Chapter 1-1 Tenneese's Seccession Rejected
June 17-Greeneville, Tenneese. After the failure of the Knoxville Convention to create a new state, one seperate from Tenneese. Delegates from Eastern Tenneese again meet to consider seceeding from the state. There were two sides to the debate, wether to Seccede from Tennesse, or to "Restore the true government of Tennesse", simmilar to the Wheeling Convention in Virginia. On June 20, the delegates made their decision. The Union Government of Tennesse would be restored, and the seat of government would be at Greeneville. The delegation sent a proclamation out that Tennesse had revoked its seccession. The President of the Convention Thomas A. R. Nelson was named Governor of Tennesse, and elections for another Tennesse Senator, (Andrew Johnston was still a Tennesse U.S senator), would be held shortly. Confederate Governor, Isham Harris sent for Felix Zollicoffer, a general who had previously lived in eastern Tennesse, to occupy the region. Tennesse's representatives in Congress asked for military aid. General Don Carlos Buell in Kentucky would cross the Cumberland Mountains and reneforce the region. Local citizens in the area formed a militia several thousand strong and were able to form 3 infantry regiments, to defend the area. Local partisans destroyed bridges to slow Zollicoffers advance, however they could not delay the inevitable.
Chapter 1-2 Zollicoffer's Invasion of Eastern Tenneese
General Zollicoffer commanded 4,500 recently raised soldiers, outnumbering the 3,300 Union soldiers in the region. The Union forces, scattered throughout the region, converged at Knoxville to repulse the Confederate invasion. Zollicoffer arrived outside Knoxville on August 13th, late enough for the 2nd Tenneese to arrive and renforce the 1st and 3rd Tennesse. As the regiments began fortifying Knoxville, word arrived from General Buell that weather conditions in the cumberlands would delay the crossing until next spring, the Milita was on its own. Thomas Broyles, the Commander of the 3rd Tennesse was named Union commander in the region. Realizing his men were going to be outnumbered and because they lacked cannon which the Confederates had, made the decision to abandon Knoxville on the 15th of August. He adopted Gurellia tactics to weaken the confederates. Hit and run tactics were very successful in causing Confederate causalites with minial union losses. Zollicoffer, undetered moved towards the Union Capital of Tennesse, Greeneville. His march, which should have taken 5 days at the most, took two weeks. When he arrived at Greeneville his force was a fraction of itself. 300 men had been killed, 800 wounded and another 200 captured or missing. He also left a garrison at Knoxville. Thomas Broyle realizing the advantage in number he had, went on the attack.
Chapter 1-3 Battle of Greeneville and the end of the East Tennesse Campaign
On August 29th the Union forces attacked the Confederate forces outside of Greeneville. The 2nd and 3rd Tennesse attacked the center, and the 1st Tennesse would attack the left flank of the Confederate line. The 2nd and 3rd Tennesse advanced towards the Confederates through the woods. Due to the wooded condition of the battlefield, Artillery was rendered almost useless, but a shell did strike the center of the 2nd Tennesse and killed 6 soldiers and wounded 19 more. Soon the Union and Confederate lines clashed. The Union soldiers were more accustomed to the region and inflicted massive casualties on the Confederates. As soon as the 1st Tennesse sturck the Confederate left, the Confederate line fell apart. In the confused Zollicoffer was killed and a full scale Confederate began. The Union persued them and inflicted massive casualties on the retrating Confederates. Knoxville was soon abandoned and reoccupied by Union forces. The 2nd Tennesse was stationed in the city and the 1st and 3rd continued driving the Confederates out of Eastern Tennesse. The Total Casualties of the East Tennesse Campaign were 850 Dead for the Confederates, 1200 Wounded, and 500 Captured or missing. The Union causualties were very minimal. 200 Dead, 500 Wounded, 120 Captured or Missing. This Victory was a major boost to Union morale which was at a low after defeat at Bull Run and Wilsons Creek. Confederate President Jefferson Davis ordered his generals to take East Tennesse back for the Confederacy, the already stretched confederate army was further reduced as Regiments were moved to Tennesse in prepeartion for the invasion of Eastern Tennesse. Albert Sindney Jonhston was named commander of the Army of Tennesse. As winter set in, both sides prepared for campaigns in the next year.