he 17th of November--General Burnside assigned the batteries and
regiments of his command to the positions they were to occupy in the
defence of the place. Knoxville is situated on the northern bank of the
Holston River. For the most part, the town is built on a table-land,
which is nearly a mile square, and about one hundred and fifty feet
above the river. On the northeast, the town is bounded by a small creek.
Beyond this creek is an elevation known as Temperance Hill. Still
farther to the east is Mayberry's Hill. On the northwest, this
table-land descends to a broad valley; on the southwest, the town is
bounded by a second creek. Beyond this is College Hill; and still
farther to the southwest is a high ridge, running nearly parallel with
the road which enters Knoxville at this point. Benjamin's and Buckley's
batteries occupied the unfinished bastion-work on the ridge just
mentioned. This work was afterwards known as Fort Sanders. Roemer's
battery was placed in position on College Hill. These batteries were
supported by Ferrero's division of the Ninth Corps, his line extending
from the Holston River on the left to the point where the East Tennessee
and Georgia Railroad crosses the creek mentioned above as Second Creek.
Hartranft connected with Ferrero's right, supporting Getting's and the
Fifteenth Indiana Batteries. His lines extended as far as First Creek.
The divisions of White and Hascall, of the Twenty-third Corps, occupied
the ground between this point and the Holston River, on the northeast
side of the town, with their artillery in position on Temperance and
Mayberry's Hills.

Knoxville at this time was by no means in a defensible condition. The
bastion-work, occupied by Benjamin's and Buckley's batteries, was not
only not finished, but was little more than begun. It required two
hundred negroes four hours to clear places for the guns. There was also
a fort in process of construction on Temperance Hill. Nothing more had
been done. But the work was now carried forward in earnest. As fast as
the troops were placed in position, they commenced the construction of
rifle-pits. Though wearied by three days of constant marching and
fighting, they gave themselves to the work with all the energy of fresh
men. Citizens and contrabands also were pressed into the service. Many
of the former were loyal men, and devoted themselves to their tasks with
a zeal which evinced the interest they felt in making good the defence
of th