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

Page 541 Chapter XLIII. THE KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, CAMPAIGN.

mediately upon them, and scattering into small parties charged after the fugitives, who, in their anxiety to escape, had separated in small groups of 2 to 6 men. In this manner we ran down and captured 151 men, the remainder of the regiment being dispersed over the country. While Dibrell's brigade was thus engaged the Federal Colonel Wolford, with his brigade, came to the assistance of the Eleventh Kentucky and attacked my command. He was met and repulsed by the Eighth and Eleventh Texas and Third Arkansas Regiments, and they, assisted by Colonel J. T. Morgan's brigade, charged the enemy and drove him over Little River in the wildest confusion, capturing 85 prisoners. In both of these fights we killed and wounded several of the enemy.

During the night i received a dispatch from General Longstreet stating that he desired me to cross Little River, provided I had a decided success at Maryville, or if I thought a decided success could be secured by crossing.

Pursuant to these instructions I moved over Little River on the following morning, the condition of the ford making it nearly noon before the entire command was crossed. We pressed upon the enemy, which consisted, as I learned from prisoners and citizens, of Sanders', Shackelford's, Wolford's, and Pannebaker's brigades, with one battery of rifled guns, all being commanded by General Sanders. After driving them for 3 miles we came to Stock Creek, which was not fordable for horses, and the enemy had partly torn up the bridge. Just beyond the enemy had taken a strong and elevated position behind a fence inclosing a thick wood, with large fields intervening between the enemy and my position, the ground descending rapidly toward the line occupied by my troops. The flanks of the enemy from Little River to Knoxville were protected by a high ridge on their left and the Holston River on their right, thus preventing my turning their position and compelling me to fight superior forces in positions chosen by themselves.

To accomplish the desired object I determined to overcome these advantages of the enemy by the vigor of our attack. The enemy kept up a warm fire of artillery and musketry, during which Major Burford, of my staff, was slightly wounded. I dismounted nearly half of my command, crossed the creek under cover of a fire from my battery, and drove the left wing of the enemy from its strong position. This enabled a detail to repair the bridge while I pressed on with the dismounted men, compelling the entire line of the enemy to retreat. Immediately after crossing the creek I sent orders to General Armstrong to move rapidly up the road with his entire command, which up to this time had been held in reserve.

In the meantime we continued to push the enemy with the dismounted men, driving him from several strong positions. After a delay of more than an hour General Armstrong overtook us, and as soon as his command could be prepared we charged the enemy with his command in the following order: The Eighth Texas Regiment in advance, followed by the Eleventh Texas, the Third Arkansas on the flanks, the whole supported by Dibrell's (Tennessee) brigade. The lines of the enemy were broken and the entire mass of the enemy swept on toward Knoxville in the wildest confusion. The charge was continued successfully for 3 miles to within less than half a mile of the river opposite the city. The bulk of the enemy dashed over their pontoon in their fright into the city, creating the greatest consternation. Great numbers scattered over the country and many


Page 541 Chapter XLIII. THE KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, CAMPAIGN.