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

Page 504 KY.,SW. VA.,Tennessee,MISS.,N. ALA.,AND N. GA. Chapter XLIII.

being ordered by his commanding officer (Lieutenant-General Longstreet) to arrange an assaulting column of three of his brigade, and to attack the enemy's fort at the northwest angle of his works at dawn of day on November 29, did fail to organize a select body of men to lead in the assault as is customary in such attacks, and did allow his three brigades to advance to the assault without definite and specific instructions for the leading columns, and for the troops that were to enter the fort first, which are essential to success in such attacks.

Specification 3.-In this, that the aforesaid Major General L. McLaws, being ordered to assault the enemy's position at the northwest angle of his works at daylight on November 29, did make his attack upon a point where the ditch was impassable, and did fail to provide any of his assaulting columns with ladders or other means of crossing the ditch and entering the enemy's works, and did fail to inform his officers that the ditch on the west side of the fort was but a slight obstacle to his infantry, and that the fort could be entered from that side with but little delay, thus failing in the details of his attack to make the arrangements essential to success. All this near Knoxville, Tennessee, on or about November 28 and 29, 1863.

Witnesses: Brig. General B. G. Humphreys, Brig. General Goode Bryan, Brigadier General M. Jenkins, Colonel E. P. Alexander, Major J. M. Goggin, Lieutenant Colonel W. C. Holt, Surg. J. S. D. Cullen, Surg. R. Barksdale, Lieutenant A. D'Antignac.

JAMES LONGSTREET,

Lieutenant-General.

[Inclosure B.]


HEADQUARTERS WOFFORD'S BRIGADE, December 1, 1863.

Major JAMES M. GOGGIN,
Assistant Adjutant-General:

I herewith forward a brief of the evidence of officers and men who were present and participated in the assault on the enemy's works on the 29th ultimo relative to the points inquired of in General McLaws' note of this instant, together with the names of those who are ready to verify the statements. There are hundreds, perhaps, in the brigade whose testimony would corroborate it.

Very respectfully,

N. L. HUTCHINS, Jr.,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

The following is the substance of the evidence of officers and men of Wofford's brigade, who were present at and in the ditch and on the enemy's works when the assault was made on the morning of the 29th ultimo, relating to the construction of the fort, to wit:

The ditch is from 8 to 10 feet wide, and its depth from 4 to 6 feet, and its sides are almost perpendicular. There was no berm noticed by most of them, while others say there is, perhaps, one of not exceeding 6 inches in width, now filled by the crumbling dirt. The slope of the exterior slope of the parapet is at an angle of 60 or 70 with the base line, and the height of the work from the bottom of the ditch about 18 feet on a perpendicular line. The earth (clay) of the slope is hard and slippery, and it was difficult to obtain a foot-


Page 504 KY.,SW. VA.,Tennessee,MISS.,N. ALA.,AND N. GA. Chapter XLIII.