Details
GRANT, Ulysses S. Letter signed ("U.S. Grant") as Major General, to Major General Ambrose Burnside (1824-1881), "HeadQuarters Military Div. of the Miss.", Chattanooga, TN, 29 November 1863. 1¼ pages, 4to (9¾ x 7¾ in.), small hole at central fold and minor remnants of mounting on verso, otherwise fine.
THWARTING LONGSTREET'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST KNOXVILLE
Fresh from his brilliantly orchestrated victory at Chattanooga, Grant praises Burnside and offers support in the defense of Knoxville, Tennessee. General James Longstreet (1824-1904), Lee's most trusted commander after the death of Stonewall Jackson, had been sent with his corps to aid operations in the western theater. Joining the army of Braxton Bragg in Georgia, Longstreet was instrumental in the decisive Confederate victory at Chickamauga. Longing for an independent command that would befit his rank and, searching for a way to avoid constant confrontations with the quarrelsome Bragg, he led a campaign against the Union defenses at Knoxville while the remainder of the army lay in seige around Chattanooga. Longstreet's army arrived near Knoxville on November 16th, but did not attack until the 29th, the result of which was a bitter repulse.
On the day of Longstreet's failed attack, Grant writes: "I congratulate you on the tenacity with which you have, thus far, held out against vastly superior forces." Addressing the possibility that Longstreet would lay seige to the city, Grant advises: "Do not be forced into a surrender by short rations. Take all the citizens have to enable you to hold out yet a few days longer. As soon as you are relieved from the presence of the Enemy you can replace to them everything taken from them." To insure that the city would not fall, he acknowledges that support has been sent: "There are now three columns in motion for your relief. One from here moving up the south bank of the river under [William T.] Sherman, one from Dechard under [Washington] Elliott and one from Cumberland Gap under [John] Foster. These three columns will be able to crush Longstreet's forces or drive them from the Valley, and must [sic] all of them within twenty four hours march of you."
Burnside, who's only major command resulted in butchery at the Battle of Fredericksburg a year before, successfully held Knoxville until the arrival of reinforcements. Longstreet's campaign not only failed to take its objective but it may have inadvertently caused the Confederate defeat at Chattanooga as it left the lines around that stronghold dangerously thin.
Provenance: The Estate of Calvin Bullock (sale, Christie's, 14 May 1985, lot 26).
THWARTING LONGSTREET'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST KNOXVILLE
Fresh from his brilliantly orchestrated victory at Chattanooga, Grant praises Burnside and offers support in the defense of Knoxville, Tennessee. General James Longstreet (1824-1904), Lee's most trusted commander after the death of Stonewall Jackson, had been sent with his corps to aid operations in the western theater. Joining the army of Braxton Bragg in Georgia, Longstreet was instrumental in the decisive Confederate victory at Chickamauga. Longing for an independent command that would befit his rank and, searching for a way to avoid constant confrontations with the quarrelsome Bragg, he led a campaign against the Union defenses at Knoxville while the remainder of the army lay in seige around Chattanooga. Longstreet's army arrived near Knoxville on November 16th, but did not attack until the 29th, the result of which was a bitter repulse.
On the day of Longstreet's failed attack, Grant writes: "I congratulate you on the tenacity with which you have, thus far, held out against vastly superior forces." Addressing the possibility that Longstreet would lay seige to the city, Grant advises: "Do not be forced into a surrender by short rations. Take all the citizens have to enable you to hold out yet a few days longer. As soon as you are relieved from the presence of the Enemy you can replace to them everything taken from them." To insure that the city would not fall, he acknowledges that support has been sent: "There are now three columns in motion for your relief. One from here moving up the south bank of the river under [William T.] Sherman, one from Dechard under [Washington] Elliott and one from Cumberland Gap under [John] Foster. These three columns will be able to crush Longstreet's forces or drive them from the Valley, and must [sic] all of them within twenty four hours march of you."
Burnside, who's only major command resulted in butchery at the Battle of Fredericksburg a year before, successfully held Knoxville until the arrival of reinforcements. Longstreet's campaign not only failed to take its objective but it may have inadvertently caused the Confederate defeat at Chattanooga as it left the lines around that stronghold dangerously thin.
Provenance: The Estate of Calvin Bullock (sale, Christie's, 14 May 1985, lot 26).