The Portland daily press., 1886-02-06
the TENNESSEE cAMPAicH.
Rey. X. s. Surrage's Lecture In the
NJ. C. ~. A. Course.

Rev. II. S. Burrage, d. D., delivered his
lecture on ''The Campaign in Tennessee in
the Autumn of 1868" in the Maine Charita-
BILE Mechanics Association course last even
ing A good-sized audience was present and
all were much interested.
The lecturer commenced by saying that the
Union cause was greatly advanced in the summer
of 1868 by the victories at Vicksburg and Gettys-
Rosecrans. His defeat at Chickamauga in ai Sen
TENDER was sad disappointment to the North
and Immediately after, Gen. Grant was sam
m@ned from Nicksburg and ordered to Chatta-
noogA as head OF the new department of the Mis-
sissippi. Having relieved Rosecrans Grant,
while on his way to Chattanooga, placed Thomas
in command Of the Army of the Cumberland. The
speaker narrated the steps taken by Grant to re-
lieye the necessities of the Union Army at Chat
tanaoga, and gave description of the way in
which at length after Thomas arrival a little
after the middle of November, Bragg was driven
from his stronghold on Missionary Ridge, suffer
ing a humiliating defeat.
The battle at Chattanooga was fought Noy. 23-
20. Nov 4, Bragg had detached Iongstreet with
5000 men (which, with Wheelers cavalry, gave
him force of 10000 and 80 guns, and ordered
him to move against Burnside, who with small
force, held middle and upper Eastern Tennessee,
and drive him out, or if possible to destroy his ar
my. OF this movement Grant received early in
formation and on the following day he telegraph
ed Burnside with reference to it. 1t was Grants
take ADVANTAGE OF tits Weakening Of the force in
his front; but Thomas insisted that he could not
move against Bragg until Sherman should arrive
to cooperate Burnside was accordingly left to
contend against a superior force as best he might.
The greatest anxiety was felt on the part of the
President, and also on the part Of Gen. Grant lest
Burnside should be oyerpowered and East Ten
nessee again fall into the enemy'S hands. When
at length the President received from Grant the
welcome news of the defeat of Bragg at Chatta.
nooga, in congratulatofy reply he teegraphed
Remember Burnside"
The speaker then reviewed Burnside's part of
the campaign. LongStreet crossed the Tennessee
Nov. a. at Hough's Ferry, few miles below
I4oudon, and about thirty miles below Knoxville.
Burnside's plan was to check Longstreet's adj
vance as much as possible. falling back slowly to
Knoxville. A part of the 9th corps was at Len
dirs, and on the 4th, in heavy rain storm, was
moved down to the point where Longstreet was
PEELED, Burnside fell back before Longstreet's
advance, and at Camphells Station, a small vii
lage about sixteen miles below Knoxville battle
was fought on the 10th, Burnside holding Long
street in check at that point until night when lie
fell back within the lines at Knoxville, leaving
only the cavalry in LOngStreet'S front.
The speaker then described the condition of
Knoxville when the Union forces reached it, and
the efforts made 10 put the place in state of de-
fence Longstreet appeared before the city late
on the afternoon of the 18TH and the siege COM
menced. Incidents of the siege were recounted,
and detailed description was gwen of Long
in the morning of Nov. 20. Longstreeth had heard
of Bragg's defeat, and though his division COM
believing that it could not be carried, he
ordered the attack, as there was neither
honor nor safety, he said, in any other course.
Three brigades were selected to make the as
sault, and three other brigades were ordered to
support them. The pckets were driven in a little
before midnight, and the Union soldiers. in the
fort and In the trenches awaited the attack during
the rSst of the long chilly night. The assault was
made about six O'Clock in the morning, and the
well known rebel yell in front of the fort revealed
the fact that the fort was the point aimed at The
ground in front OF the fort had formerly been COW
0red with trees Around the stumps that remain
ed telegraph wires had been stretched making a
OF obstacles A
gdterdeJrise formed added hindrances. There
was also deep ditch around the fort. About two
hundred yards in front of Fort Sanders the high
ground on which the fort was built sloped down
to a rayine, in which Longstreet formed his men
in columns by division closed in mass. When
they reached the wire arrangements the assail-
ants began to realize the difficulty of their task.
The weight OF the successive columns, however, car
ried thelnon and some of them reached the ditch.
When Lieut. Benjamin, who commanded the artil-
Iery in the fort could no longer work his guns he
took shell in his hands and lighting the fuse tossed
the shells into the ditch .'It stilled them down.
he said. This the bravest of men could not stand,
and those who had reached the ditch surrendered,
while those who were pressing forward to support
them made their way hurriedly back to their
own lines. The assault was a failure. Burnside's
loss was killed and wounded while Long
streets loss in killed and wounded was nearly q
thousand Burnside rendered Longstreet an arm
istice until five o'clock in the afternoon, in which
TO bury his dead. At five O'Clock he asked for five
hours more. 1t was the SaddeSt day in the history
of Longstreets corps, and the survivors will never
forget the 29th of November 1868.
Burnside did not hear of the defeat of Bragg UNI
til the next day. On the following day his men
by order stood in the trenches at twelve O'Clock,
and at a given signal from one of the guns in Fort
Sanders, gave three cheers for Grants victory at
Chattanooga. 1t WIS known to IongStreet that
Sherman was well on his way from Chattanooga
to reinforce Burnside, and on the night of Dec.
4th, IongstTeet withdrew and the siege was
raised. On the 18th of December President Lin
coin issued proclamation calling upon all loyal
people to assemble In their places of worship and
render thanks to Almighty God for this great adj
Vancement of the national cause, while Congress
a few days later voted Grant a gold medal in the
name of the people of the United States and ex-
tended thanks to Burnside, his officers and men
for their gallantry good conduct and soldierlike
eneNrance." East Tennessee had been delivered.