The Battle of Fort Sanders

The Battle of Fort Sanders
On November 29, 1863 , the Confederate forces of James Longstreet massed for a pre-dawn attack on a Union earthwork just west of Knoxville, Tennessee.
The earthwork, held by the troops under Ambrose Burnside, seemed vulnerable. It appeared that the rate of fire from the northwest bastion simply could not stop a large attacking force. Incomplete or inaccurate Confederate reconnaissance failed to reveal a deep ditch in front of the parapet, and that flaw would lead to the disastrous attack.
One Hundred forty four years later a documentary production crew used the description of Union engineer Orlando Poe to reconstruct the northwest bastion. Built on a slope very similar to the original location, the bastion stands as a monument to the men who met in battle on that fateful day.
Sponsoring Units
79th N.Y. East Tennessee
63rd Tennessee
Re-enactment Sponsors
McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture
150th Anniversary re-enactment - October 10-13 2013
Please check “Schedule” page for events all 4 days
FRIDAY THE SITE IS OPEN AND FREE TO PUBLIC STARTING AT 1PM
Re-enactment Weekend admission
Adults - $8 Children under 6 - Free Family - $30
Photo by Wendell Decker