Lenoir City in Loudon County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
Lenoir's Station
Sander's Raid
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 28, 2013
1. Lenoir's Station Marker
Inscription.
Lenoir's Station. Sander's Raid. Union Gen. Ambrose Burnside needed to gather information on Confederate troop strength and to cripple the important East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad before he invaded East Tennessee in 1863. In June, he ordered Col. William P. Sanders to march from Kentucky and destroy track both north and south of Knoxville. Unable to destroy the heavily-defended railroad bridge crossing the Tennessee River at Loudon, Sanders and his 1,500 men (including the locally raised 1st East Tennessee Mounted Infantry) turned to Lenoir's Station, located within the 2,700-acre plantation of the Lenoir family. On June 19, Sander's troops overwhelmed a small Confederate force here and destroyed the depot, the general store, and a railroad car containing Confederate military supplies. They also captured 65 artillery men and their cannons, horses, and mules., Sanders spared the brick cotton mill in front of you (damaged severely by a 1991 fire). He allegedly wished to protect the only source of cloth for local Unionists. According to local tradition, Dr. Benjamin B. Lenoir, one of the owners, exchanged secret signs with fellow Masons among the Federal officers, ensuring the mill's safety. The next day, Sander's troops marched to Knoxville, briefly engaging Confederate batteries there before continuing to Strawberry Plains and destroying a major railroad bridge. The raid netted some 300 Confederate prisoners and ten pieces of artillery., Later in November 1863, Confederate Gen, James Longstreet passed through Lenoir's Station, briefly liberating the place, during his Knoxville campaign. Sanders died of wounds received on November 19, 1863, during the fight of Knoxville, and in his memory Union officials named a fort in his honor. Fort Sanders Hospital is near the fort site in downtown Knoxville., (captions) , Cotton mill, ca. 1870 from Lenoir City Golden Jubilee: 1907-1957 , Gen. William P. Sanders Courtesy U.S. Army Military History Institute , Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside Courtesy Library of Congress
Union Gen. Ambrose Burnside needed to gather information on Confederate troop strength and to cripple the important East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad before he invaded East Tennessee in 1863. In June, he ordered Col. William P. Sanders to march from Kentucky and destroy track both north and south of Knoxville. Unable to destroy the heavily-defended railroad bridge crossing the Tennessee River at Loudon, Sanders and his 1,500 men (including the locally raised 1st East Tennessee Mounted Infantry) turned to Lenoir's Station, located within the 2,700-acre plantation of the Lenoir family. On June 19, Sander's troops overwhelmed a small Confederate force here and destroyed the depot, the general store, and a railroad car containing Confederate military supplies. They also captured 65 artillery men and their cannons, horses, and mules.
Sanders spared the brick cotton mill in front of you (damaged severely by a 1991 fire). He allegedly wished to protect the only source of cloth for local Unionists. According to local tradition, Dr. Benjamin B. Lenoir, one of the owners, exchanged secret signs with fellow Masons among the Federal officers, ensuring the mill's safety. The next day, Sander's troops marched to Knoxville, briefly engaging Confederate batteries there before continuing to Strawberry Plains and destroying a major railroad
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bridge. The raid netted some 300 Confederate prisoners and ten pieces of artillery.
Later in November 1863, Confederate Gen, James Longstreet passed through Lenoir's Station—briefly liberating the place—during his Knoxville campaign. Sanders died of wounds received on November 19, 1863, during the fight of Knoxville, and in his memory Union officials named a fort in his honor. Fort Sanders Hospital is near the fort site in downtown Knoxville.
(captions)
Cotton mill, ca. 1870 from Lenoir City Golden Jubilee: 1907-1957
Gen. William P. Sanders Courtesy U.S. Army Military History Institute
Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside Courtesy Library of Congress
Erected by Tennessee Civil War Trails.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Tennessee Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical month for this entry is November 1863.
Location. 35° 47.457′ N, 84° 15.8′ W. Marker is in Lenoir City, Tennessee, in Loudon County. Marker is on South Hill Street south of East Depot Street, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Lenoir City TN 37771, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Lenoir Cotton Mill (here, next to this marker); a different marker also named The Lenoir Cotton Mill
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on October 17, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,031 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on October 17, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
