Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1862-02-25
LETTER PROM PORT DONELSON.
rna.,,.ox Tam. Feb. 20.

learned from 40 official report, the result
of the late battle and its effects upon
our friends and relations engaged.
Circumstances prevented me from send
inc Won an earlier account; however
nav vet sketch few items OF Interest.
The extensive field OF operations and
my limited opportunities OF Observation
prevent me from writing OF anything
save what have been witness 10.
We arrived at the scene Corporations
on the 18th, and found the place closely
besieged by our troops. The fortlhca-
tons Of the enemy extended distance
OF two miles from the river and four
miles parallel with il, The thick growth
Of timber 10 which it was situated, had
been felled within the space OF five hun
dred wards around the works, aid a
deep rayine separated them from our
lines OF decentralization which surround
ed the whole, and Of which the Second
Iowa formed the extreme left. FOR
several days the enemy had been max
ing Intellectual attempts to escape, and
some hard fighting had been dore on
The right of our lines, yet nothing had
occurred on our left, except continu-
Gus and close diminishing with the enc
my's sharp. shooters, until the 10Th,
when it was determined that Gen. Smith,
commanding the left division, should
assault the enemy's works on the right,
aud that the Second Iowa should lead
the advance. The day was calm and
sunny, and the keenly cod air made the
afternoon an unexceptionablc one for
battle.
The Second Iowa was drawn up ia
two batalioDs, the left wing in front,
thousand yards from the point Of attack
The order to march was given, and tn
lief, wing moved rapidly forward anc
soon reached the base Of an abrupt hill
rom the summit OF which frowned the
grim, clay .celored redoubts ofthe enemy
Behind those works lay the "a Kentuck'
regiment and the mississippi Tigers,
the latter armed with revolving five
shooting rifles, ard all silently waiting
confident that the first yolley from thel
veil directed weapons would scatter thu
advancing battalion to atoms. Mean
time, the assailants paused not, bu
scrambling over fallen timber will
laborcd tread, moved steadily up thu
rugged path until within point blanl
range Of the cnemy's guns, when Their
burst upon them terrific shower o
leaden hail, carrying the gallant Majo
Chapman to the ground, and IayiD!
Captains Slaymakcr and CIoutman dead
aud though trampliug over the deac
bodies Of their comrades whose warn
blood stained the crested snow, though
that incessant and CALLING fire was
moving them down like grass, the.
marched intrcpidly forward, lookin!
neither 10 the right or left, but with eye
fixed steadily upon the object ahca'
and with the fiery and sulphuroas breatl
of musketry belching into their faces
they mounted the ramparts and tn
enemy was driven from tho breastworl
in hand to hand fight.
This regiment is noted for being com
posed almost exclusively Of young mer
Young, ardent and patriotic, their yea
cha'ed by long inaction, when told I
plant their flag upon the stronghold {
the enemy without the firing OF gur
they shrank not from the task, but rush
ed recklessly to the onslaught, and coll
steel and native valol decided the cor
ct. The result shows that forty {
their number have been made to bit
the dust. The accomplished gentlema
and splendid officer, Captain Slaymakel
tie sturdy soldier and honest man, CAY
tain Clouiman, and Lieutenant Harpe
are 10 more. One hundred and fit
Others are mangled, crippled or bruised
yet Of those who passed through tina
terrible ordeal OF fire, lead and steel, no
one would hesitate to again march int
the 'jaws of DEATH"
The right wing was exposed to tn
same fire which raked the left, an,
though it did not participate in the bay
onet charge, it came up the moment tn
redoubt was carried, and the whole
pursuing and pursue !, rushed pell-me
down the opposite hillside, through tn
camp OF the flying rebels, sending wolfe
after volley among the fugitives until the
were lost to view in the forest or benin,
other carthworks, when our troops wer
ordered to fall back to the conquered re
doubt. Our artillery now came up, an,
"The war which for space did fail,
| Now trebly laundering swelled the gale.'
1t was now I o'clock, P. NJ, from
which time until dark the air was fillet
with the music of singing grape, buzz
ing ball and bursting shell.
Our troops rested on the field al
night, and all was quiet until daylight
the next morning, when the fliendI
str aims Of parley we're piped out by tn
Confederate bugle, and flag Of true
borne by huge African moved slowl
towards our lines. The signal was an
swered, and Col. Lauman met the CO n
tederate officers in conference, the re
suit Of which was an unconditional SUI
render to Gen. Grant, of the Fort an
entire army, numbering about 1900