Today in History:

332 Series I Volume XXXI-I Serial 54 - Knoxville and Lookout Mountain Part I

Page 332 KY.,SW.VA.,Tennessee,MISS.,N.ALA., AND N.GA. Chapter XLIII.

A colonel of Tenth Tennessee (rebel) Cavalry told a citizen yesterday that our forces had crossed the river, and they feared we would get in their rear.

Major-General FOSTER, Knoxville.


No. 10.

Reports of Brig. General Robert B. Potter, U. S. Army, commanding Ninth Army Corps.

HEADQUARTERS NINTH ARMY CORPS, Knoxville, Tennessee, November 18, 1863.

COLONEL: I have the honor to make the following report of the movements of my command since the 13th instant:

At an early hour on the morning of the 14th, my command being then at Lenoir's Station, I received notice that the enemy had crossed the river below Loudon, having thrown their bridge at Huff's Ferry. At the same time I received orders to hold myself ready to move. At a later hour, in accordance with orders, I disabled the mills and factories in my vicinity, destroyed a pontoon bridge over the Holston, and started my train from camp for Knoxville under a strong guard.

About 9 a.m. General White, with his command, arrived from Loudon.

After the arrival of the commanding general, about midday, I received an order to support Chapin's brigade, of White's command, in a movement against the enemy. I accordingly sent Ferrero with his division and a battery on that duty. About 4 p.m. we met the enemy's skirmishers; Chapin formed his line of skirmisher and moved forward rapidly, driving them handsomely for a mile and a half or more. Night setting in very thick and dark, and a dense wood, compelled us to halt, not, however, until the enemy had opened their artillery.

During the night I moved Sigfried's division, with Benjamin's battery and three guns of von Sehlen's battery, to a point upon the river opposite Loudon.

At or soon after daylight on the 15th, in accordance with my orders, we began moving back to Lenoir's. On the arrival of the column near the Loudon road, I ordered my artillery back to Lenoir's, sending Ferrero to the same point, with orders to cover the various approaches, and ordered Sigfried to replace Chapin, of White's command, who was covering the rear of the column. The enemy made no effort to push Sigfried, and he remained where he was until 2 p.m., when he fell back quietly to Lenoir's, the enemy having first moved a heavy column to his right. The enemy's skirmishers in strong force appeared before our position at Lenoir's about 4 p.m., and seemed disposed to push us in, but were checked by a shell or two from Roemer. About this time Colonel Biddle reported with 500 or 600 mounted men and Gittings' battery. I ordered him back to seize the junction of the Kingston and Loudon roads near Cambell's Station, and to station a small force on the roads to Clinton and Concord.


Page 332 KY.,SW.VA.,Tennessee,MISS.,N.ALA., AND N.GA. Chapter XLIII.