One hundred fifty years ago at dawn today, four seriously-under strength Mississippi and Georgia regiments attacked the earthwork Fort Sanders on Knoxville’s west side. The very subject of Knoxville 1863, the novel—this blog—and the book itself.

I suppose there will be some sort of commemoration of the event by someone or some group at the appropriate time. The weather isn’t right. It’s too warm at 48 degrees and there’s no drizzle. At least it’s partly cloudy with a light wind and the snow and ice of the past few days hasn’t completely melted yet.

Of course there is nothing left of the fort itself. Perhaps the commemorators will gather on the sidewalk near the historical marker, about two blocks away from where the old fort sat.

Knoxville civil war enthusiasts, mainly historians, tourist groups, and Rebel and Union descendants, have commemorated the sesquicentennial this year. They also included the local ersatz version of the battle “put on” outside of town back in early October. Curiously enough, to my knowledge no one thought to include the novel as part of the festivities. That’s an oversight you can remedy here.