Civil War

This Week in the Civil War

00000174-b11b-ddc3-a1fc-bfdbb1a20000The Schreiner University Department of History is honoring the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War with a series of short vignettes focusing on events from 1861 through 1865. The Civil War was the most destructive conflict in American history, but it was also one of our most defining moments as a people and as a nation. Let us know what you think about "This Week in the Civil War." E-mail your comments to Dr. John Huddleston at jhuddles@schreiner.edu.Airs: Weekdays at 5:19 a.m., 8:19 a.m., 4:19 p.m. on KTXI and 4:49 a.m., 9:29 p.m. on KSTX.

This Week in the Civil War - 715

Texas Public Radio | By Texas Public Radio

Published December 4, 2013 at 10:22 AM CST

From Knoxville, Tennessee, on Thursday, December 3, 1863 James Longstreet began moving his Confederates east and north toward Greeneville, Tennessee, effectively ending his siege against Burnside’s forces. Longstreet’s move enabled him to either take further offensive action in the West or move eastward to Virginia to reinforce Lee’s army.

Skirmishing occurred on the following day near Kingston and Loudon and on the 5^th at Walker’s Ford on the Clinch River, as Longstreet retreated. On Sunday, December 6, General William Tecumseh Sherman and his staff entered Knoxville, formally ending the siege of the city and Burnside’s troops.

On the same day that Sherman triumphantly entered Knoxville, Confederate President Jefferson Davis considered sending Robert E. Lee to Dalton, Georgia to help with the restructuring of former General Braxton Bragg’s defeated and demoralized forces.