Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Eugene City guard. (Eugene City, Or.) 1870-1899 | View Entire Issue (May 21, 1887)
FORT DONELSON. Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the Groat Sioge, THE STOSY TOLD ONCEMOEE When, Whpre and How th Fomom Rattle Wai Fonglit, Vtm WTU9 Afterward Became Dlitln-a-aJ.-Hl That Took Par la It-Polltl- ol VnmAtm, Henators, Governors and l-mhltnU That War Hi HWKIther ' Side Keadjr to Civ Vp"m.Ttam Henry to DoneUonTb Horti That Failed. . Illu aad (Iruy. Once aguin the young people gather around ml IlKb-n while veteran lip tell the story of Fort Donelson. That iXotj wa made twenty ilvo yean ag tliia February. , The writer anil raronteur hare preserved lie history nwre flthfHy than the map maker bava Neither Kurt Henry nor Fort Donelson U marked upon the newet atlases. Hature htiwlf ho not obliterated their trace h Kjwmlily. Tbu tree yet tand u scarred veteran of I lie mighty fight Ilullet mark, aUinip and lrnken limb are yet to be leeu wbon ta winter they are unelod of kindly leaf and vine. THE PREPARATION. Turn to your map. Von will see that tlie Tnwaaimniid Cumberland river run through the nintn of Kentucky side and "Me, like twin alstcr. They empty Into the Ohio not fur apart. They coiuo near together flint Inside tho Tennnwee line, and flow through that state clone txwiile each other. The Tennes ne forms irt of the lionndary lietween the two tttuUu for some distance. On the Ten nessee lde. Just ojikxIUj where the corner of Kentucky liegiiui, wo Fort Henry. Twelve mill acres from it, illghtly north of cant, km Fort Donelson, on the Cuinlierlund. Ihiury waaon the right hank of the Tennes see, wliilii Donelson wo on tbo left bank of itfce Cumberland, li linNllY AND DONKI.HON. V.f wy mid DoimiIsoii were iiiiMirtnnt Con feuVnbt Hletloni Henry wn cnptiinil Feb. fl, ttjfil A rfalnj young brigadier general, named CkiHe8. (Inmt, wait nttlin bond or the for.-? ?!iii bsik it. Tim vlrtory culM for the Unit ll-iio tlionltcnliou of the iniintry to till ofll.vr. The victory ut Fort Henry, too, wim, strictly x-uking, the beginning of the -turning of the tide in favor of the north. A kIooiii like (lie fog of a winker's dny Imd Ixvn -on the country till then. Men In the north were sighing (or a hero a man who should ltroiigcnoi;;h to take tho lieml of nlTuir .and turn In art sickening failure into victory. Tho hero was developing, tliouvcli they know It not. Ho who wus to lift the cloud m tho Hilutit limn tlmt, even In the mldht of tho victory of Fort Donelson, wiw "too busy to write a wonl" A notublo point in the shortness of Grant' dispab'lim ut ull lime. A few tmningin, of not many linen, to Illu mi orior olllcer tell Die alory of both Henry and Donelson. Gen. llalleck, tlien tit Ht Louis, was in conunund of the ilcnit incut of the Missouri. Orant dispatched Ilulleek, Feb. (I, that Fort Honry bad fallen. He added these words: "I tliuil lake and destroy Fort Donelwm on the Bl bund return to Fort Henry. Hut be bud undertaken a larger contract Umn even he could till in tho time be pro Mwed. Tho fn-dietN and overflow, which al way work kiuli luiwhief in the south and west, prevented, for ono tiling. The road leading bi Do.h Imiii were a tea of mud. !y the backwater n( crflek on eat b nlde of the twl there wnm a wof water two mile In land from the tort. The Cumlw I iimI nuia nort at the point el(H-td for Foi l Donelnon. Aliout a mile Kouth of tbo bu t, up Ilia river, ia the little town of Dover. Thia Immlet wan the head uarUn of tho Coiifwlemto general, Olileon I'llhm, dm Ilia the lege. It waa in Dover " ithi.t tlie but Confederate council of war be tween Hon. Floyd, 1'illow, lluckncr, Col, N. U. Forret and oilier took place, previous to lie surrender of the fort to llrant. llelow Fort IKinelion, on the north, Hick man's ortvk cinptlwl into the Cumberland. It wan overflowed for milm, the water up to a liorwa breast. (Smut could not attack the fort from Hint hide. On the other hnnd, liowcver, In cn the Cotitoderutcti, Indng Imrd rwl, wished to unite a nail v out from the fort and vsi'itim by llm Kurt Henry rond, iu, In fal, tlK-v did wWi to do, tbU oveiilowud creek would )ivvelit them. 80, on tho whole, tlie Uckwat-T of Ilickinim's cuvk was an ad vantage to both ln'sicgi rnnd Unieged. Above Fort Horn bum, und Is tweon that nud Dover, wn auolliiT Htnam of