The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-03-12


Withdraw part Of the garrison. leaving the
rem aiader ia surrender nor upon what au.
thority or principle Of action the senior GsA-
srals sbsndoDed responsibility BY transfer
rine She command to Junior officer.
N s former eommupica ton to Congress, I
presented the propYiety Ct q. suspension OF
kthdgmens In relation 70 the disaster At Fort
fDoneiscD, until official reports sould be re-
ceived. regret that the Information now
furnished is 80 detective. In the meantime.
hopefal that satisfactory expIanation may
I be made, have directed, upon the exhiei'
tor OF the case a. pressnte by the two So:
nior Generals that they should be reliey ed
| from ommand to await fur ther orders when
ever a reliabie judgment can be rendered on
| the merits Of the case. JsrHzRsoS DAVIS.
20 loerY.]
t. aUAAr NEAa MuRrRSEs 8oRo',
february n, 1861.
Sss: Your e order Of the la,h of this month.
transmitted to me BY telegraph from Bowling
| Green to Cumberland City. reached me the
once. with what force could command, to
the Support Of the garrison at Fort Uone!son.
Immediately prepared for my departure,
and sh.etsd It n time 70 lsaSn -s oa.
Measures had been already taken By Bril-.
General Pillow, then in command, to ron
der our RESISTANCE to the attack OF the
| O. envy a. effective as possible. He had.
with ACTIVITY and industry, pushed forward
the defsns ive works towards completion
These defences consisted in an eazthwork
in Fort Donelson, In which were mount
cd guns Of different cslibre, to the mum.
Der Of thirteen field work, intended for
the infantry supports, and constructed i'm
maaiatoly behind the battery and upon the
summit Of the hill In rear. Sweeping away
nearly two miles In Its windings, was . line
Of entrenchments, defended ON the outside
at some points with abntis. These snirencn.
ments were occupied by tho troops already
there, and by the addition OF those which
came upon the 1sld with me. I he posi- ton Of
tho EFFORT" which was established by the
Tennessee authorities. was by no msans ccm-
mandirg, nor was the least military siknih.
canoe attached to the position. The entrench.
mspts, afterwards hastily made In many
places, were in jndclously constructed because
Of The distance they were placed from the brow
Of the hill, suhject.ng the men to heavy
Are from the snemy's sharp shooters oppC.
site, as hey advanced TO or retired from the
entren ahments. Soon after my arrival the
end 70 the other, and just ~ the sun rose the
cannonRns from one OF the enemy . gun boats
announced the opening OF the COZ flict, which
was destined to continue for three days and
nights In very short time the fire became
|. general along cur whole lines, and the enemy.
WAC had alre ady planted batteries at several
points around the Whole circuit of Cur en-
trenchments, as shown by diagram here
all arms upon our trench: which Continued
until Dark ess put on end to the conflict
They charged with uncommon spirit at sew.
eraI points alOEs on the line. but most par
ticulariy at point unC efended by en- trench.
ments, dc Wi n hollow which separated the
right wing under Brigadier- General Buck.
ner from The right OF the centre, commaL ded
by Col Eiman. This chargs was prosecuted
with uncommon vigOr, but was met with
determined spirit CT resistance, Q cool, delib-
crate courage, beth By the troops OF Brig
Gen. Buckner and Colonel Himan, which
drove the enemy, discounted and cut to
pieces, bcek upon tho position he had as
snmed il the morning. Too high praise
cannot be Bestowed upon the battery
the rout af tina enemy in this Assault. My
position WIS Immediately In front Of the
point Of attnck, add was thus enabled to
witness more distinctly the incidents Of it.
The enemy continued their fra upon dinar.
an t parts Of our ertrenohmsItS throughor:
the Right, which deprived oar men OF every
opportunity of sleep. We lay that night
upOn our arms Ia the trenches We cont
den,Iy expected at the dawn Of day more
vigorous attack than ever. Butia this we
were entirely IaisIaEen. The cay advarced,
az no rrepar sion seemed 70 be ma in& for
general onset. Bat az extremely annoy ing
mr. > Was BE pit up fro - the sneny's sharpshoot
srs throughout the whole length OF the en-.
