Overview
East Tennessee held major political and military importance during the Civil War. Many residents remained loyal to the Union after Tennessee seceded in 1861, and President Abraham Lincoln considered their liberation a major priority. The region also contained an important railroad connecting Richmond, Virginia, with Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the Deep South. In the summer of 1863, General Ambrose Burnside and the Army of the Ohio moved into East Tennessee. Burnside occupied Knoxville on September 3 and captured the Cumberland Gap on September 9.
After Confederate General Braxton Bragg defeated General William Rosecrans at the Battle of Chickamauga (September 19–20), Bragg laid siege to Union forces at Chattanooga. Officials in Washington ordered Burnside south to help relieve Chattanooga, but Confederate cavalry slowed his advance.
Bragg sent General James Longstreet north to deal with Burnside. Longstreet left Chattanooga on November 4. Transportation problems delayed his movement, and he did not cross the Tennessee River until November 14.
Longstreet tried to cut Burnside off from Knoxville at the Battle of Campbell’s Station (November 16). Burnside reached the intersection shortly before Longstreet and conducted an orderly withdrawal during several Confederate attacks.
Longstreet reached Knoxville and started siege operations on November 19. Searching for a weakness in the Union defenses, he identified Fort Sanders as the most vulnerable position. On November 29, Confederate troops attacked the fort, but Union troops pushed them back. Confederate forces suffered more than 800 casualties, while Union losses totaled about 20.
Soon after, Longstreet learned that Bragg had lost the Battle of Missionary Ridge (November 25). With William T. Sherman leading Union reinforcements toward Knoxville, Longstreet ended the siege on December 4 and withdrew northeast. Union forces pursued him, leading to the Battle of Bean’s Station (December 14). Longstreet later established winter quarters in northeastern Tennessee before returning to Virginia in the spring.
Essential Facts
- Date: November 4–December 14, 1863.
- Location: Knox County, Tennessee.
- Participants: The United States of America (USA) and the Confederate States of America (CSA).
- USA Commanders: Ambrose E. Burnside.
- CSA Commanders: James Longstreet.
- Who Won: The United States won the Siege of Knoxville.
- Campaign: Knoxville Campaign.
- Era: Civil War, July–December, 1863.
Statistics
United States of America
- Casualties: Approximately 1,200 killed, wounded, captured, or missing.
- Forces Engaged: Army of the Ohio, 13th Army Corps, and Shackelford’s Cavalry.
- Troop Strength: Roughly 5,000.
Confederate States of America
- Casualties: Approximately 2,250 killed, wounded, captured, or missing.
- Forces Engaged: Longstreet’s Command and Martin’s Cavalry Corps.
- Troop Strength: Roughly 15,000.
Significance
The Siege of Knoxville is important to American History because it preserved Union control of East Tennessee. The region contained many Union supporters, valuable farmland, and a major railroad connecting Richmond with Chattanooga and the Deep South. General Ambrose Burnside’s successful withdrawal from Campbell’s Station allowed his army to occupy Knoxville’s fortifications before General James Longstreet could cut him off. The Union defense of Fort Sanders then defeated Longstreet’s major assault. After General Braxton Bragg lost at Missionary Ridge and William T. Sherman moved toward Knoxville, Longstreet withdrew, leaving the Union in control of Knoxville and East Tennessee.
History
Tennessee Secedes from the Union
On June 8, 1861, Tennessee became the last Southern state to secede from the Union. The decision, however, was far from unanimous. In the eastern part of the state, the referendum on secession lost by some 20,000 votes at the polls. Starting an independent secessionist movement, citizens of East Tennessee petitioned the state legislature to form a new state that would remain in the Union. The governor responded by sending military personnel to Knoxville to enforce the statewide vote for secession. Despite attempts to coerce the population, many residents in East Tennessee and Knoxville remained pro-Union throughout the American Civil War.
Tennessee’s Strategic Importance
President Abraham Lincoln considered the liberation of East Tennessee to be of paramount importance. Beyond the moral and political duty to support the loyal citizens of that part of the Union, East Tennessee was strategically valuable. The main railway connecting the Confederate capital at Richmond, Virginia to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and on to the Deep South ran through Knoxville. In addition, East Tennessee farmers produced large amounts of food supplies that either side could use to sustain their armies if they controlled the area.
Ambrose Burnside’s East Tennessee Campaign
Despite its strategic importance and being high on the president’s list of priorities, events in other theaters of the war delayed any major Union action in the area until the Army of the Ohio, commanded by Major General Ambrose Burnside, moved to occupy East Tennessee in the summer of 1863. By the time Burnside neared Knoxville, events occurring in the Chickamauga Campaign had forced most of the Confederate defenders to move to southern Tennessee, leaving only a token force behind. Burnside’s cavalry reached Knoxville on September 2, almost unopposed. On September 3, Burnside marched his army into Knoxville, where the citizenry warmly received them. With Knoxville occupied, Burnside next captured the Cumberland Gap on September 9, and he turned his attention to clearing the area of any remaining Confederates.
Burnside Ordered South
Shortly after Burnside secured East Tennessee, Confederate General Braxton Bragg and his Army of Tennessee soundly defeated Major General William Rosecrans and his Army of the Cumberland at the Battle of Chickamauga (September 19–20). Bragg drove Rosecrans’ army out of northern Georgia, back to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and then besieged the city for two months. As the Union situation at Chattanooga worsened, Washington officials ordered Burnside to leave Knoxville and march south to help lift the siege. Burnside moved toward Chattanooga, but skirmishes with Confederate cavalry from Virginia slowed his advance.
