Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-02-21
THE SURRENDER OF FORT DON
EISON.


The investment of the Fort took place on
Thursday last, with some diminishing OF
outposts. That night eight thousand u D
troops arrived, making besieging force OF
jfftv thousand Friday morning the attack
began in earnest on the part oil the lanu
forces, and the enemy were driven from their
outer entertainments, with which the lor'
was surrounded, into the main iortihcations'
which proved to be of immense strength
Friday afternoon Com. Foste with his hcet
of SIX gunboats Joined in the attack With
the same daring which decided the late oil
Fort Henry, he pushed his boats within 5oO
yards of the rebel water batteries, and for
more than an hour maintained a hot assault,
the boats, from the more elevated position
of the enemy's works, suffering much more
from his fire than at Fort Henry. They
kept closely to their work however, and
were in fair way to decide the day, the
enemy already having begun to run from his
water batteries, when by two unlucky shots
the steering apparatus Of the Commodore's
Flag ship and of another iron gun boat were
disabled. The two crippled boats driftad
down the stream the remainder Of the fleet
desisted from the attack, and Com. Foote,
who was slightly wounded. returned to Cairo
to bring up additional mortar boats
On Saturday the assault was renewed
with fresh spirit, and alter hard fighting
and stubborn resistance, Of which the details
as vet are but scauty, the day closed with
our gallant troops il possession OF what Is
described as the " Upper Fort, " and " left
wing Of the enemy's fortihcations.' com
manding the remainder Of his works, and
giving promise of full possession next day
% Sunday the Fort SURRENDERED, with
49, 600 Of its defenders. OF course all this has
not been accomplished without heavy losses
on both sides-the accounts of which are
yet to come. Wehave no room for comueht
on this crushing blow to the rebellion. MOI
is there need. The announcement is glory
enough for one day. The American Eagle
is proud fowl to-day. Glory, Hallelujah A!
\ special despatch to the ST. Louis D.,no
= crat GATED " In the rear Of Fort Donelson
Friday afternoon, says, - last night wa
severe on our troops, rain having set II
which turned TO STOW. Ii is freezing to ia
5 and all citizens say they rarely have such
, cold weather in this latitude. The more
see the Fort. the more convinced / am thai
it cannot be reduced without terrible bat,
tie. lis walls seem impreSnable. The OFT
| works and basti0ns of the fort are located OF
the ridges $50 to go feet high covered with
dense timber and underground upon a circulal
range Of hills. outside Of these our army j,
: drawn up in line Of battle completely encirciir
r the enemy from the Cumberland south of til,
fort to the banks of a stream which TANKS tn,
fort on the north. Gen. Ingoldsby, who la:
the extreme right, pushed forward his brig
{ ade TO the Cumberland, and has planted a
heavy battery commanding the river. which
vi ! cfiectually proven 1.-THE arrival Of any r.
Inducements, in fact we have them com
| pleiely surrounded. and can complete the i,l
at cur leisure. \ formidable attempt Wa.
made last night TO take Taylor's battery by
the enemy, who approached under cover o
Z dukness. but they were CALAMITY rcpulseC
by the Goth Illinois.
Considerable skIrmisnlng occurred during
the night, both forces enGeayOrI1- IN I'll,
, darkness 10 crowd in upon each other. TIN
I morning 1t was discovered that the enemy
mad placed logs on top Of their br,astwork,
leaving u little space Tor them 10 shoe
2 through, and much diminishing their Ti,l
from the unerring ann Of our sharp shooters
D The casualties among our army thus far ar
very small. The loss If the enemy as lar "a
can be ascertaInei i considerable.
Yesterday p VI. after the stormias party
had retired, and when the rebels had beer
thickly crowded together 10 repei the attack
Capt. Tayler opened on them with terribl,
: effect. His practice was superb. causing
Z the greatest CONSERVATION IN their ranks
and causing them to take refuge in their en-
trenchments.
The gunbOat assault was terrific, exceed
ing even the Fort Henry bombardment. Il
lasted about an hour and a half
Tie enemy has, fronting on the river. two
batteries. the lower one OF nine and the Up
per VI four guns besides a ten inch Column
had The wooden gunbpats. Tyler and
, Conostoga, engaged in the fight. Com.
toote pronounces the engagement the hot
test be ever witnessed.
A special despatch to the Chicago Jrljunt
dated Cumberland River near Fort Donelson
Saturday, says the firing commenced again
at daybreak, and continued at intervals all
day long up to four O'Clock. No movements
OF assault by the land forces had been made.
Night before last, an attempt was made by
the rebels to take IaylOr's battery of light
artillery, but they were repulsed by two reg
Iments and driven back beyond their en-
| in AaN
siderable, but not more than three or four
are dangerously wounded.
SIX gunboats arrived Yesterday and cum
menced an attack on the fort at two O'Clock
in the afternoon. The filing was very rapid
and severe, and lasted one hour and twenty
minutes, when our gunboats fell back. The
four iron clad boats went within 800 yards
Of the fort All the rebel river guns except
six, were either dismounted or silenced The
first shot fired from the gunboat Louisville
dismounted the rebels one hundred and
twenty eight FOUNDER. The Louisville re-
eeyed fifty seven shots, two Of which took
effect, one striking the starbosrd side Of her
deck and passing through the entire length
OF the boat, killing three men and breaking
her til.er rope short distance from the pilot
house. The rope was then manned by some
OF the hands when shell from the Tyler,
which lay some distance astern, burst over
the Louisville scattering the men at the tiller
rope, and So much disabled her steering
tackle that the boat was compelled to drop
astern. A shot struck the Pittsburgh IN
the bow and stove an immense hole In her,
which caused her to drop out of the action.
The leak however has been stopped.
A shot struck the pilot house OF the St.
Louis, passing through it between the pilots
legs without injuring him. All the boats
were more or less injured, but none but the
Louisville seriously.
There were five killed and two wounded on
the Louisville. The gunboats will not be in
a condition To renew the attack before to-
morrow morning. In consequence of the
height of the bluffs on which the rebel fer
uhcations are built, our shots cannot have
as much effect on them as those at Fort
Henry 1t will therefore require much longer
time to reduce this fort. The rebels have
raised the black flag. 1t can be seen flying
I i 4.