suburbs of Knoxville. Longstreet followed
rapidly, with McLaws in front, in line of battle, but all hopes of
encountering the enemy before he reached his fortified position around
the city had vanished. We reached the rolling hillsides just outside
of the city limits about noon on the 17th, and found the enemy's
dismounted cavalry, acting as sharpshooters, posted on the heights in
front and between the railroad and the river, well protected by rail
piles along the crest of the hill.

Colonel Nance was ordered with the Third South Carolina Regiment to
dislodge those on the hill, near the railroad, by marching over and
beyond the road and taking them in flank, which was successfully done
by making a sudden dash from a piece of woodland over an open field
and gaining the embankment of the railroad immediately on the right
flank of the enemy's sharpshooters. But scarcely had the Third got
in position than it found itself assailed on its left and rear by an
unseen enemy concealed in the woods. Here Colonel Nance was forced
to sacrifice one of his most gallant officers, Lieutenant Allen, of
Company D. Seeing his critical and untenable position, he ordered
the Lieutenant, who was standing near him, to report his condition
to General Kershaw and ask for instruction. This was a hazardous
undertaking in the extreme, but lieutenant Allen undertook it with
rare courage and promptness. Back across the open field he sped, while
the whole fire of the sharpshooters was directed towards him instead
of to our troops behind the embankment. All saw and felt that the
brave officer was lost as soon as he got beyond the cover of the
railroad, and turned their heads from the sickening scene. But Allen
did not hesitate or falter, but kept on to the fulfilment of his
desperate mission, while hundreds of bullets flew around him in every
direction--over his head, under his feet, before, and behind--until
at last the fatal messenger laid him low, a heroic martyr to the stern
duties of war. Colonel Nance seeing the hopelessness of his attack,
ordered a retreat. Then the whole regiment had to run the same
gauntlet in which young Allen lost his life. Away across the open corn
field the troops fled in one wild pell mell, every man for Himself,
while the bullets hummed and whistled through our scattered ranks, but
luckily only a few were shot. Jenkins' Division came up late in the
day and took position on McLaws' left, then with the cavalry commenced
t