The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-03-15
General w. H. L. Wallace's
Report.
HEADQUARTERS, % BRIGADE, 1sT DIVISION,
United States Advance Forces.

lowing report of the operations of my
Brigade, from the time of leaving Fort
Henry, on the llth inst, up to the 10th
inst when the Federal forces entered this
fertilization.
NV Brigade, as formed by order OF Gen.
l.. S. Grant, commanding the District OF
Carlo consisted of the lltn Illinois In
fautrv, Lieut. Col T. i. g. Ransom com
handing the Goth Illinois Infantry. Col.
c. G. Marsh commanding; the 10th Illinois
Infantry, Col Ohm f. Smith, commanding;
the 4Sth Illinois Infantry, Col. ]. n Hay
ME commanding; the 4th Illinois Cavalry,
Col r. Lyle Dickey commanding; Capt
Ezra Taylors Chicago Light Battery " b
(lst IIlnais Artillery, four 6-pound field
guns and two l2pounder howitzers; and
Capt. Z. McAllister's Battery of three n
FOUNDER howitzers (lst Illinois Artillery;
the whole constituting the I'd Brigade of
the Isl Division, commanded by Brig. Gen.
John a. N Cleruand, and containing about
500 effective men of all arms.
About noon Of the lIth inst, while in
camp at Fort Henry, / received oroers
from Gen McClernand to put the infantry
axd artillery of my brigade on the march
and move out three or four miles on the
telegraph road towards this place. At 4
o'clock p. m, the forces desi snated march
ed cut and encamped on the road, four
miles from Fort Henry. At sunrise on
the next day (the 18th inst) l was joined
by Col. Dickeys Cavalry, and marched
with my whole commend by the telegraph
road twoards Fort Donelson, keeping up
frequent communication with Col. Ogles-
bys lst Brigade, which was now moving at
the same time by the right road, Col.
Ill
as the column marched. Soon after noon
came within sight ofthe enemy encamp-
ments on the opposite side of the creek,
about a mile in advance. Having caused
the road IS be reconnoIterei and finding
the creek impossible on account of back
water from the Scriand | moved to
the right, up the creek, and affected a
junction with Col Oglesby's brigade IN the
low grounds west of Fort Donelson, when
heavy wooded hills interviewed between
us and the enemy's position. Col Dickey :
cavalry was again thrown forward, and
occupied the heights and thoroughly
secuted and rccOnnoiterei the grounds in
front. Col. OglesbY's briSade moved up
the Railroad to the South of Fort Donel
son, while threw my brigade by its front
into the heights. Raging the ARTILLERY up
the steep wooded hills After furthur
accommodating, the brigade advanced and
4 ridge south OF the center Of the
enemy notifications, with its right resting
on the LETT Of Col OgleSby's brigade
Some slight skrmishng occurred here.
and after resting in this position for an
hour or more and further accommodating.
III lcC"Iu""ce with tie oiuet9 90 HFhtIai
-itCiTriiai'G 'ilovtd vac oiI2a"e py tne
's''' i4a,' ~ ~ ~ 81 zoe
across me V"i!ey to"a'05 -"v net OF the
enemy POSITION. ny tH's time' IL vas
dark ana 'ol' o5ie~D! r2ad1 beiho
lhVoi'ea IN grouud when Had NOT oeen
recohhoitefSd ana when was very hiiiy'
ana coEt'ed VIZ! dehNe efo1ih OF under
o'u9a, was ordered Dy Inc 'eheTai com
inahdInS Tue DIVISION 70 return 10 ,he 20
Si'ioh on the west Oh the valley W"lch
4Ii- lnoVeihg On the Lett HANK, when nly
hi'Sa1'e TeS''n 'of 'ne h'2,it A.u'y 'sh'
on me morning o. me lo'h' tne enemy
opened IRE win MS a!l"4tIS from Tue
inside fenout. soon afterwards, 10y ofder
OF Gen, McI.eriiand' narfhHa tne I'm
-uth' f3th regiment 'aHd ~ I0f : battery.
TO tie rizht across the valley leaving NC
Ai!isler Battery, supported ny the I'm
limos lniaif@ry, on the ridge west oi the
valley, ana ordered Col D.cNey cavalry
20 move IN rear, with attachments taro"n
towards the right, to reconnoiter towards
the Cumberland ana Dover Is. afE,!hg
the hi9h GROUNDS east Oh the Fa'leJ' ia'i oF ,
Battery was pnt IN position on tie ROAD
ie"".'iS az ~ Do'S 'e.t u tiie
enemy iiiies les'eu oei,iiii e1ltti"ofNs
-eh'Ieuciitiieii's' S'rei'S-'e'is' " s'I"ils
aoati9 III front ne "hoie 'ofce coiIl'I
ueo 70 move S'9ao''y 10 tiie ,isii' oo'
p2ieSoy bF'sa'ie he'S''i'5 me AItiiiei! Oh
Ms DI1S.He am i"l loi 49,! oii w -
fo" "hi'e 'ne '"1"i,''! vas ~ u, tlie ieI. %
"''" iie'l :, ''le - ,'-'7 - '''o
al ''i'S'S az 'IN'' ios''
SNoiiS 10 me iis"'' "ii' N'vpiAa uP con
s,ahI c,'nii'nt'e ." IN I'M W.. ~ oI
the il1h' an" ID 'ie iiile"'e lenoHp'
me vai,' ng osti si,fS T i-o. l,' :, ~ t
Of Taylor '9eh~al'I ana ~ Ssse1 Ss'Ii!7'
Warmly TT'Hi Ne" u! nus u 'i'e e''eii'5 IA
the hlbdie fTo"uot an" 'uG VOTES on MS
lett preseascG rare example Oh 'he use Oh
that arm Of me service
About noon was ordered pE zen NC
olernahd 10 ne'ach 'he foity e'Shtn
lment (toi. hayh!e) TO operate WIN 'he
seventeenth limos, (M2Jor 1ihi,h com
mandInS) ana tne rory .hi"th i'i,No:S'
Col MorfiSoh) OF the ihiiu oiie"ue, ~
making an assui' on the enemy h'i',uie
ieboubt, on the mn "est o. Tue valley
supported ny the IRE o h5Aiil9lef gun
THIS force was uhder 'he commas OF
Col Hayn!e as senior co'ohei. iney
formed III line ana ADVANCED III me o'iet
ss.the Intervening ra'IheS' ana mount
ed the steep helGhI upon WHICH these
works are situated Ia the hnosc s'iIah'
manner ana Under heaEE IRE Oh MUSE = =
~ from the enemy Posied III Tue thes "a
earthwork lhey advanced up 'he mn
deiiierlnS tneir hfe win c0oihess' an"
precision me inc not 0eii'g ioh9 en0u3h
to en'eiop The wofNS' oy orutf oi cen cen
McC!efnahd' i aeu'ciiea me 10y mn
Illinois ooi- SMITH 70 .'.e't Supl'o,i On
the iisn| us az ~ .,
oeau'iiui ofoeu uo" II l"e up, coloss t,'s
valley: anu up me IPpo, 80 ri , m,.n