thrown across the Holston river. By this means, General Sanders's cavalry was enabled to cross to the south side and maintain an easy communication with our troops in the town. General Burnside anticipated some movement of the enemy upon the south side of the Holston, and General Parke reposed the utmost confidence in the valor and discretion of General Sanders. The anticipation was realized, the confidence was more than justified. On the night of the 13th, a large body of cavalry and mounted infantry, under Generals Forrest and Wheeler, crossed the little Tennessee river near Morgantown, and on the 14th, attacked our advance at Marysville. A portion of the 11th Kentucky cavalry fell into the enemy's hands. Our forces were drawn in and skirmishing continued, at different intervals, during the 15th, occasionally with very severe and sanguinary fighting, in which the 1st Kentucky and 45th Ohio mounted infantry suffered considerable loss. Our dead were stripped of clothing, rings, watches, and other articles of value, by the enemy. But General Sanders was too strongly posted to be attacked with any hope of success, and our lines were everywhere vigilantly guarded. After carefully observing our position, the rebel commander withdrew without a serious attack. In the course of the 16th, the enemy had entirely disappeared from the immediate front of Knoxville. Colonel Adams, with the 1st Kentucky cavalry and 45th Ohio, pursued the retreating foe for several miles, with occasional skirmishes. The battle at Campbell's Station relieved the garrison of Knoxville from the pressure of the hostile force.

General Sanders returned across the river with his command, and at once proceeded down the Loudon road to cover the retreat of our forces and hold the pursuing enemy in check. Colonel Pennebacker, with a brigade of mounted infantry, occupied the Clinton road. The enemy's cavalry could not reach General Longstreet in season to be of any service on the 16th, and our army retired unmolested. General Sanders stationed his outposts for a considerable distance down the road. On the 17th, the enemy.vigorously attacked. General Sanders,

drawing in his more exposed posts, concentrated his force, gallantly met the enemy's assault, and repulsed it after a brief but sharp engagement. During that night, he fell back to within a mile of the city defences, where the army was now getting into its proper position.

On the 18th, in the early morning, the enemy attacked with great fury. General McLaws commanded the assaulting force, and expected to push back our cavalry upon and into the town, and to enter in victory. But General Sanders was not a man who could be easily beaten. He fully appreciated the importance of the conflict in which he found himself engaged, and was resolute to prevent the execution of the enemy's plan. The fight that followed was of a most gallant description. For three hours, the engagement continued. The 112th Illinois, 45th Ohio, 3d Michigan, and 12th Kentucky mounted infantry regiments bore the brunt of the contest, and were especially conspicuous for their bravery. But the enemy's forces were too heavy for us, and they gradually forced back our left until under the cover of the guns of General Ferrero's position, they were finally checked. But General Sanders was not inclined to give up the contest, and it was necessary that the foe should be held back until our defences were made tenable. The battle was renewed later in the day, and became a sanguinary struggle. General Sanders himself was foremost in every scene of danger, performing wonderful deeds of valor. Most precious time was saved for our men who were at work in the trenches. The enemy's attack was completely repulsed, and he was fairly forced away from our lines. The prize had not fallen into his hands, and it is said that General McLaws was afterwards court martialed for his failure to drive our troops from Knoxville.

But the price of our victory was heavy. Among those who fell were Captain Clifton Lee, of the 112th Illinois, and Adjutant Charles W. Fearns, of the 45th Ohio, both promising young officers. But the chief and saddest loss was that of the brave commander of our troops. He fell in the midst

of the hottest fighting, and at the very front, pierced by a minie bullet. He was tenderly conveyed into the town and received every attention. But no human skill could save him. On being told that his wound was mortal, he said: "Well, I am not afraid to die. I have made up my mind upon that subject. I have done my duty and have served my country as well as I could." The last consolations of religion were administered. General Burnside and some of the members of his staff stood by the bedside, and, amid the prayers and tears of his comrades and friends, the spirit of the fearless soldier took its heavenward flight.

