On November 4, 1864 Confederate Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest positioned artillery on ridges across the Tennessee River from Johnsonville and began shelling the Federal supply base. The Union shore batteries were unable to dislodge the Confederate position and began to destroy federal supplies and transport boats to prevent their capture. Forrest’s artillery resumed shelling the depot the following morning before withdrawing his troops. Damage to Union materiel was estimated to be $2.2 million.
Fort Sanders
As part of Confederate Lieut. Gen. James Longstreet’s strategy to capture Knoxville and drive the Union IX and XXIII Corps