From Campbell’s Station, Gen. Burnside, on November 16th, sent instructions to Capt. Orlando M. Poe, chief engineer of the Department of the Ohio, who was at Knoxville, to select lines of defence for the town, in readiness for the troops to occupy positions. This order Poe was able, from previous and frequent examinations of the ground and his familiar knowledge of the army, to fulfil quickly. Before leaving Kentucky he had organized an engineer battalion from the 23d corps and by great efforts had brought over the mountains engineering tools. Knoxville is situated chiefly on a hill, about two hundred feet high on the north bank of the Tennessee river. The hill, at its top, has a wide table land, and is separated on the east and west by creeks from even higher hills that rise up from the river. In the valley immediately on the north, runs the road of the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railway Company, beyond which the town was then but partially extended.[38] Capt. Sims’, 24th Indiana, and Henshaw’s battery (the first of six and the second of two James’ rifle guns), and also four brass six-pounders, occupied Temperance Hill on the east side of First Creek, supported by Chapin’s Brigade of White’s Division, and Riley’s Brigade of Hascall’s Division of the Twenty-third army corps. Shield’s battery, six twelve-pound Napoleons, and part of Wilder’s, occupied Mabry Hill, which is higher and farther east than Temperance Hill. These were supported by the brigades of Cols. Hoskins and Casement, extending from Bell’s house on the northern base of Mabry Hill to the river south of it. One section of twelve-pound howitzers was planted on Flint Hill, nigh to that point on the river manned by soldiers of loyal Tennessee regiments. On the west of the main town and Second Creek, Roemer’s battery of four three-inch rifle guns, occupied College Hill near the river, supported by Morrison’s brigade of the First Division, Ninth army corps. At the fort on the hill-top northwest of College Hill, were placed Benjamin’s battery of four twenty-pound Parrotts, and Buckley’s battery of six thirteen-pound Napoleons, supported by Humphrey’s and Christ’s brigades, of the First Division, Ninth army corps. The ground occupied by this Division extended from the river near the mouth of Second Creek around to the point where the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railway crosses Second Creek, northwest of the older town, and was under the command of Gen. Ferrero. Gitting’s battery was on Vine street, overlooking the railroad depot on the north, and between it and First Creek was the Fifteenth Indiana battery of three three-inch rifle guns--these two batteries being supported by the Second Division, Ninth army corps, (Gen. Hartraupt’s), extending from Second to First Creek and parallel to the railroad.