General Sanders was but twenty-eight years of age, a native of Kentucky, and a graduate of West Point in the class of 1856. When the war broke out he was 1st Lieutenant of dragoons, and on the organization of the 6th Regiment of cavalry, United States army, he was promoted to Captainhis commission dating May 14th, 1861. He distinguished himself in the campaigns in Virginia and Maryland, and in 1863 was appointed Colonel of the 5th Kentucky cavalry. His raid into East Tennessee has already been mentioned. At the earnest request and solicitation of General Burnside, who had early perceived his merits, he was promoted to Brigadier General about three weeks before his death. He was immediately assigned to the command of a cavalry division, and in that position, by his daring, skill and generosity of disposition, gained the admiration and affection of his officers and men to a remarkable degree. His death cast a gloom over the entire command. It was felt that a most brilliant and promising name had been lost from the roll of the army. General Burnside felt his loss most keenly, and ordered that the earthwork, in front of which the engagement in which he fell had taken place should be named Fort Sanders in honor of his memory. He also placed on record his estimation of the fallen soldier's worth by the issue of a general order in which occur the following appreciative words: "A life rendered illustrious by a long record of gallantry and devotion to his country has closed

while in the heroic and unflinching performance of duty. Distinguished always for his self-possession and daring in the field, and in his private life eminent for his genial and unselfish nature and the sterling qualities of his character, he has left, both as a man and a soldier, an untarnished name."

After this engagement, General Longstreet decided that he would be obliged to lay siege to the place, and to carry our works, if at all, by regular approaches. Accordingly he moved up the right bank of the river and posted his main body between the river and the Clinton road, investing about half the circuit of the town upon the northern, western and southwestern side. Communication with Cumberland Gap was cut on the night of the 16th of November by the enemy's cavalry, and by the night of the 18th, the enemy's forces were well up and the siege established. The southern part of the town was free from the presence of the foe. A bridge spanned the Holston, affording easy communication with the opposite heights which were diligently fortified. The country was open in that direction as far as Marysville. On the north side, our engi neers, under the direction of Captain Poe and Lieutenant Colonel Babcock were not idle. Fortifications were thrown up around the town, and a continuous line of rifle pits was added. A chevaux de frise of pikes captured from the enemy at Knoxville was set up in front of the rifle pits. The skirmishers were kept out from five hundred to a thousand yards beyond the line of the rifle pits. The men were in good spirits, and supplies had been accumulated, which with economy would suffice for two or three weeks' consumption.

An excellent article in the Atlantic Monthly for July 1866, by Major Burrage of the 36th Massachusetts, gives a very correct and graphic description of Knoxville and its defences as they appeared at the time of the siege. "Knoxville is situated on the northern bank of the Holston river. For the most part the town is built on a table land which is nearly a mile square, and about one hundred and fifty feet above the river. On the the northeast, the town is bounded by a small creek. Beyond

this creek is an elevation known as Temperance Hill. Still farther to the east is Mayberry's Hill. On the northwest this table land descends into a broad valley; on the southwest the town is bounded by a second creek. Beyond this is College Hill, and still farther to the southwest is a high ridge running nearly parallel with the road which enters Knoxville at this point. Benjamin's and Buckley's batteries occupied a bastion work on the ridge known as Fort Sanders. Roemer's battery was placed in position on College Hill. These batteries were supported by Fererro's division of the Ninth Corps, his line extending from the Holston river on the left to the point where the East Tennessee and Georgia railroad crosses the creek mentioned above as Second Creek. Hartranft connected with Ferrero's right, supporting Gittings' and the 15th Indiana Batteries. His lines extended as far as First Creek. The divisions of White and Hascall of the twenty-third corps occupied the ground between this point and the Holston river on the northeast side of the town, with their artillery in position on Temperance and Mayberry's Hills."* After the fortifications were completed, they were truly formidable. . General Sherman examined them after the siege, and declared them to be "a wonderful production for the short time allowed in the selection of ground and construction of work. They seemed to be nearly impregnable."

After the withdrawal to Knoxville, General Burnside received a despatch from General Grant dated on the 14th of

Roemer's battery on College Hill was supported by Colonel Morrison's brigade of the first division, Ninth Corps. The batteries in Fort Sanders were supported by the brigades of Colonels Humphreys and Christ of the same division. The artillery supported by White and Hascall was composed of Captain Simms's twenty-fourth Indiana battery, Captain Henshaw's battery and Captain Shield's Ohio battery and one section of Captain Thomas's "Wilder's" Indiana battery. Two sections of "Wilder's" battery and Captain Konkle's battery were posted on the heights south of the river, supported by Colonel Cameron's brigade of the third division, twenty-third Corps. One section of howitzers covered the bridge head and was manned by soldiers detailed principally from the regiments of loyal Tennesseeans. These batteries and troops were posted by Captain Poe as they arrived from Campbell's Station.-Captain Poe's Report.