On November 17, 1863, Confederate General James Longstreet launched what would be a two-week siege on Knoxville, Tennessee. While he hoped to take the city for the Confederates, he also wanted to pull Union troops from Chattanooga so that the Confederates would have more opportunity there. Ultimately, 25,000 Union soldiers were sent form Chattanooga to chase Longstreet’s forces away. Longstreet retreated to Virginia and rejoined Lee the following spring.
