Compaign to Nowhere

[richard]

This book written by David C. Smith and published by Strawberry Plains Press is a very good and detailed work relating the 45 days of operations in East Tennessee in the winter of 1863.

The time period is from November 1863 to April of 1864 starting with Longstreet's attempt to retake Knoxville. Though, this part of the Civil War has been long over looked by many who study the war, this book puts in prespective the area and importance of East Tennessee both for the Union and the Confederaticy.

The book is rich in detail, maps, and photographs of present day locations of the battle lines. Many relics are pictured that were found in the Dandridge and Mossy Creek area fields.

This book is hard to locate. The copy that I have came from the interlibary loan system.

When you read this book, you maybe supprised to find some very well known gentleman who played major rolls in this intresting but more than likely unecessary part of the war.

[samgrant]

You'll need at least $75 to buy this book which apparently was published in a limited edition of 500 copies.

[larry_cockerham]

Richard, might there be any mention in this book of the battle for Philadelphia, Tennessee in late October 1863? You wrote November.....

[richard]

Larry,

I am sorry but I did not find any mention of that action. The author was very specific that the field of coverage would be limited to an area from Strawberry Plains to just near Jefferson City. I surmise that would be just about the whole of Jefferson County. I think that the location that you are talking about is near Swee****er.

[richard]

Larry,

I am sorry but I did not find any mention of that action. The author was very specific that the field of coverage would be limited to an area from Strawberry Plains to just near Jefferson City. I surmise that would be just about the whole of Jefferson County. I think that the location that you are talking about is near Swee****er.

[samgrant]

Would that 'well known gentleman' be Homer or Jethro?

[richard]

Samgrant, unless you are refering to Homer Burnside and Jethro Longstreet, then I am not sure. Of course, the action during December and January was more of a standup comedy with deadly results than a serious effort to gain an end result.

Sherman and Little Phill both were involved in one way or another. Grant was all over the high command at Knoxville to push Jethro Longstreet back in to the ANV untill he realized that holding him in winter camp in East Tennesee out of the picture was a good thing.

Of course Longstreet was still smoldering in November over Bragg's failure to take his and Forrest's advice to push Thomas back into the Tennessee River. Now that he had been ordered to Knoxville by Bragg was another insult to him and he really did seem to have the fight in him that was so much of Longstreet. No real maps of an area that he did not know, no supply train, and he knew he had no back up.

This could well have been a Homer and Jethro show, what do you think?

[richard]

Larry, going back on two other references that I have, the main players in this action had not arrived in October. Longstreet did not leave Chattanooga till near the middle of November. Union artillary, cavalry did not really reach the area until December as they had been chasing Wheeler through Middle Tennessee down through Pulaski along a route close to what Hood would take 12 months later.

[samgrant]

No. It's just that Homer and Jethro are the only 'well known gentlemen' I am aware of who are natives of Knoxville.