Today in History:

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

Page 523 Chapter XLIII. THE KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, CAMPAIGN.

evening of the same day. Went into camp at this place and remained until the 12th, when, in obedience to orders, this brigade, with the balance of the division, moved in the direction of Loudon, Tennessee, arriving at Philadelphia, on the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad, on the evening of the same day. Bivouacked here until the morning of the 13th, when we moved in the direction of Morganton, which is 6 miles northeast of Loudon. Reached it the same evening and bivouacked for the night.

At about 12 p. m. on the 13th, the march was again resumed in the direction of Loudon, arriving at that place about 6 a. m. on the 14th.

Here the brigade remained until the 15th, when it crossed the pontoon bridge across the Tennessee River below Loudon and took up the line of march in the direction of Knoxville, and bivouacked for the night about 7 miles from Loudon.

On the morning of the 16th, the march was again resumed, and about 12 m. we came up with the enemy at Campbell's Station. Here, although exposed to a severe fire from the enemy's artillery for several hours, our loss was very slight.

On the morning of the 17th, the brigade again moved in the direction of Knoxville, and arrived in front of Fort Loudon, south of and defending the place, by the Knoxville and Loudon road, about 10 p. m.

The brigade was here formed in line of battle and so remained until November 20, when one regiment (the Tenth Georgia Volunteers, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Holt), was detached and sent to the south side of Holston River.

Captain A. J. McBride, commanding Tenth Georgia Volunteers, remarks in his report that-

On November 23, a detachment of 17 men from Companies F and H, of my regiment, were attacked by about 100 of the enemy. They drove him back, inflicting a severe loss in killed and wounded. The participants in this little affair distinguished themselves by their coolness and courage, and I would particularly mention Lieutenant J. T. Stovall, Company F, of my regiment, who led the charge which resulted in routing the attacking force.

The brigade crossed and recrossed the Holston on several occasions in flat-boats, and finally rejoined the balance of the division on the north side of the Holston on November 27.

On the night of the 28th, the Tenth Georgia Volunteers, under command of Lieutenant Colonel W. C. Holt, was detached to drive the enemy from his rifle-pits in front of Fort Loudon. The rifle-pits having been carried, the regiment remained all night and until the evening of the 29th, without participating in the assault on Fort Loudon.

On the night of the 28th, the three remaining regiments of the brigade, viz, Fifty-third, Fifty-first, and Fiftieth Georgia Volunteers, were formed into columns of regiments immediately in rear of and supporting General Humphreys' brigade. The assaulting column moved forward about daybreak, and though our advance was obstinately contested by the enemy, we gained the summit of the hill and reached the work with a comparatively small loss; but, owing to the obstructions with which the work was surrounded, it was found impossible with appliances in our possession to carry it, and the troops were therefore withdrawn. A great many men and officers having fallen into the moat in attempting to scale the walls of the work, and being unable to get out again when we retired, were consequently taken by the enemy.


Page 523 Chapter XLIII. THE KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, CAMPAIGN.