.renchmsnts, from tceir longrange rihee.-
Whilst ,nis Incds OF attack was Lot Intended
with any considerable lose, 1; nevertheless
ccE.ned ths men to their trenches and pre-
vsn SD :heIr taking heir nsusi rest 10
s,ocd tho aEaiys OF tns Held uu;il o'cIocE T.
when lie ESo' VI S2u0Ja-S l. IuEi lOItc
advanced upoA The fort and opened fro -
They advaI ced in the saops OF q crescent land
kept mp q Coz. slant anu lneessdnt IRE for one
hour and half, which wss replied to with
uncom mon spirit and vigor by the "fcrt -
Oaco the ooa,s reoched Il point Within e few
Ia odred yards OF the "fort," at which time
1t was ii. three OF thetrs6oats sustained seri-
Gus iGiures from oar batteries, and were com.
psiled 10 fall back. The lire was broken, aud
The enemy discs mfitrd on the water, giving
MP the fght entirely, which he never after
wards renewed. / was s6tiahsd, fronl tt Q
Incl le ~ Ct the last two days, tina, the enemy
d ID not fntead again 10 give us battle il cur
trenches They had been fairly reculsed,
with very heavy slaughter. upon every
rfSrt 10 storm our position; and ~ was fair
to Ii fer that they would not again renew the
unayaiiing attempt at our dislodGment,
when certain means TO effect the same
end withopt loss wero perfectly at their
that extremely heavy endorsements ha
been siIually arriving day and night,
for three ds Us and nigh hts. and had NO doubt
whatever that their whole available force on
concentrated here il 1t WAS deemed No.
cessary to rsdacs our position. had n.
ready seen the irnposaibiltty Of holding
out for any length Of time with
auon. There was no place within our On.
trenchlnents bat could bs rsacAsd BY the
nsmy's artillery from their boas, or their
bat,eriee. 1t waa sat fair % infer that,
-
our en1snchmsnt2 70 kssp oar mon from
sissp snd prevent repose. tAsir objsct
vas merely 10 give time to pas . column
right and the left ban 10, and tAus 10 cut OF
all our Communications and to prevent the
20 sibiiisy of egress. thus say clearly that
bat one course was left BY which rational
hope could be entertained Of saving the gar
rison. or part Of It. That was to dtslodge
tho enemy from his position on our left, and
thus to pass orr people into tn. open couu.
try, lying southward towards nashville. !
called for Q consultation Of the of,oers OF d.
visions and brigades, 70 tsSe plaes after
dark, Whsa this p.An was laid before
| them, approved ana adopted. aad at which
1t Was dstsrminsd to move from the trsn-
1 ches % an early hour on the next mora.
Ing. and attack the enemy In his .post.
| ton. IT was agreed that tke attack shsatd
| commence upon or q ,rsns LEI, ana this
daty We. s;sisnsd Ssisaoi .s. 1sai fnn.!aa
having also under has comnAnA eoanmanders
| Of Brigade. Dol. Baldwin. commanding Mis-
| slssippi and T. nnessse troops and O0l. WAA1.
sintaas. To lsrissdter aepsEai naeknsr WA
assign ID the du.y Of making the attack from
near the canIs OF cur lines upon The ensmy's
forces. upon The Wynn's Ferry road. The a..
| expected, and consequently the enemy was
/ 1onnd In position whoa oar troops advanced.
| rae attack. however, on our peIs Wac eI.
1 trsmely spirited. and nl.hough tn: resistance
l Of the enemy was obstinate. aAd their num-
| hers tar exceeded ours, oar people suoceedsd
Ia driving them discom cts1 and terrihk cut
| 60 pieces from the entire left. The KeDtncky
| troops, under BriS. .0en Ducknsr, Sdvancad
| from tneir position hehtEd the o0trench.
msnts upon the Wynn's Besgs road, bat mot
until thA enemy had been driven In great
1 measure from the position no occupied In the
| morning. Is. 49, - 4 e :
| regiments stationed In FORT Donelson TO oc-
| cupy thu breaches vacated BY Brig Den
Buckner's 1oscas. whicn5 together with the
/ mon whcm he detached 10 assist In This par.
/ Pose, ltheu4At % fncixnt to hold tbsTn.
/ : My intention WAS ~ hold. With Brieadier.
i Henfral Hucknef's command, the WINK