In Tennessee, a massive dawn Confederate infantry attack on Knoxville's defenses fails completely

Confederate General Longstreet hoped to capture Union-held Knoxville, Tennessee with a dawn infantry assault on Fort Sanders, the main strongpoint of Union defenses.  The attack took place after a night of sleet and rain and failed disastrously, largely due to poor reconnaissance of the objective.  The Confederates suffered heavy losses and pulled back after only twenty minutes, effectively raising the seige of Knoxville.  (By John Osborne)