water, Indian crwk, '10 OVN IioWhI. Mudl Them win never anything like It. It was "half leg deep," ui vinlly imMltioued In (Vaifeifcrate olll kil diiimlvhe. tlront'ssol li'rs fairly aded iu niiid "up to their eyes" wlien they marchiil from Fort Henry to U !ei;n Dover und DoihUoil It llew from the hoiw' Ikmii's like rain and peppered man mid luibt, when Uw cavalry splai.li.xl hither and tliithor, In tho vain fancy that they wort trotting. Il rolled from tho gun earriuge wheels and fell in busi nut-Mie at every turn (Ik, artillery made. It must be rememl.red that it wai Ornnt, brigadier general, who bud urge,! the reduc tion of Fort Henry and lonelv.iu TI10 ob. Joel Ui be gaimil by it was the rUring of tlie t'uuiherbuid and TenneMiw rivers, and the occupation of Timiihsmhi and iu limn of rnil way. (irnnt was at ('aire and repeatedly rged Hallk to let hint vwt Ku IxMiia, Is-ave was at lengtU giveiu (limit visited tils superior and Ix-gnu to unfold his plan for the capture of the two foils. Hut Halloek ilencwl Ituu at once and snubbed bim abarply. Judge Fori In lit boik, nt Hint Cmnt "retunml to Cairo believing his commander tJiouRht Mill guilty of proving a military blunder." And J et be twnb4.il, lniiorUm. lug again and again. Flag Olll.vr Andrew IL Fite, of tlie MiwMppi Nipndron, urged the same, and begged Halhvl's nrmi-loii to let bim and Onuil move on Henry and Don biL It was at length tiven, and Feb. 9 Foote and Orant, Infnntrvand cavnlry fomi in:!u.il, stalled up the Tenii.v 10 Fort eiy, wiih I7.nn) men and seven tun iioata " Kortlleury fell on the flih. TheSi.mlsv rter Cwnmaihlcr Foot Uk his place in tlw fwlplt of the IWbyterian cbunh at Cairo cusd m hod an eloqueut senuon ou the text: A "Ix not your hearts lie troubled. Ye believe iu Clod, believe alno iu me." Then be came down from the pulpit and nioU) reaily bis boats for tlie exwdlllou against Doiwlson, which surrendereil Feb. 1 jiikt one week from tiiat Hunduy niorniug. Engineers of tlie Confederal nrvksj agree that the site of Fort Donelsou was badly cboneii. It Uk1 uion a river bluir. The situation was elevated, to be sure, but there was a ring of bills around It, at from one to live miles distance, Tbiwo hills were higher than the bluff upon which the fort was, and convenient for the enomy to plant guns Upon. THE DEFENSES OF FORT DONELSON Tho bluff upon which Donelson stood was 100 feet high. Tho fort iteeu ws what was called in military language a bastlonedeann work, with angles like star point projecting fmm I Via mil ill liwhwnru ntttwunL and 1)10- teeted by wull of heavy earthworks. It was n situated that Its guns cominanaea meriv.-r as far as they could carry. TwowaUTbat terkf were erected on' tho slope of the blu.1 toward the rlvor, The larger Dowry tlie ono nourest the shore. It had for arma ment a Ill-Inch Columbia! and nine S3-pound gun. The upper Imttory was supplied wifl two 83-poundeni and one rtlleu cannon wmcu carried a conical ball )f VX pounds. The water bottorlcs wore built by Lieut CoL J. F. Gilmer, chief engineer of the wentern de iartmeiit of the Confederate army. They were constructed after tlie la lor ron. iieiu j. As soon as that point was captured the whole available tonriiU-rnte loree in mat rrgiou m eniMfttt.rnfal at DonelhOn. The lino of batterlea was extended so as to take In Dover, where stores of food and am munition were. In and out, through salient end re-entrant angle, for two tuilcs and half, the tracery of earthworks end gun went i Iktides that, tlie fortl.'lcations were pre tocted with bristling iibutu. It was a wooded region, full of "black jne'i" oak and other woods. Tho scrub ontj were felled, their branches sharpened at the point and these and tlie tree wore fastened upon the ground, sliarjhcd point outward, In what seemed an lmienetriiblo abatis. To get at Fort Don elson Hie Union tiDo-a were obliged to go up hill over these tdiarpened point iu the face of marksmen whiwe aim wo yet shanr. On tlie east, the river protected the workf. Buch were tho defenses of Donelson. Lieut Col. Gilmer soys that the effective fighting force within the fort was 1.1,000. Up to the time the slego l-cgaii it was com manded by Gen. Hutdirod IL Johnson. He was ro-enforced successively by Gens. Pillow, Clarke, Floyd and lliu kner, with several thousand men each. Gen. J. D. Floyd wot tlie olllcer highest In rnnk and bud