of the war, and none but
Longs,reet's Corps would ever have made
IL