The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-04-17
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE: WASHINGTON G. THURSDAY
lines on the burial of Sir John Moore, who fell
on the field of Corunna-


lines on the burial of Sir John Moore, who fell
on the field of Corunna-
1--WE buried him darkly, at dead of night,
The sods with our bayonets turning,
BY the struggling moonbeam's misty light,
And the lantern dimly burning.
General Burnside caused the large earth
work erected in rear of the spot where he fell
to be named "Fort Sanders " in honor of his
memory.
Where our breastworks crossed the Tazewell
road, on the northeast corner of the town,
stood an old mill, and adjoining, bridge cross
ed the stream that furnished the water power.
Some of the troops made dam at this point,
which caused the water to rise about seven
feet, and; being rather wide, we considered the
position impregnable as it was also defended
by cotton battery above it on the hill, with
its guns double-shotted, bearing on the bridge
Some officer put sign board, for the enemy to
look at through their fields glasses, on con-
spicuous part of the bridge: " The best way to
Knoxville; - and, after all the labor at this
| stronghold,we We're waiting, anxiousy waiting,
| for General Longstreet to try this way He
wisely concluded it was not the best one, and,
when he did come, tried to capture us and the
! town by the way of Fort Sanders, on the north
| west corner which was also considered inn
pregnable, while the intervening spaces were
composed of high, rocky cliffs and unapproach-
able banks, which made our earthworks prom
/ inent from the ridges above, and gave our in
fantry and batteries a fine range the level
plain stretched out before them.
The weary days of the siege passed slowly
away. Occasional shots of musketry and can
nonading were heard here and there along the
| lines, and each hour of the night as well as the
day we watched the movements and guarded
! ourselves well against any surprise.
The rebels having previously destroyed the
gas works in Knoxville the town was always
in darkness at night, save what light we re-
ceived from the moon the first nights of the
/ siege, which proved a blessing and enabled us
TO work night after night until we felt secure
After that and particularly when stormy, it
was almost impossible to find street-crosSing,
and / well remember how used to go stumb-
| ling through the dark trying to find fence or
| something TO indicate the point wished to
| reach in my journeyings to and from the
picket-line each night, through all sorts of
weather, reporting what OF the night" to
headquarters
a CoEFLAGRATIoN.
About a week after the siege commenced an
attack was made on our picket-line in front of
one Of OR divisions OF the 9th corps When
our men fell back they set fire to all the build
ings on the ground in order to prevent the
! enemy's sharpshooters from using them for
places of shelter; also, in order that we might
have an unobstracted view from our main
lines. Among the buildings thus burned were
the arsenal and machine shops including the
round-house near the depot. A con6agration
like this was an unusual sight for our soldiers,
| for while they had often seen house or barn
| in flames, nothing to equal this great illumina-
ton had been witnessed III all our campaigns.
The whole town in the rear was blaze of
light, even the church spire being visible
nearly half mile distant.
The next day two regiments were sent out,
drove back the enemy at this point, and soon
our lines were re-established.
A few days after a crossing was effected over
the Holston, when the enemy made an unsuc-
cessfal attempt to capture the heights on the
opposite bank. He succeeded, however, in
planting battery on knoll several yards
above the bank of the river and about quar-
ter Of mile southwest of Fort Sanders This
position commanded the fort and gave US great
i annoyance, so that it became necessity to
raise it on the exposed side to shelter the
interior works.
In the fort were Beniamin's battery of four
twenty FOUNDER PARROTS, Buckleys batteries
of four twelve-pOunders, and two three-ineh
guns making ten IN all, the fort being in COM
mand of Lieutenant Benjamin. who was Burn
sides chief Of artillery.
This mode of warfare was. indeed. a treat to
us all. For the first time IN two long years we
were at last on the defensive, and so accus-
toned were we to find the enemy and try to
drive him from his chosen places of defense
that when we at last found ourselves securely
hemmed in around this hilly town with river
at our back, it became apparent at once that
TO take the aggressive was the least inviting
method Of fighting.
SHORT OF FORAGE.
For weeks and weeks lid the inhabitants Of
Knoxville patiently wait, expecting daily the
siege would be ended many of them not ven,
turing out Of their houses for fear of stray
shot or she'll Provisions of all kinds were
very scarce and many of them were obliged tc
go on short allowance while they had TO pay
well for what they did get aud not stand or
the quality. Those who had horses and cattle
were at loss to know how to procure fodder
Many valuable horses were sold TO officers o.
our army for much less than their real value
merely because it was impossible TO precur.
food for them.
The only way open to us to provide food fol
the many horses and mules we had to feed was
10 take a forage wagon and company or TIVE
! Of cavalry, cross the bridge over the Holster
! River and in southerly direction scour th'
country for barns and corn-cribs.
Sometimes the party would be gone all day
2 and not see any signs of the enemy, who evi
! IDENTIFY did not have troops enough to spare t,
{ encircle the town south Of the river. In thi
. way were our animals provided for, and had i
: not been for this outlet they would hav
starved, as our resources were entirely cut OF
G from Cumberland Gap, through which gu
9 supplies had previously reached US from Ken
lucky.
t 1t must not be supposed that during all thes
5 weeks both armies were idle. There was a
ali times something to be done. Earthwork
were dug deeper and wider, batteries strength
| ened with everything available, such as hide
. stretched over bales of cotton and strong hogs
/ heads filed ard packed solid with earth
. Each regiment was divided up into reliefs
6 and every four hours the appointed details TO
o guard would take their turn on duty at tin
. picket-line, which was across the railroad.
. vigilant watch was constantly kept, and man,
. times there was quite an excitement when on
b pickcts were surprised. Fears were enter
: tanned Of night attack when the men wer
= asleep. so the system of watching at night wa
G to have one man in every four awake and o.
D the alert, so that IN case of anything alarming
' the one on guard was TO wake his three com
) rades. This plan was also adopted by Lieuten
/. ant Benjamin at Fort Sanders, and also in th
) trenches, so that ii would have taken but me
n ment TO have every man at his post undo
: arms ready for action. Longstreet made on
: or two assaults on our front, driving in th
" pickets and trying to dislodge US, but we 500
n re-established our picket-lines and held hir
!. at bay.
n The Confederate commander knew well tia
unless the place was soon reduced and on
little army captured, all hope of regaining Eas
Tennessee would be lost, so the final attemr
Is was made on Sunday, the 10Th of Novembe
l. and the rebel fronpS1 con raiqad 4