Arizona republican., 1892-07-19

the simple obstacle, breach the line of bat tie, take city and decide a acampaign-here was focusing of clements for a sensation, even at the front in war time. It was at Fort Sanders, on Sunday morning, Nov. 20, 1863, when Longstreet beSieged Burn sides army at Knoxville, Tenn. Long street staked all on one hazard, as Lee had done in Pickett's charge at Gettys- burg
 Many an Incidental fight took place for the control of Knoxville the key to east Tennessee, and it fell to Longstreet, whose corps of invincibles had been sent west after Gettysburg to try and wrest it once more from the Union grasp Burnside had but recently jumped into the tracks of a retreating Confederate army and hadn't reached firm foothold. He commanded l2,O00 men. Longstreet brought 20,000 against him.
 The opposing armies first came into col. lisiOn a few miles south of the city, for Burnside was pushing on to Chattanooga, leaving Knoxville behind him, at the same time that Longstrcet was leaving Chatta- nooga behind him to surprise and carry Knoxville. Little had been done by Burn side toward intrenchiug the place, because no one was expected to dispute his occupa- tion. The field of fighting had apparently moved south for good.
 In the midst of nasty efforts to build de. fensive works around the city the Confed- crates appeared in force about a mile be yond the outer Qualifications, on the south, on Nov. l7, bent on going straight into Knoxville. There was really little in the way of their doing so on that route, except about zoo Union cavalry led by Gen. w. F. sv.H .l..l full cavalry division, but he remained at the point of danger to see it out. The hand. ful of men with him were to act as a foil while their infantry comrades were getting things in trim behind them. With the enemy closing in and the breastworks and batteries unfinished, Bunside's engineers asked for days grace at their labors. The general referred the matter to Sanders, who said yes, without of course consulting Longstreet as to his intentions. The days grace was to be up at midnight of the 18th During the night of the l1th Sanders men built a breastwork out of fence rails, sent their horses to the rear and awaited the issue with the other party.
 lt so happened that Longstreet was anN- ious for a speedy attack, and his leading soldiers ran into Sanders rail pile early on the 18th and drew back with countless broken shins. Then artillery was brought into play, the rails were kuocked into splinters, and Confederate column charg- ed upon and overwhelmed the brave cav alrymen. Sanders was n.Ortally wounded while he stood erect, head and shoulders above the tiimsy breastwork, over which bullets swept like driving Eail His cour- age stimulated his followers and they buff feted the enemy until darkness drew on, and by that time the breaStwOrks and re- doubts around the city were nearly com peted.
 Directly in rear of the spot where Sanders fell and St the most salient point south of the town, there was an old Confederate fort which the Union engineers were busy remodeling during Sanders plucky Gcht on the outposts As soon as news of his heroic death was carried back the work was named in his honor.
 The ruling spirit in Fort Sanders was Lieut.. Samuel N. Benjamin, Battery F, Second United States artillery Benjamin commanded the artillery in the fort, ten or twelve ordinary field pieces. About 300 rifemen belonging to the Seyenty-ninth New York Highlandcrs, the One Hun dredth Pennsylvania Roundheads, and the Twentieth Michigan were distributed about the fort, which was an irregular quadrilateral averaging 100 yards length on a side. The work was located at the angle where the lines of defense on the north and west met, and it's capture by the Confederates would carry down the adjacent Union lines running east and south from it. It was faultily placed and poorly constructed, but such as it was the defenders had to make the best of it.
 The Confederates found out that Fort Sanders was the key to Knoxville and devoted ten days to preparations for attack upon it. Thirty cannOns belonging to Alexander's crack artillery corps were placed in battery to fire upon the work at short range. Four pieces were elevated upon skids so as to rain down shells verti- cally inside the parapet, at Fort Sanders, and four long range guns were placed on a hill mile and a half away, having a range to rake lenethwise the trenches ad- jacent to the fort on the south. Ordinance enough, 1t would seem to make dust out