The national Republican., 1862-02-17
FOHT DON LS N-.THE FIHsT DAYS
FIGHTING.

On Saturday, Gen. Mcclellan received dis
patch from Gen. Halleck, to th, tfrect that Fort
Donelson, with $4,000 rebels and Gems. Pillow,
Floyd aud Buckner within It's lines, was thor.
oughly invested by $4,000 national troops, co.
operating with gunboats on the Cumberland
river.
The fighting commenced on Thursday morn.
ing and continued during the day. The Incl
dents are given in the annexed dispatch from
Chicago. The rebel accounts. ria Nashville,
OF The same affair, will be found 10 our dispatch
from Fortress Monroe.
CHICAGO, Feb. 1.-THE following special
dispatch to the Chicago TriIune hos been re-
cevtd, dated
CAMP IN TIE FIELD,
Near Fort Donelson, Tenn,
Feb. Is. l21 p. IN.
Fort Dorelson is invested by our troops
Our lines are formed from right to left and
from north to south, nearly surrounding the
fort.
Heavy caunonading aud skirm.sbing has
been going on since "a o'clock this mornirg.
Owing to the ex,eut Of our liues Of action,
but little can be learned OF the result. hear
however, that captain In Comp any I, Seventh
regiment. has been killed.
Gen. McCernand's division has been oper
strg on the right SiDg. and Gen. Smith on the
lett. We have had but one gunboat to play
upon thu fort until just within the last half
hour, when three other gunboats are firing on
the fort
The force estimated within the bresstworks,
from the best information, Is about Is 600. No
rslnforcements can now arrive for the enemy =,
as all communication Is cut III.
1t IL now thought that their left redoubt has
fallen into our hands. AL the officers are act
ing with great valor, aud exhibiting fearless.
ness highly creiitab'e to our Western army.
along the lines all the morning, r, gardless OF
the grape shot that Is being showered IN every
direction.
Sp. NJ l3.h.-The caunonadirg and skir-
mishing has continued br!skly all day. but has
lately discontinued.
A considerable numb:r OF soldiers have been
wounded on b, 9TH sid,s. The Twenty.fitth In
diana, which rushed boldly up to the entrench.
ments. has hod during the day forty wounded.
but all slightly.
The Seventh Illinois regiment and the Sew.
enth Iowa regiment who have been close TO
the eneiny's fire, lost some men.
Among the killed Is Capt Windell, of com
papy I, Seventh Illinois regiment. and Colonel
Morrison fthe Forty-ninth Illinois, is wounded.
Blngcs' Sharp Shooters have dole good SER
vice. They kept several of the enemy's guns
idle, by picking eff the cannoDiers as fast as
they appeared ut the guns
Capt. Berak, With company OF cavalry,
went around TO the lett b INK of the river this
afternoon. aDd reports that the glluboat Caron-
deet received ten iuch ball through her case
ment, which wounded eight men, but did not
injnre the beat materially.
Capt. Walker, OF the Carondelet, says he has
ii.msn,led three Of the enemy's river guns
Tho other guuboats had not arrived at q
p III.
The enemy's rifle shots and their grape have
been flying thick and lust about here all day.
Some six shots struck around Gen. Grant
and staff this afternoon, while ,hey were riding
along the lines. One ballet hit one OF the
horses Of the body guard near by.
The fort will certalnly he stormed in two
dsys, II 1t does not surrender before.
Our men have driven bock the enemy in
every Instance to-day.
O1e Of our companies have been within sew.
enty five yard, CT the cnemy's entertainments
TO day.