The batteries of the enemy’s front before the city were Romer’s four three-inch rifles at the university, Benjamin’s four twenty-pound Parrotts and Beecher’s six twelve-pound Napoleons (at the fort), Gittings’s four ten-pound Parrotts, Fifteenth Indiana Battery of six rifle guns (three-inch), James’s (Indiana) Battery of six rifle guns, Henshaw’s battery of two (James’s) rifle guns and four six-pounders, Shields’s battery of six twelve-pound Napoleons, and one section of Wilder’s three-inch rifle guns, extending the line from the fort to the river on the north.
In his official account, General Burnside reported “about twelve thousand effective men, exclusive of the recruits and loyal Tennesseeans.” He had fifty-one guns of position, including eight on the southeast side.
Fort Loudon, afterwards called for the gallant Sanders, who fell defending it, was a bastion earthwork, built upon an irregular quadrilateral. The sides were, south front, one hundred and fourteen yards; west front, ninety-five yards; north front, one hundred and twenty-five yards; east front, eighty-five yards. The eastern front was open, intended to be closed by a stockade. The south front was about half finished; the western front finished, except cutting the embrasures, and the north front nearly finished. The bastion attacked was the only one that was finished. The ditch was twelve feet wide, and generally seven to eight feet deep. From the fort the ground sloped in a heavy grade, from which the trees had been cut and used as abatis, and wire net-work was stretched between the stumps.
“Many citizens and persons who had been driven in by the enemy volunteered to work on the trenches and did good service, while those who were not inclined from disloyalty to volunteer were pressed into service. The negroes were particularly efficient in their labors during the siege. On the 20th of November our line was in such condition as to inspire the entire command with confidence.”
General Poe reported,—
“The citizens of the town and all contrabands within reach were pressed into service and relieved the almost exhausted soldiers, who had no rest for more than a hundred hours. Many of the citizens were Confederates and worked with a very poor grace, which blistered hands did not tend to improve.”
On the 22d, General McLaws thought his advance near enough the works to warrant assault. He was ordered to it with assaulting columns supported by the division. General Jenkins was also ordered up, and General Wheeler was ordered to push his troops and his horse artillery forward as McLaws’s attack opened, so that the entire line would engage and hold to steady work till all the works were carried. After consulting his officers, General McLaws reported that they preferred to have daylight for their work. On the 23d reports came of a large force of the enemy at Kingston advancing. General Wheeler was sent with his main force of cavalry to look after them. He engaged the enemy on the 24th, and after a skirmish withdrew. Soon afterwards, receiving orders from General Bragg to join him, leaving his cavalry under command of Major-General Martin, he rode to find his commander. General Martin brought the brigades back and resumed position on our left. Colonel Hart, who was left at Kingston with his brigade, reported that there were but three regiments of cavalry and a field battery, that engaged General Wheeler on the 24th.
On the night of the 24th the enemy made a sortie against a point of General Wofford’s line which broke through, but was speedily driven back with a loss of some prisoners and a number of killed and wounded. General Wofford’s loss was five wounded, two mortally.
Our cavalry, except a brigade left at Kingston, resumed its position on the left of our line on the 26th. On the 23d a telegram came from General Bragg to say that the enemy had moved out and attacked his troops at Chattanooga. Later in the day he announced the enemy still in front of him, but not engaging his forces.