command. FOOTE'S FLOTILLA. Tho Union guulionts had done great scrvlc at Henry. At Donelson Hie fleet did not dis tltigiiit.li Itx-ir greatly, except by convoying tiniix-sirts containing troops. Whilo Gr.int, with l.ri,(XX) men, plowed ncrofS tbo mud sea between Henry and Doncl son by land, be sent F00U1 with six guuljouts niiuind by water. They were obliged to go down the Tenneshee and up tho Ohio n sliort dittiinco to the month of tho Cunils-rtand to Fort Doneliioii. Fite bad to niako a circuit of 1.10 miles to go twelve. , Tlllt CAKONDICI.ET. The Cnrondeli't is a good llluit ration of Hit old foshlomsl guiilsmt It wits tho first to arrive on the morning of Thursday, Feb. 11 K oismi'sis.;. It may lw mentioned that the old Carondclet, wlt'.i tho samo rnmuiaiuler, Capt. Walke, was ulso tbo fli-st to afterward ImismiIowii the river under the batteries ut Vleksburg. The rext of Food's fleet with tbo trans ports, containing six regiment of soldiers, arrived Thursday evening. Friday morning the Presbyterian flag officer opened fire from bis fleet of six guuliout, four ironclads and two wooden ones. There was a severe fight of an hour and a half, which did not result hi It brill hint success for the fleet The boubj engaged were tlto ironclads 8t Iouis, Caron dclet, Louisville and Pittsburg, and th woo. leu boats Tyler and Conestoga. Four of tin boat were disabled. The Hrst fire from the Carondclet hud disabled one of the J-poundcra In the water batteries. The nine shot .instantly killed Lieut Joseph Dixon, a brave Confederate ofll.-er and the accomplished local engineer who had HKsisted iu prejmrlng the defenses of Donelson. That was alxmt tbo only damage apnreutly done by the fleet Then Commander Footo drew iff the remnlns of it and dropped down out of range. A VuBTAR BOAT. The mortar Ismt got u luune from Hie gun It carried. First a heavy wooden float was built Upon it were erected very thick wmslen walla Those sloped Inward and were about eight bi t hUlu They wore pbitixl with lu-avy iron. Inside was a. single heavy mor tar, with ammunition Mow tbo water line There was also a lent for the gunner within the walk These mortar Ixwts were considered for midable twenty-five years a.T Met such is tbo improvement made kinee then iu ilestm.s. tive warfare tbnt one shot from even a mod eiliteslledgunof the kind now m.ule would knock an old f.-wdiioiiej mortar Uvut into flinders, Ono youthful Confederate gunner nis ltnuMicil liiml( rallantly at the loner watT buttery at Fort Donelson. While Foote's giiiitf its were Hppcring tbo Nitter l. to tho ri(:bt and left, tin youtU, Jobu (. Fitua,st.si. pei f.vUy straight at hUgun, Inking ami and firing as coolly oi it be bad lvu squirrel bunting. .Now, boys," said be, See me take a chim ney." 1! alml at tlie smolesta-k of an advanc ln gU'ilHUt It fell, rarrTlti- with it tlx C :J FreiM threw hi cap iu Uo air, yellui Juiunlly. .-illii- Again the nervy ly took aim, clear and straight Shortly ho sent a bail directly through a porthole, and thi n the gunliOiU fell buck disublisl. The poi-tbolcs of the boau were quito lurga FOUR DAYS' FICHTING. To tell the truth, army offlrcrs do nol nlwuy write tbo clearest Engluh, not even, alas! regular army ofllcera. It is difficult, thoA-fore, for the hUtorian to gatluT from tliecolonils'and brigadior gener als' roxrt, Just bow a bat Ho was fought ond bow and where tbo troop stood. Grant's re port ond orders, what there are of them, are models of clearness, brevity and simplicity. From them we gain, more deal -bca-lcd knowl edge than from most of the rest Immediately on the fall of Tort Ilonry, Gen. Halloek begun forwardbig fresh troops and supplies as fust a poesihle for tlie reduc tion of Donelson. Boy, on whose checks the rose had not yet given place to tan, regiments, ns Judge Force says, "so freshly formed that they had hardly changed their civil garb for soldier's uniform," were hurried to the front to help out Grant at Donelson, - i ''nsimWH 1 plax or suae Feb. 11, 1R02, the general order was given Grant's men to march from Henry to Doneb on. There were two roads; 0110, tlie Wynn's Ferry road, leading to Dover south of Fort Donelson, tho other north of it tome dil tnnee. The two rume together not far from the fort, tbo northern road leading directly to the fort Along those two road the men marched, starting tbu morning of Feb. Vi. The