The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1888-10-26

Then Sanders in GEN. W. SANDERS.
turn attacked in daring charge His lit
tie band was forced back and he himself fell
MORALLY wounded. He died that evening, as
brave and chivalrous a soldier as ever led
men to battle. He was only % years old
Gen. Burnside himself and staff watched the
dying hero. He said to them as he passed
from life: ~ am not afraid to die have
done my duty, and served my country as
| well as could"
He was buried at midnight. It was after
| his death that the principal fertilization at
| Knoxville was named in his honor Fort San
ders.
When Gen. Sanders force was driven back
the Confederates Immediately occupied the
hill where it had been. 1t was now the even
ing of Nov. IS. The advantage thus far was
with Longstreet. The Confederate general
determined to invest Knoxville by regular
siege.
Burnside had supplied Knoxville with pro-
visions in expectation of this very event.
His task was now to hold Knoxville till
Grant should send relieving force There
were three weeks supplies.
The night of Nov. IS Longstreet invested
Knoxville on the west, northwest and south
west. Burnside within the Notifications
strengthened his works and waited
Nov. % to 25 occurred the battle of Chatta-
nooga, in which Bragg was defeated That
left Grants army free. Knowing this, Long
street determined to end the siege by great
assault on Fort Sanders. That assault forms
famous chapter in the history of the war.
In the first dawn Of November 30 the at
tack was made. 1t was begun by three bri-
gndes of Gen Lafayette McLaws' division.
The guns of Fort Sanders had been double
and triple shotted. McLaws' men advanced
to the ditch. At its edge they paused. They
had no way to cross. Then the Federal guns
suddenly poured out thunder and lightning
The Confederates fell right and left, many
rolling into the ditch. But only for q little
they paused. They forced their way across
the ditch and moved up the hill. Suddenly
the leaders of the column were seen to fall,
stumbling one upon another. They had
struck tho telegraph wire stretched among
the stumps. Then another tremendous vol
ley from above was poured upon them. 1t
shook earth and sky. It pierced the column
through and through. Hand grenades fol-
lowed the volley, some of these being hurled
by Lieut.. Benjamin himself.
Nevertheless some pressed OH and entered
the very embrasures. "There was spatter
of blood and brains," says E. A. Pollard.
"In comparatively an instant of time we lost
700 in killed, wounded and prisoners" The
trench was filled with dead and dying to
eight and ten feet deep. The assault had
failed
Longstreet Withdrew his broken columns.
Altogether in the attack he lost / 400 men.
The loss in the fort was forty-three. The
dead were buried under flag of truce. Long
street withdrew his army Dec. s. He marched
into northeastern Tennessee and remained
there till spring, subsisting on the country
and engaging in various skirmishes. Then
he rejoined Lee
Dec Gen. Sherman reached Knoxville
with a relieving column of $4,000 men. The
middle of December Gen. Burnside turned
over his command to Gen. John q. Foster,
and went home to Rhode Island. Congress
rendered him a vote OF thanks.