The National tribune., 1891-10-15
FORT SANDERS.
The Attack on this Place Described by One who
was There.

EDITOR NATIONAL Tribune: In your issue
OF Nav Ii Comrade w. ID. Ford, of Co X, Sth
Mich, in commenting on what troops defended
Fort Sanders, Knoxville. Tenn, asks, Who
shall decide when doctors disazree?" aud then
proceeds TO answer the question himself by
stating that he having been one of Gen. Fer
rero's Orderlics, and having business in the
fort every day. was better able to state what
troops constituted the garrison Of the fort than
those who have written on this subject. lie
proceeds TO give his knowledge Of the troops
that constituted the garrison as follows:
There were the 18th y. Y, numbering from
100 10 l25 from the First Brigade; four COM
panlcs of the both Mass, numbering about 40
men, OF the Second Brigade; four companies Of
the 2d Mich, numbering about 90 men, and
three companies of the Goth Mich, numbering
about 50 men, of the Third Brigade, all OF Fer
rero's First Division, Ninth Corgs. There were
Benlamins "a L. =, aud part of BucklCys aud
a part of Roemer's battery. That's who killed
cocll-rohin exactly"
Now, have i'm my possession n copy Of let
ter written by :. N. Benjamin, who at tho
time Of writing said letter. April u, lSSG, was
Assistant Adiutant-Gcneral of the United
States Army, stationed at Governors Island,
n. y, aud had, at the time of the assault of the
rebels on For; Sanders command of Battery L,
2d L. :. Ant, which consisted of four 20 FOUNDER
PARROTS. He also, believe, had command OF
all the artillery in the fort. ComFade Bemja-
min has this TO say in regard TO the troops who
resisted the assault on Fort Sanders Nov %
1868:
There were about l20 OF the 10Th N. Y.
lilghlanacrs) and some Michigan men in the
fort; also a company from the Roundhcads
About 30 muskets were la the fort AMI about
81 artilIcrymen in aud Immediately by il;
not over 300 men, exclusive OF. officers. In the
actual assault seven men were killed in the fort
aud eight wounded. We picked mp and gave
them 49, dead and badly wounded within 20
yards OF the fort. as we dill not wish them TO
come close enough 10 inspect our works / saw
a great many dead aud wounded on the ground
beyond our line and think they must have lost
$50 or zoo, besides more than 30 prisoners
taken unhurt."
Such is the evidence Of the one whom / con-
slider the hero Of Fort Sanders Now, rs to
what / know personally in regard 10 this mat
ter will make as brief as possible.
On Nov p, 1863 cur regiment was i'm the
rifle. pits on the left Of the fort. About y
o'clock that night our Colonel received orders
TO send rciniorcemcnts into the fort. lie or
dercd Co. A, Lieut.. J. W. Montford command
iug, 10 report 10 tho officer in command. We
marched into the fort and were stationed just
where the attack was aficrward made. / was
at that time First Sergeant OF Co. A, and sta
toned the men on the parapet to keep a look ont
Tor the enemy, for orr pickets had been driven
IN aud we were expecting an attack between
q and a. m. on Sunday. Nov. -. The
alarm was given by members Of 20. A, and we
took positions behind the parapct and on top.
back OF cotton bales placed on the outer edge Of
the paraPet. Wire had been arranged around
the stumps in front Of the fort, and as their
lines struck these wires they caused many TO
fai!. we keeping up steady musketry fire.
Many brave acts were performed by the rob-
els IN this assault. They were repuised with
heavy loss stated by Comrade Benjamin.
while our loss was very light. b. KESEEDY,
First Sergeant, Co. A, Tooth Pa, Washington,