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 the investment of the city on the west side of the Holston or Tennessee River.  To advance McLaws’ lines to a favorable position, it was first necessary to dislodge the sharpshooters on the hill tops between the river and the railroad.  General Kershaw was ordered to take the works in front by direct assault.  The Third was on the extreme left of the brigade, next to the railroad, while the Second, Seventh, Eighth, and Third Battalion were in the center, with the Fifteenth, under Major Gist, between the dirt road on which we had traveled and the river on extreme right.  The Third had to assault the same troops and position that they had failed to dislodge some hours before.

Major William Wallace was in command of the skirmishers.  The heavy siege pieces at Fort Sanders had been hammering away at us all day, as well as the many field batteries that bristled along the epaulments around Knoxville.  The skirmishers were ordered forward, the battle line to closely follow; but as Colonel Wallace was in front and could see the whole field, I will allow him to give his version of the engagement.

“We were stationed on a high hill,” says Colonel Wallace, “west of said town, which descended gradually some two hundred yards, then rose to a smaller hill nearer to Knoxville.  Between these two hills was a smooth valley, the middle of which was distinctly marked by a line running north and south by different crops which had been planted on opposite sides of it.  Brigade skirmishers were ordered to advance towards Knoxville and drive in the enemy’s pickets.  I was in command of the left wing, and drove the enemy from my front, across the creek, which was beyond the smaller hill.  On reaching the creek and finding our skirmishers on my right, did not advance over the hill.  I returned to my original position where I found them.  Soon afterwards the skirmish line was again ordered forward to the line in the valley above described, and to lie down.  Just then I heard a yell behind me and saw the Third South Carolina advancing rapidly towards the smaller hill.  I