and withdrew to Armstrong Hill. Law reported 85 casualties and Robertson reported 31 casualties. Union losses were about 50 casualties. The outcome was remarkable because the Confederates were veterans, while Cameron's troops had limited combat experience. On November 27, Cameron's men were put to work building Fort Higley and entrenching the Sevierville Heights. Fort Sanders The Confederates planned to wreck the vital pontoon bridge that connected Knoxville with the south bank, but nothing came of this effort. Nevertheless, Poe stretched a cable across the river upstream to block any attempt to break the bridge. Meanwhile, the Federals continued to improve their defensive fortifications. Old telegraph wire was found and run between tree stumps in a narrow belt in front of Fort Sanders. The 2,625-strong division of Brigadier General Bushrod Johnson reached Longstreet on November 26–27. Johnson brought two brigades under Brigadier General Archibald Gracie III and Colonel John S. Fulton, but no artillery. Meanwhile, Leadbetter wanted to attack Mabry's Hill, but a reconnaissance on November 27 discovered that its Union defenses were far too strong to give any hope of success. Later that day, Longstreet watched through his binoculars as a Union soldier walked from Fort Sanders to his sentry post. It seemed to him that the ditch was only waist deep. What Longstreet could not have known was that the sentry used a plank to cross the deep ditch. Yet it convinced Longstreet that the ditch around the fort was insignificant. Longstreet wanted to assault Fort Sanders at dawn on November 28, but the operation was rescheduled until 2:00 pm when a rainstorm struck the area. Then, McLaws convinced Longstreet to postpone the attack until the morning of November 29 so that his skirmish line could be advanced close to the fort. Meanwhile, the cavalry brigades of "Grumble" Jones and Giltner from Ransom's division arrived near Knoxville. These troops were sent to the north when it was discovered that Willcox's Union forces were advancing from Cumberland Gap. Rumors began circulating that Grant defeated Bragg near Chattanooga, but this made Longstreet more determined to attack. McLaws' assault on Fort Sanders was made in two side-by-side columns. The left column was made up of Ruff's brigade, while the right column was composed of units from both Humphreys' and Bryan's brigades. Gracie's and Fulton's brigades were positioned so that they could form a second wave of attack. At the same time, Brigadier