The National tribune., 1901-03-14

4 AN II
differently announced the ''inis" of the
vendetta: Bill, old Johns dead"
When preparing to depart "Bill' nom
chalantly remarked that he would come
again, but not until he had looked
through his sights" at Bushwhacker Size
more, whom he expected to meet on the
mountain warpath.
Maj. Henry T. Stanton, Adjutant-G Cen
eral and poet laureate, having been out
on the mOuntain-side musing on the beau
ties and grandeur of the scenery, came
hurriedly into camp and did tale un-
fold' TO the symposium at headquarters.
Ensconced in a sequestered eyre high up
on the mountains, ''whacker" had shot
at the Major, and, strange to say,
''missed" The Embarrassing" story was
poetically embellished and dramatically
told, and the sympathetic staff unanimous
ly congratulated the Falstafian Major
upon his mastery retreat-he not having
lost man.
THE SIEGE OF KNOXVILLE.
Gen. Longstreet, who was to Gen. Lee
what Dessaix was to Napoleon, 1.-THE rose
and fair expectancy" had been transferred
from sanguinary Eastern battlehelds TO
reinforce Bragg at Chattanooga. From
Chickamauga's CORY field he marched to-
ward Knoxville.
Through the sounding woods there come
Banner and bugle, trump and drum"
At Campbell's Station, probably 10 or Is
miles southwest of Knoxville, Longstreet's
advance encountered division Of Burn
sides Corps, and after a sharp engage
ment the Union force retreated to Knox
vile.
Gen. W.. 7. Sanders, only % years old,
the commander of Burnside's cavalry at
Campbelis Station, was killed while lead
ing his men. "Darkly, at dead Of night, ~
his comrades buried him,
'By the struggling moonbeams' misty
light,
And the lantern dlmiy burning"
Longstreet steadily advanced with his
battle-scarred veterans, Hoods and Nc
Iaws's Divisions and AleXander's batter
les, and the siege of Knoxville began, Nov.
10, 1863. Within a short time the Con
federate environment Of the city was
practically complete Burnside's only pos
sible line of retreat being guarded by
Hoods Division. In any direction from
Knoxville Burnside could see the encir-
cling Confederate battleiags-the tattered
and blood-stained STARRY Cross OF Dixie" F"
II Bragg could hold his lines at Chatta-
noOga there could be no doubt that Burn
side, cut off from his supplies and shut
up in Knoxville. would necessarily capitu-
late TO Longstreet before the siege should
become many days old. At least that was
the optimistic view we Confederates had
guarding the various roads and intercept
ing supply trains. Spirited cavalry en-
gagements were Of daily occurrence. some
of us even being dismounted and occu-
pying rife-pits the same as infantry.
On the night OF Nov. 25, accompanied
by his engineer, Gen. LonGstreet made q
reconnaissance OF the Federal position
and selected Fort Sanders as the most vul.
nerable point for the attack he had de,
termined 30 make. There was ditch al
the base of the fort, concerning which
the consulting officers had some misgiv.
ings, they finally agreeing, however, that
the ditch would not he serious obstacle
to rush upon the fort. Gen. Longstreet
himself said he had seen q man march
out Of the fort, down the ditch and VI
the other side; that the ditch seemed u
him to have been made more for the pur
pose of getting dirt than for making oi
ii an obstruction. Also officers from the
outposts reported that they had seen dogi
pass over the ditch.
THE ASSAULT UPON FORT SANDERS.
Gen. McLaws, a part of whose diyi
sion made the assault, says in his officia
report: Before o'clock on the mornin.
OF Nov. %, went around with my staf
10 superintend the execution of nv or
ders for the assault. Ii was evident Il
me that the enemy was aware that on,
was intended, and i think II probabl,
they knew where il was TO be made fol
while was talking TO Col. Ruff. ON th,
railroad, the enemy threw n shell, which
burst over the woods just in rear of us
through which Col. Ruff's command CWof
fords Brigade) was passing, assemblin,
by regiments for the assault. ] have sine,
heard that the enemy We're informed ant
that during the night OF the 2Sth they ha,
been employed in pouring buckets Of watel