First and Becond divliiou moved forward. The First division was commanded by Gen. John A. McClornnnd, the Second by Oen.. CL F. Hmlth. They moved forward, McClernand's division by tho right hand or southerly road, Smith's by the northerly or left hand rontL They came together two and oue-liulf miles from Donelson. McClernands forces took the right wing south of Donelson, Smith's the left wing north of Donelson. Liitcr word was sent to (len. Lew Wulluco, who hnd ro luuined at Fort Henry, to bring up tho Third division. Hu arrived ou tho Mill (Friday) and took position with hi division hi the center. Thus tbo Fedend forces invested Donelson In form of a crescent, A diagram of their pnsitiou would show them as follows: Smith's division. Wallace's division. Donelson, MoClernnnd's division. There was some skirmishing on the evening of tho 121 h between the pickets of tbo two armies. Ou tho bith the Imttlo began in earnest Col. Wm. U. Morrison, of the Forty-ninth regiment of IHtnois Volunteers, bad cburgo of a brigadu that duy in MeCler nand'd division. His brigade bad some of the toughest work of tho whole Donelson light. Their work was to assault Bbuioy' buttery, on the Confederate b-ft, at once tho most con spicuous and iuacccssihlo of the entire line of works. They started to climb up bill over the tangled mid terrible "black jiu-k" abatis. A double fire of battery and infantry raked them fore and aft Once they fell back, and were re-enforced. Four regiments started up the bill n second time. They were met with a hotter lire than Isiforo; Shrapnel and rifle lialls flew Into their teeth thick as linil. They OKA NT B IlKADQVARTKHS. forced their way further up the abatis, then wavered and fell back once more, A curious fact added to tbo complications of the light ut Donelson. Tho Conf.sleite forces were 'airgcly uniformed in brown jeans. The dead leaves of the scrub oak were nlinosi the exact color of this cloth. The Federal forces, therefore, iu climbing ihe abatis could not tell what was leaves and what was Con federate soldiers till a lineof lire iu their faces told them the difference. Tho third time Morrison' brigade stormed the heights. This time they climbed quite to the rifle pits. Tlie line in front rf them wot one sheet of fire, awful and deadly. Just then a musket luill struck Col. Morrison iu the liijv The future Ih.oi ixilit icid b-ndcriwUxl in bis saddle and then fell to tho ground. That ended the ibisjieinte ussault, and Mauey's bat Ury reinaiiH .i unttiken. - Another cf tho curious incidents of war, and a sad one, happened here. The flashes !rom the guns set lire to the thickly clusU-r-iiig dt-ad h aves. They flmiHil op like dry straw, consuming tho dcud, dying nud wouiid.il sohliciw who lay sUmt in tome spot as thickly 111 tho l.-aves Uicmsolve. A con slderablo iiuuils-r of the helpless ones were burnnl to death. CoL Hciiimn, who had dis tinguished liiiiiM-lf at Port Henry, was in coiiiiiuiihI of the Conf.iicratc nt Mauey's bat U ry. Ilis men leiil over in front of their works, alter tboasMiult, and saved sucu as they could. So the night of Tliun.biy, Hie l.-ith, came and wiu- hw.iv. Up to the arrival of Lew Walltuv, on Friday, the Federal f.vrcea cn gagtil uuinbeml only H0 men. Tboencmy il:.l not know it, 1 ut they were without sup plics. The ronds were too heavy to transport foul and munitimu, and tlkne bad lo-n sent around by water. The morning of tho Hlb tlio Union soldier were aleolutcly without food. During the ni-;ht a storm of snow and sleet came on. It was terrilile. The men bad not ihutil to sleep during the ni ht. Tbey could wot build lln-s, fvr tlu-se would have Uvo merely so many targets for musketry and ar tillery from the fort There were 110 sMtcr tent for them. Dawn found them numb and riff wiih the cold, thtir clothing wvt through to the skin msl frosen on their lacks. CoL Cnifta J Wright, Thu-teenth Missouri, sat upon a log wrapped In his blonket till 3 o'clock hi the morning. Bo the Federal soldiers stood the night through. At dawn the light began to shine upon a bitterly cold day. Fires were built toward the rear then, and coniiauiefi, m vurn rclioving one another, went back and thawed thrir frozen garment ami mode coffee. But thev bod no food, not a bite. Their only breakfast was coffee, and thus they made ready to face the day. For tlie Confederate iu the fort it was