Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-03-05


FEB. Is. 1861
EEurHis, Feb. 25, 1862.
Editors ppeoI:-There Is SO much anxiety felt by
rhe country 90 much nspprehensou in the pablo mind
as TO the results Of the battles fought a. Fort Dontson,
aud so much excemsnt among the friends and reaiges
OF those surrendered that deem it proper 10 lay before
the public my ofioia report Of the several col hcs-
This aware IL irregular and in violation OF the
usagrs Of the government but feel hst the extraord
nary circumstances of the case justify departure from
usage far to publish the report not doubling but
that the government will approve Of the motive which
.sduces its publication.
GID ]. PLtOw, Brigadier.GenersL
CoLuxpn, TEss, Feb. lS, 1862.
Capt ClIrsnes DrTiek. Asst 4!1 GsnI:
On the sh inst General A. s Johnston oider6d me
to proceed TO Fort Doneson and take command OF that
post Ga the oh ns arrived at that place. 10 de-
s pg tie operations of the forces under my command
at Fort Donesol, it IL proper TO state the conduon
o. that work and OF the forces constituting s garrison
When arrived found the work on the river battery
unfinished and wholly too weak to resist the force OF
beAvy artillery / found ten.nch oolumblid and S2-
polnd TiAa gun hAi not besn mounted. Deep gloom
was hanging over the command, aud the troops we're
greatly depressed aud demorazsd by the circumstances
attending the surrender of Fort Henry aud the manner
Of retiring from tha; pace. Ny first attention was gwen
20 the necessity OF strengthening this work. and mount
ing the heavy guns and to the construction OF de-
fnsve works protect tho Of the rver battery
impaired 10 the Wok all the energy which It was pos
sblo do aborug day aud night with the whole CON-
mand Tee battery Wss without competent number
Of srllersts and those thst tkere were not well
instructed in the OF their guns To provide for this
want placed the artillery companies under act We course
Of instruct in the Of their guns. detailed Capt.
Ross with hs company Of artlerss to the command OF
one OF the river batteries. These heavy guns being
mounted ana p-ovisiOu made Cor wok king them, and
proper supply OF ammunition having been procured by
my orders from NGahIie, f, myseh prepared 20 test
the isct OF the heavy metal against the enomys gun
boats, dough the work was much in need Of more
heavy piece.
The armament OF the batteries consisted Of eight So
pounders three S2pounl carronaies, l0inoh col
umbiad, and one ride gun Of 80 pound ealiber The
selection of the ate for the work was an unfortunate
ore. While It's command OF the river was favorable,
tae site commanded by the nights above and below
on the river, and by CONTIGUOUS range OF bills all
around tee works 20 its rear.
A fsld-york OF rerv contracted dimensions had been
Constructed for the garrison TO protect tho battery, but
Us h-li-wOrk was commanded BY the bills are-dy re-
f,rTed TO- and lay open to hge OF artillery from every
direction except from The bills below To guard agGinsI
ii. Ell cts Of FIRE Of artillery from these nights ile OF
defence works consist le pits and abaitis Tor in.
iAnIy detached ca our right, but continuous on our
lslt With eeiynces for cur artillery were laid OF
by Hsj Giimer-E gueer Ct Gen. 4. S Johnsions
ssG ha1 on duty win me at the post-alolud tho rear
0f The hAttcTN ana Oh tEe llBukb IRON NhCl GAAitEl
could reach battery and iGuer held works. enveop-
inr the inner wok and The IOWA o.. Dover, where our
principal supplies Of quarter and conmissary stores were
10 depOsi.
These works, though pushed with the most possible
ergy were no. completed nor my troops all in posi-
t'un though reary Whes Brig. Gen Floyd, my sen
10 ocer reached that station. The works were laid
or vita judgemen, AID skill by Nj. Gmer, were vel
s1 eu,ed and designed tor the defense Of the rear OF
th, work, the OILY objection being 70 the ensh OF the
NJ. which, however, from the surroundings, vas una
Voijsbls TIE length of the line, and the lnAdtqgAcy
OF tho force for g defense Of esoarrass
ut throughout thcttussl which subsequently ensued
20 the defense OF the position
rad ptcsd BrigG Brckner in command Of the
right wing ard Big. Gen johnson In command Of the
left By extraordinary th)t's we bad barely got the
vorka IN d.iensib!e condition VIXEN the enemy made
an in force aou-d aud against the entire Re Of
outer Yorks
THE DATTLE THE rREScHxs
The first asssult was commenced by the enemJ's ar.
tery against the centre OF ou, loft wing, which was
proup'lY responded 10 by Capt. Green's battery OF
6e d artillery. After several hours Of firing between
the artillery OF the two armies the enomys infantry sd
vanced 10 the eoIfc! all along The iae, which Vas kept
40 ard increased Ia Vsamo from Que end OF the line 20
the other for several hours when at last tho enemy
mado vigorous assault agsintt the right ot our ltf
sing the position assaulted being hight, commanded
by Col HeimRn and defended by his brigade, eousI;
ing Of The Ion Tennessee, under command Of Lieut.
Col NeGavock, Gel VOORHEES, Tennessee, Col Hughas
Alabama and Col Heads Tennessee regiments OF vol.
up. r. and Clp. Alnry's hsld battery.
This assault 1rlCsy made, and the position as
vigorously defended aud resulted in tho repulse of the
sa.my here aud every where around the line The re-
sult OF tie dIys work pretty well tested tho strength OF
our defensive lU5 an established yond question, the
gllautry Of the entire command, all of whom fought
well at cry portion OF the line. The loss sustained by
Que forces in this engagement not iArg' our men
bsiug mostly under the shelter Of the fhs pits bat We
nevertheless had quite a number kill, aud wounded
bl, owing 70 tbe continued hghting which followed il
vas impossible 70 get any otica report OF the casual
ties of the day o. the same day battery en- the
river wss engaged With Que Of the enemy's guubois
vh.ch ccisiored quite lively csrnouadirg for more
than an hour In which the ga'lint CAPTAIN Dxor, Of
tho Enyineer CORPS killed instantly at the battery
This officer had been duty for some m"nths at the
post aud had shown great energy and professional iki
aad by this gallant bearing that occasion, while di
recng the operations Of the day under my orders, had
Justly earned ICr himself high distinction His death
was serious less 10 tho service, end a OF no
l,le tmbsrI assmeut in our after operations.
On the 2s h We had quiet, bu' saw the smoke ofR
large uuaber Of gunboaa AID steamboats, at short ois.
uree below We also received reliable Information OF
tho arrival Of large Humbr OF Ssh troops, greatly in
oeasicg the strength OF the creys forces already said
TO be rom 10000 to $4,000 sroug
THE BATTLE WITH GUxBoArs.
On the 18Th these reinorcements were seen sdvsne-
ing 10 their position in tho line Of investment; aud,
whis this was being DONE ,T Of the erenys iron cised
ruaboats we're aivInclg up tho river five OF which
S.re ah,sat aud ia lue OF battle Md the sixth some
distance IL tho Tcr Wben tie gurboa's arrived With
In milo aud hsif ths fort th'y opened fire on the
ta teriss Ny c;d rI to the cfi'2r', Oaps sehus'er
agd St.ikovc', wh) clmmsrded he Loser battery, oil
eichs guns and Capt RoV the upper battery, Of four
gups wer, g. Iol their fire. Gil he enemys gucboats
sbond cone nih'n point blank r,rga. This they did,
th ugh the ordeal Of holding tder while the enemSs
sho, aud shell fell thick around tleir position was
severe restraint upon thgir ploic upulses But
theess batteries made no resPooso ill the gunboas
gBt with RAJ g5 of ther cuEs Our entire line Of bat
iiss then opened FIRE. The guns Of both parties
" served TIE enemy constantly advanced deliver.
ing direct FIRE agai1s; batteries from his line of Ave
gulboss While the sX;h boat moviog up in the rear,
kent the air filed with shells which fell thick and close
al aronsd the position of taterieP Tne fight con-
tnucd the enemy steadily advancing slowly up the river
4 a the phot and she'll from fifteen heavy rasd gune