The leaves of my Owari Satsuma tree in a 1 gallon pot seemed to completely dry up over the last couple of weeks. They reamined attached to the plant even when slightly ruffled.
If the tree was stressed due to some reason shouldn't the leaves have fallen off? Does this mean the entire plant is dead?
The medium is free draining. It is mostly whatever the nursery used and I just added some CHC around it and I cannot think of any stress that it could have been subjected to.

Picture????

It's not a good idea to have a non-homogeneous mixture like you just described. CHCs drain very well so if you added CHCs around the original root ball it's very likely that the water you watered it with would just drain through the CHCs around the original root ball and would not penetrate the original potting mixture. The roots would receive no water and the tree would dry up exactly like you just described. Depending on how badly dried out the branches are it may still be possible to recover the tree. It should be re-potted in a well draining but homogeneous mixture. You should be able to judge if there is still life in the roots when you repot it. When using CHCs, Millet often recommends soaking the entire pot in a tub of water to make sure the CHCs are well saturated then allow the excess water to drain out completely. Keep it well watered and keep the roots at about 70F to 80F. Do not fertilize it. If the tree still has some life in it new branches should grow where the old leaves fell off.

I am sure the tree did not dry out because I regularly checked the top layer of the original medium and watered when it seemed dry. And I watered the plant slowly drop by drop till it ran out of the bottom. I was aware of the issue with the water running down the sides especially since it was in a rootmaker container with all its opening along the side.
IT almost seemed like winter leaf drop because it occured when the house temperature dipped below 65 for the first time this season. But what puzzles me is that unlike my other citrus in the past the leaves did not fall off and instead remain well attached to the plant even now when they are completely dry.

One thing is absolutely for sure, and that is the foliage on your tree is not getting water. We know this because the leaves have remained on the tree as they dried. There is only three possible reasons for this condition.
1). As jrb wrote, the water is taking the path of least Resistance and simply running down the sides through the porous CHC.
2). The water is only channeling through the original potting soil..
3). The roots a either rotted or dead.

Even with what jk840 wrote, I believe it is reason #1.

However, it is very easy to find out what the problem is, by slipping the tree from the container and examining the root system. Doing so, you will immediately find out the answer. - Millet-799

I finally took the container off and I now believe jrb was right that the non-homogenous mixture of the CHC packed around the original medium was the problem.
Another mistake I had made initially was not to try straightining the white circling roots from the original container. These roots had now turned brown and dry. When the heat in the house turned on, I think the dry air around the container with its openings along the sides, must have depleted all the moisture from these roots.

This is the third citrus whos sap I have on my hands..It had brought me some happiness and excitement in the short life that it had in my house. RIP