not whit more comfortable. They lay upon their arm all nlcht In the trenches. And vet nobody on either side was disheartened. The Confederate soldier were full of tight and enthusiasm. At noou the Federal Gvu. Lew Wallace and his Third division of min gled veteran and raw recruits arrived into ramp in tlie center with cheers and songs and bugles sounding. Gen. Wallace rode immediately to Grant's headquarters and dinod with him on cracken and coffee. The general was nearly a badly off as bis men. It was this day that tho interchange of courtesies between the fleet and the fort took place. Meantime there was not much fighting on land, ito-enforcomenti were arriving for Grant, and were being posted. Grant's troops were distributed over line nearly four mile long. Hi own head quarter were at the log house of Mrs. Crisp, two mile from Dover, it the head of Hick man creek. It wus a little to the left of the center of hi army, and between the divisions or Lew Wallace and Gou. C. F. Smith. So having arranged matters to suit bim, Graht sat down iu tbo midst of bis blue cres cent of soldier to starve out Fort Donelson. On their part, the Confederate generals in side the fort were quite uworo of their peril. The night of the Mth Gens. Floyd, Pillow aud Buckner held a council and resolved to cut their way out of the fort rough the Federal lines next morning. Ten thousand troops wore set apart for this grand sortie. The Confederates too had been re-enforced. Brig. Gen. Floyd was the last to arrive, on the morning of the luth, with 4,000 men. THE GRAND SORTIE. In the Confederate council the night of the Mill it wus determined that the force in the fort should attempt to cut its way out on the Federal right,througb McClernand's division. Driving this division back, it was to be made to roll over upon Wallace's division in the center, thus leaving tlie Wynn's Ferry road rlenr. By tbut road the Confederate were to escape to Charlotte, Tenn. Pillow, with infantry and cavalry, was to make the attack on the Federal extreme right, near tlie river. EucUner was to follow immediately after, and do for Lew Wallace's divisjou in the center. That was tho plan. OE. BUCK N EH, C. B. A. Pillow said be expected to "roll the enemy (McClernand's division) in full retreat over Usm Gen. Buckner, when, by nttuck in flunk and rear, they could cut up the enemy and put him completely to rout" Pillow's attack wan sudden and furious. Reveille wo just sounding in McClernand's camp, und tbo troops were not under arms when the onset was made. There was con fusion, there whs danger tbnt the whole right wing of tho Federal army would bo routed. In a fow mtuutcs though, In scarcely more time than it takes to wnt it, McClernand's men, gun In bund, bad their faces toward the foe. The nccount of the fierce onset and shock, and it reception by the Federal soldiers, read like some of Ciesai's battles with the Gauls. Gen. Oglesby, of Illinois, who com manded a brigade on the right, received the first tremendous attack. Hi men returned Are till their ammunition gave out They matched up tho cartridge boxes from the dead ami dying and poured their contents into the foe till that too gave out Then CoL W. H. L. Wullace' brigade went to the rescue. That at length quailed before the "trebly thundering" attack. A lamented statesman, who bos lately passed to the realm of the uu ccn, distinguished himself gallantly here. He was thou colonel of the Thirty-Hret Illi nois and his name was John A. Logan. He was here and tlwre and everywhere in that battle, showering cloctrlo wonl , upon his men, his dnrk fuco lit with excitement, bit eye shining like on eagle'. By the magnet Ism of his personal influence he prevented a panic and a rout early in the day. McClcniund's division, with Taylor's, Dresser and McAllister's batteries of light artillery, met the Confederate onset bravely and well. To tbo right of Oglesby still was Gen. McArtbur, nearest the river. Ho had beeu ordered there the night before, with troo) who hud bail no food all day. They passed the night in the snow and sleet, with out fires or shelter. Gen. McArtbur had had uo time to Ismine acquainted with tho nature of the ground. He only knew that he faced Fort Donelson. The Confederate desigii was to make a dash and get cavalry in hfa rear, and then with cavalry to rear of him.iufantry before, ho would be powei less. Soldiers do not always Und it easy to fight on a full stomach, but McArtbur' men had fusted thirty-six hour. In this state of hun ger tbey were when they beard at S o'clock in Hie morning the Uring on Oglesby on their left As soon as it was heard, without wait lug for orders, McArtbur formed his empty stomached men in line of battle. They took a lively hand in the fight But presently a worse troublo than empty stomachs con fronted them, and that was empty rartrii W boxes. Before that obstacle they were iu.l.-cd powcrloss, and so the brigade fell back some hundreds of yards to the rear aud took up a now position. It is sufficient to say of tin-in that toward night tin y got one square uieul and then moved over to tho left of the Federal forces to snptsirt the troops fi-hting thoro. The morning progressed. It u-gan to look nniewi as ir j iiiow was going to carry out h his uiivw, iu -iwi iuo enemy over." McArthu urs iriga.io uu.i cnmilil.il away. So bad Oglesby's. McCli ruuud division was in tho gravest danger. In the center, Lew Wallace, with the Third division, was lying inactive Hisordcrsw.ro to act on the defensive and wotch the Confederate to prevent their es caping bis way. I illo' division, indep'.oying, spread wider bm.1 wider, and more auj more toward Lew V.'ullaco, Mi-Chniands division began to wver. Three Confederate batteries, Mancy Porw' and (SravtV, poured a steady fire into It BucLiirr was advancing, too, with til r men, with Forrest's cavalry flitting about the outskirts. Tlie three Federal batteries had exhausted their ammunition. Taylor's alone bad ttred that morning 1,700 roumls. Buckner had or dered an advance of three regiments before noon. They had been met with a blinding flro from Col. W. 1L L. Wallace's brigade. Know flying in the nir confused tbem so that they could not see their way besides, and they fell back to their entrenchment in disorder. But presently Buckner gaUiered his forces and came gallantly ou igniu. McClernaiid sent word to Lew Wallace to aid bim. In the absence of jiositive orders from hendquortcrs Wallace declined to move. The place grew hotter and hotter. CoL John A. Logan was wounded. MiKJlornand again sent word to Wallace, and this time Wallace ordered forward Col. Cruft's brigade, the first in bis division. Hero an un fortunate mistake occurred, and several regi ment of Federal soldier tired into each other, doing serious damage. Cruft's brigade bxk the plucesof Mc Arthur's exhausted men. Cruft's men fought gullautly, but at length full buck some distance and took up position near the hospital. When Logan was wounded be suggested to Col. T. E. G. Hansom, of the Eleventh Illi nois, to take bis place with the Eleventh. Raiswm, too, had been wounded, but bad hnd bis wound dressed. Both' were heroes that day. Logan's regiment was quite out of am munition, therefore forced to fall liack, when its commnnder went to have his wound dressed. The Thirty-first marched back for ummunitkm, leaving the Eloventh alono in tho fray. But the Lleventh was attacked not only in front, but on both flunks, and finally broke and retreated. Gen. Wulluce still waited, with bis division iu line, for orders from Grant McClemaud's second messuge bad been that his Hanks were turned and his whole command was endan gered. It was then that Col. Cruft's brigade was sent to his relief. But the Confederate billows still swept on. Fugitives from the (klit scattered down the hill behind Wullace' division. A mounted officer galloped by. He bad lost bis bead completely, and shouted to the general: "We are cut to pieces." Then Low Wallace took the responsibility of the order of buttle ujion his own shoulders. Instantly he ordered up his third brigade, CoL Tliuyer commanding, and threw it across be tween the broken troops and the advancing Confederates. Other regiments were liebind os a reserve. Ho had Imivly got them in line when Pillow und Buckner. combined, swept down upon them. The brigade stood liko a rock. Hera was some of the most splendid fighting of tho war. The First Nebraska regiment and Wood's Chicago light artillery received the shock first, and here at lust the Confederate billows were thrown back. Theyhad struck a sea wall, and could sweep no further. "They withdrew," said Gen. Buckner, "in some con fusion, but without panic, to tho trenches." It was about noon. This was the end of the sortie. Lew Wallace hud saved the duy ut ut Donelson. WHERE WAS GKANTf It may have occurred to the reader that the name of tlie general commanding, tho "boss" so to speak, of them ull, has not been mentioned. Iu tlie naval light 011 tho 14th, Commander Footo had been severely wounded. He sent a message to Gen. Grant tbut as he, Foote, wus severely wounded, the general might perhaps conn; and see him, and bold a council on Isiard the flagship St. Louis. Grant did so, starting early on Saturday morning. After this consultation Footo started buck to Cairo for n.ortur lioats. Tho fleet lay several miles down the river and Grunt did not pet buck till nlHiut 1 o'clock. The sound of cannonading that pierced through the wxisguve uo idea of the seriousness of t he sit nation. The comnmmicr imiiH-dnitely rixlo from one point to another Insisting matters. His first thought, when he saw bus hat tered bat talions was to fall back on the defensivo, und wait till Footo came back with a fleet and re enforcements. At 8 o'clock in the after noon he called M'Cleinund and Wallace to COMMANDER roOTI. gether for counseL It was held with all three generals on horseback. Grant seemed ex cited, and as nearly nervous a Grant could be. His face was very serious, almost overcast. Uo held a handful of dispatches and seemed in profound thought All at once a light broke over the commander' face, and then all was serene again. Of this moment he told Gen. Sherman afterword: "I saw that either side was ready to give up if the other showed a IkiI.I front, und I deter mined to do that very thing." So the commander became strong and screno again, us usual. Instantly there was activity. Gen. C. F. Smith' forces on the right of the Federal line had not yet taken part iu the fight They were ordered up. Gen. Smith himself, with long, gray hair, a color liearer by bis side, rode along tho front of bis lino, a striking, inspiring figure. He told his men he himself would lead them, and directed them when near enough ' to charge Imyonet on tho rifle pits. Tbo signal was given, the column moved forward and was met by a roar of musketry from thoiiflo pits. CoL Tuttle was in the lend with his Second Iowa recilllellt. The mlrn.w.l,,, li , u moment under the fire Hint mowed it down ii... 1:.. . . .... wen s.cmuiM aim went lrresistilily on. W hen within ramre of tln.f - . .j .1 1 i.r.vi. V.1J1, Tuttle shouted to hi men, "Forward 1" Then ineynmue the rattling bayonet charge. It drovo tho Confed. mtra fill?., tlw.lr. ..-.-...I-, 1 bnuths men Ocrlni.-.l tln.m T., tl, cheers aud shouts from the whole division the ouirs and btripes were planted upon tho works of Fort Donelson. Thtu it was all over with the Confederate right Over on tho Federal right McCTernnnd's di vision hnd been swent from ..w,...i 1.. cupud in the morning. Although Lew Wal laces men had checked tbo retreat there and stopped tho sortie, yet the ground held by McClernaiid in the morning had not been ro- msen. urnut out, -ixsl Lew Wnllare to retako it As soon as Oen. Sinitu'a division bean to move, Wallace was to attack too. Thus the Confederates would he eiii-ntl i.ii. ..:..u and left Grant rodo down tho river to see that Smith was cnrrvin'I..,! 1 , , .r a " i-iu uiucr UU MS side: then be burned up to Hie right to watch A allace s men exoeuto their command. At noon it looked as if victory was perched 011 tlie Coufelei-ato standard. Tho Wvims Ferry rood, wLkh had been oximied by Mo C.i rnan.l. was o;vn Uv tho Confederate re jce::t Buckurr h.id accomplished wb.it ho had Us n ordered to do. TLc time jn t before brant ordered the renewed ottiek in tho af ternoon hud been tho golden moment f.T t capo. It was lost L'udiUer had halted, wait ing for hi artillery andrwf' out of the IntiviK luuent. Vti ' graphod A. 8. Johnston: 0u of soldier, the day i our," K All at once Oen. Pillow trM t I to come back und take up la the works. He could only j back with his men ho met GeTpi' I was surprised, und asked wfajt i He ordered Buckner to stay w N bo, Floyd, could see Pmow. 7,' more waiting. Finally Bm kne, general, was ordertsl to eronto? ' Confederate right and stop (,?" j was stormhiff the work V Fix If w mm 11 K BIlTry "UNCONDITIONAL gOMtnrot.. CTil. Rogor W. Hanson, of tbeiw federate Kentucky, led tlie ,iVu, when they reached the right it w-4i The Federal force were already J Hanson was a brave and accompli fedorate officer. It is interestiiij k tbut he ond Buckner, both flsw deemed the surrender of Fort'lid necessity of tor that Hnnson ay, j. port: "I will take tlie liberty to add Uatt time when we were ordered 1 trenches our success wus oonipift, k escape secure. "It is also my opinion that tlie m of tlie men from lubor and loss of J gether with the demoralization ran. loss of our trenches on the right, rj uie surrender unavoidable." When night closed in Wallaoatnoi-J tits won: regained the lost cleared the hill. Just when tb(iti and he was within a fow hundred fm Confederate intrenchmcnts, be nw, order from Grant to halt and fallbod luce disolxvycd the order. He felt t,. general did not know his movements successful. So ho took his own h1 ond bivouacked on the field, just , was, close to me uomedwiitos, nat morning to bo up and nttheni. fa morning camo the sun's first raysiWi a bugler, carrying a white flag frou-.E. to Grant Bucknor's message prnpu, opmiintnient of commissioiieistoa terms 01 capitulation. Grant's repljL come historic: 'lis'o terms will be granted exreptu ditional and immedinte surrender. 1; to move Immislint ly iqioii yourtrorfe Buckner wrote biu'k: "The distrili tho forces under my command, ia:;. an unoxHcted chungo of couiniaai the overwhelming foris) under je mnnd, conixl me, iiotw.itlistau.lins i Hunt success of tho Confederate nrau ; day, to aci-ept tho iingeiKSOiis and c rous terms which you pronose." So on that Sunday morning, Feb. K tho Confederate forces surrendeml to and tho story of Fort Donelson was Uii Buckner hnd good reason to boini pleasant frame of mind that mornit: midnight tbo night before, a council'.! was bold between himself and Pili 1 Floyd. Buckner told them his men 0 stand more than half on hourt f.: Hunger, cold and cxbuustion had dm work at lust Besides, there wai n ammunition. If his men tried to 1 three-quarters of them must bolwtli tho olher quarter. Surrender was lb tiling. ' Floyd and Pillow said they would render, they would dio flret Then 1 handed over the supreme command 1 fort to Pillow, who in turn transffnw Buckner, who surrendered tho fort, fi with some of his immediate pemoul mnnd, crossed tho river upon s ni made good his escape. Two small to from up the river came alxiut daylijbn landing. They took Floyd and men np the river. Forrest and bsw escaped on horsobark. The two slimnm taincd Conf jdorate re-cnforcement,wki dumped out uisin shore. Then FWf boordisl the Isjatsv The conduct of and Pillow was regarded as unsold was made, tho subject of a senrchiix gation'from theConftslerato governm an ofllcinl letter to tho Confederal n of wnr, Pillow thought that, coiiFiito! sncrifiecs he had made for the ConM' ond "tho large ond deix-ndent fmti grown up mi l uninnnied danghtcin hands," ho had liecn very shabbily treat Of the forces engnged in this pwt there were of Coiifcslerntcs, all t.M.i thing over 1!I,(KJ0; of Federals, 27,(U best cstimnto of tho Confederate kill" woimddl makes them about 2.000. I Union forces the killed, wounded snd ugsnvgntod 3.1!I. The troops of Grant's ormy nt to were mostly western men, nianv ol from Illinois and Indiana. One renm fact in tliis fight is the number of nin afterward Ixx-ame distinguished tint part in it. Hundred of men oftd famous Ixith In military and civil lifcl there on those fateful days. BURIED WHERE TFIET FELL. Immediately lifter the suiTen.k'r ( McCleiTiond and Wallace were m! 1 gencrnk GrHiit'scommission was .bte l'i. nnd he was immediately placed i"( of tho military district of west Tons Numls-n of so'dicrs were buiiid" field w liere they fell. Sonic of t!s irgnv sliiltolxjFocn. But of tho earthcr lines of fortifications nt Donelson 1 scarcely a trace. Even so from the tho contestants that dav bavo faded " traces of the lines which seinratl Years oco Buckner forgave Grant tho northern command' r was buriid-J nnd a half ago. prominent onion? u Is-arers, who wn'.keil with meusunU' sido the bonorrd dead, were to be soldierly figure and strong, line fa Diukiii-r. In r.r.-iar1n the itorv of Dore-lsoa. hive Uvu i.n;h rr.t from" many nouns rl illy 1 ruin oiuciil ikinim-nU pub!!, lu.U-d i-tat. RiRt-rnojeut ti'om J1"' lik. Tnirij Hcnrr to C'urin'ri." bei' War i.i Ami-rk-a, k1 files . f The N ' ur sn l liarpcr i icusi.il lihtory J 1.f lihistruuoa are vhiedj trout Hi- hiainry.j