Smyrna times., 1862-02-20
GLORIOUS NEWS !
Fort DOneIsOn Taken !!
$4,000 Prisoners Captured,
GEMS. JOHNSON g. BUCK
NER.

The glorious news OF the capture Of Fort
Donelson, with fifteen thousa nd rebels, reached
Smyrna, Monday evening aud created the most
intsnse excitement and Joy.
We congratulate our readers on the great
and glorious news and the prospect of a speedy
termination of the war.
Fort Donelson was invested, and the attack
upon II begun, en- the morning of Thursday, at
u A. M. The cannonude was kept up on both
sides for the whole day. Gen. McClernand's
Division operated on the right wing and Gen
Smiths on the left. There was but one gun.
boat the CGrOndolet-to play on the Fort the
others were coming up. Three of the rebel
guns were dismouhted, and our sharp shooters
were picking off the cannoniers as fast as they
appeared. The battle commenced on Thursday v,
continued through Friday. Saturday and Sun.
day-the fighting on the three last days being
very desperate. The upper fort, or redoub:
was captured by our troops at 4 o'clock on
Saturday afternoon, and the Stars and Stripes
were Immediately hosted upon il. One of our
field batteries, comma anded by Col. Swartz, was
at one time captured by the rebels, but was re-
taken in the most gallant manner by our troops.
Commodore Foot went into the action on Fri.
day afternoon, with the gunboats ST Louis,
Louisville, PittsbWrg, CGrOndelet, Tyler, and
COneStoga, and after an hour and quarters
ightUg at close quarters, was forced to with.
draw, his boats having been disabled. with
ffy-feur men killed and wounded. himself
among the latter, though not dangerously.
Some idea OF the strength Of the rebel batter
les may be formed when il is stated that the
f'St. Louis alone was struck fifty nine times
The enemy's firing was very accurate, special
pains having been taken to collect in the for,
all the best cannoneers in the rebel service
Three batteries were playing on the gunbeat.
one near the water, one fifty feet above this
and the third fifty feet above the second, msu It.
Ing four l6- -pouBders, the fire Of which was re.
served until the gunboats arrived within four
hundred yards Of the fort. Several of the gun.
beats in this encounter were more or less dis.
abled. Among the land forces, the Illinoi,
Eighteenth and the Iowa Seventh Regiments
are mentioned as having suffered severely
The possession of the upper fsrt, however, CAV,
eur forces great advantage, as it commando
the main work, and Gen. Grant on Saturday
evening telegraphed To Gen. Halleek that ht
had 10 doubt of finishing the work Monday
Com Foote states 10 his official report, tha
had his boats not been rendered unmanageablt
| L.. N af eh eha ota N
| in fifteen minutes more he would have had pos
session ol the fort, as the rebels were alread
unHlng away from their guns.
A despatch to the Cincinnati Times says
Fort Donelson surrendered at Sunday morning
Internationally. We have Generals Buckner
Johnston, Busherod, and $4,000 prisoners ant
5000 horses. Generals Pillow and Floyd, raj
away en- steamers, without Gen. Buckner being
aware of their Intentions. Gen. Smith let
the charge on the lower end of The works, anC
was first inside of the Notifications. The run
aways from Fort Henry were bagged here
The prisoners are being placed aboard lht
steamers for Cairo.
| Our loss is hsavy-prObably 400 killed an'
800 wtunded. We lose large per centag'
of the officers.
4 Among the wounded are Col. John A. Logan
(member of Congress,) Col Sawyer, Col
Ransom.
Major Post, Of The Eighth Illinois Regiment
with 200 privates, are prisoners, and hav
gone TO Nashville, having been taken the nigh
before the surrender.
The loss of the enemy is heavy, but not 9
large as ours, as they fought behind entrench
s menls. We should have taken them by storm
8 Jag Ihs Notifications on Saturday, flour ammu
|, milton had not given out in the night !,
II Taylor's, Willard's, SchwarIz's, McAllil