The 26th was thanksgiving day, and Gen Burnside issued an order for its observance, not in customary feasting, which was impossible, but by gratitude to God; and he recalled to his men’s minds the trials of those who established the Republic, as an encouragement to endure their own hardships. And indeed they had need of fortitude, for not only were they hungry, but the weather was cold--the overcoats and blankets of many had been cast away at Campbell’s Station, with their tents--and their resource for warmth was to crawl, when off duty, into holes which they dug in the bank, back of the trenches. Still as they ate their bits of bread, their thoughts were turned to loved ones at home, and their hearts might be thankful. After dark, important positions were made stronger in front with telegraph wires stretched from stump to stump. On the 27th Longstreet kept up active firing chiefly with artillery, but Burnside’s army was silent. Early that evening there was much cheering by the besiegers and music from their bands. In the night men were employed in chopping down trees, clearing the way for a battery on the south side river bluff, two thousand yards and more from Fort Sanders. The signs of their taking positions in the front for attack were so strong in the afternoon that the Federal soldiers stood in the trenches awaiting it. Both armies were hard at work on Saturday, the 28th. The battery of six guns on the river bluff opened fire upon Roemer’s battery between Fort Sanders and west of College Hill, but did no harm. About 11 o’clock at night, which was cloudy and very dark, the enemy attacked and drove in the pickets in front of Fort Sanders, captured many of them and occupied their lines about one hundred yards away from the Fort. The fighting was hot, and lasted two hours. Capt. Buffum, with a fresh detail, established a new line of pickets and by hard work, new pits were thrown up before day. There was skirmishing all night long, and a slow cannonading from the enemy’s guns, principally upon Fort Sanders. The hours of darkness seemed long to Burnside’s men, for they had to stand in the trenches, with no extra clothing to protect them from the cold. Evidently, Fort Sanders was to be assaulted. Longstreet had had his arms around Knoxville for ten days, and had closed its doors to all messages from Burnside’s friends. Grant had sought to send encouraging words from Chattanooga to the besieged commander, but could only dispatch them to Gen. Wilcox at Cumberland Gap, in the hope that by some means or other they might be transmitted to Knoxville. And now, the Confederate commander determined to come into close wrestle with his adversary and bring the siege to a triumphant conclusion. CHAPTER XVI. HOSPITAL NEEDS--A SCENE AT HEADQUARTERS--INCREASED DESTITUTION--ASSAULT ON FORT SANDERS--LONGSTREET RETREATS--SHERMAN’S APPROACH--BURNSIDE GIVES HONOR TO HIS ARMY.