Longstreet Ordered North
Meanwhile, in southern Tennessee, Bragg knew of the threat Burnside’s army posed to his investment of Chattanooga. During the siege, relations between Bragg and fellow Confederate General James Longstreet deteriorated because of Longstreet’s criticism of Bragg’s failure to pursue the defeated Federals more aggressively at Chickamauga. Wanting to rid himself of Longstreet, Bragg received approval from Confederate President Jefferson Davis to detach Longstreet from Bragg’s command and to send Longstreet north to deal with Burnside. Bragg planned on Longstreet being able to drive Burnside away, re-capture Knoxville, and return south before Ulysses S. Grant, who had replaced Rosecrans, could attempt a breakout from Chattanooga.
On November 4, 1863, Longstreet left the Chattanooga area on the East Tennessee & Georgia Railroad with a force of about 10,000 infantrymen, supported by about 5,000 cavalry troopers. Progress was slower than expected, however, as the transport trains, loaded with soldiers and supplies, had trouble negotiating the steep mountainous grades in the region. Longstreet did not cross the Tennessee River until November 14.
Battle of Campbell’s Station
The two armies skirmished for two days until they met at the Battle of Campbell’s Station on November 16. Longstreet had hoped to occupy the intersection of Concord and Kingston roads at Campbell’s Station before Burnside, positioning the Confederates between the Federals and Knoxville. Burnside realized the danger of not being able to fall back to his fortifications at Knoxville. Thus, he ordered a forced march to the critical intersection and deployed his soldiers just fifteen minutes before Longstreet arrived. The Confederates launched several successful assaults, each driving the Federals back, but the Union retreats were orderly. Longstreet did not prevent Burnside from occupying his fortifications at Knoxville.
Longstreet Besieges Knoxville
With the Federals safely entrenched in Knoxville, Longstreet decided to besiege the city on November 19. However, Longstreet knew Confederate officials could recall him to Chattanooga if Grant threatened Bragg’s investment there. Thus, Longstreet searched for a weakness in Burnside’s fortifications that he might exploit.
Battle of Fort Sanders
Longstreet determined that Fort Sanders, northwest of Knoxville, was the most vulnerable position in Burnside’s defenses. On November 29, 1863, Longstreet ordered a surprise attack on the fort, which was protected by a twelve-foot-wide ditch with vertical sides nearly four to ten feet deep. Crossing the ditch under enemy fire proved impossible, and the Federals repulsed the assault. The Battle of Fort Sanders was short and only lasted for about twenty minutes. Confederate losses were heavy. Of roughly 4,000 men engaged in the attack, over 800 were casualties (129 killed, 458 wounded, and 226 captured). Federal losses were around only twenty men.
About-face
Before Longstreet could plan another assault, he received news of Bragg’s defeat at the Battle of Missionary Ridge (November 25, 1863) and of the Confederate retreat into Georgia. Bragg ordered Longstreet to abandon his siege at Knoxville and rejoin the Army of Tennessee in Georgia.
Grant, however, had sent a relief force toward Knoxville, commanded by William T. Sherman. Upon learning that Sherman was headed to Knoxville, Bragg changed his mind and ordered Longstreet to stay at Knoxville as long as possible to prevent Sherman from returning to Georgia.
Battle of Bean’s Station and Return to Virginia
Longstreet held out until December 4, when he lifted the Siege of Knoxville and marched his army northeast. Pursuing federal troops engaged Longstreet on December 14 at the Battle of Bean’s Station. The Confederates won a tactical victory by driving the Federals back by nightfall, but Longstreet did not continue the battle the next day because the Federals entrenched overnight. Instead, he moved off and established winter quarters in the northeastern tip of Tennessee and returned to Virginia in the spring.
Timeline
- 1861, June 8 — Tennessee became the last Southern state to secede from the Union, although many residents of East Tennessee opposed secession.
- 1863, September 2 — Ambrose Burnside’s cavalry reached Knoxville with little opposition.
- 1863, September 3 — Burnside marched his army into Knoxville, which was welcomed by the inhabitants.
- 1863, September 9 — Burnside captured the Cumberland Gap.
- 1863, September 19–20 — Confederate forces won the Battle of Chickamauga.
- 1863, November 4 — James Longstreet left Chattanooga and moved toward East Tennessee.
- 1863, November 14 — Longstreet crossed the Tennessee River.
- 1863, November 16 — Union forces won the Battle of Campbell’s Station.
- 1863, November 19 — Longstreet placed Knoxville under siege.
- 1863, November 25 — Bragg lost the Battle of Missionary Ridge and retreated toward Georgia.
- 1863, November 29 — Longstreet attacked Fort Sanders, but Union forces repulsed the assault.
- 1863, December 4 — Longstreet lifted the Siege of Knoxville and withdrew northeast.
- 1863, December 14 — Confederate and Union forces fought the Battle of Bean’s Station.
- 1864, spring — Longstreet returned to Virginia.
AP US History
Definition
Siege of Knoxville (1863) — The Siege of Knoxville was a Union victory during the Knoxville Campaign in East Tennessee. General Ambrose Burnside reached Knoxville after escaping General James Longstreet at the Battle of Campbell’s Station. Longstreet besieged the city on November 19 and attacked Fort Sanders on November 29, but Union forces repulsed the assault. After Braxton Bragg’s defeat at Missionary Ridge and the approach of Union reinforcements, Longstreet lifted the siege and withdrew from Knoxville on December 4.
Alignment
The Siege of Knoxville is part of the following AP US History sections:
