The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-06-02

the fort on College Hill, Immediately east OF
| Fort Sanders. 1 was then Instructed 10 repor.
| the military situation to Gen. Julius White, of
the Second Division, Twenty third Corps. The
interview was then adjourned TO p. NJ, with
the request that Gen. White be present.
At 2 p. M. Gen. White was unable to be pres
ent. and Gen. Burnside then informed me he
had reinforced Fort Sanders with one section
| each from Maj Reemer's and Berkley's bat
| teries, leaving my friend, Lieut.. Benz amin, in
command. He then proceeded to give me full
| instruction for commander of the infantry
| forces in case of an attack that Capt. Lee. of
| the U. S. Army, should command the reserve
| infantry, which should support the fort on the
east; that Gen. Ferrero would support it on
the west. If the fort was captured, Or lines
broken, then we must with all the available
forces Of the Twenty-third Corps retake it, or
hold Gen. Longstrect's forces ut Run No. 2, on
the south Of tho city, Immediately in the roar
of the fort. In case this could not be done.
and ii became necessary to vacate the city, full
instructions were given for the retreat, but in
no case to surrender the forces.
When Gen. Sherman came up he would be
reinforced by tho forces at Kingston. Tenn
and would attack Longstreet from the South.
We would intercept his retreat to Virginia and
thereby force Longstreet to defend his army
against our forces.
The events that followed proved Gen. Burn
side was not day too soon in the preparation
for the defense of his lines, Gen. Longstreet
ordering the assault on Fort Sanders Nov. %,
1868, at a a. M, the assaulting forces consisting
of one brigade of Pickett's Division and de-
tachments from the Georgia, Alabama and
Mississippi Divisions, in all amounting to ono
division of troops. supported by Gen. Wheeler's
artillery, posted on tho east and south of the
Tennessee River. The river at this point runs
due south below College Hill, thence west to
the-Tailroad.
His artillery was brought within range Of
the fort, and Gen. Longstrect made the assault
on the fort about a. m. from the southwest,
and it lasted from 90 to 80 minutes.
Lieut. Benjamin, according to his instruc-
lions, reserved his fire from the fort until the
storming column was in full range of his guns,
when he opened fire. The effect was terrific.
AT the same instant Maj Roemer opened his
guns from the fort on College Hill, which gave
crossfire on the advancing and storming
column Of Gen. Longstreet. The repulse was
complete; the slaughter of Longstreet's forces
was simply terrible. He withdrew his remain
ing troops at once, and his army was in full re-
treat from Knoxville n0rthward to Bristol,
on tho Virginia line, Dec and a, 1863
Gen. Sherman's forces arriving on the
morning of Dec. 5. l met Gen. Sherman on
Gay street, Knoxville, and accompanied him
to Gen. Burnsdes headquarters at 10 q. m. /
cannot understand how Gen. Longstreet OBJ
tanned so much notoriety for his charge on Fort
Sanders, and why Lieut.. Benjamin. of the
Regular Army, got so little credit for repulsing
his forces.-D. w. JOHNSTON. A. D. c.. STAFF,
Second Division, Twenty third Corps, Clinton,