Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-03-08
Rebel Account of the Hattie of Fort
DoneIson-Gcneral Pillow Official
Renorf.

We find the following extract from the official
report of General PlLLow of the battle of Fort
Donelson II is taken from the Memphis Ara
Ianche:
The operations Of the day had forced the en-
tire command of the enemy around To our right
wing. and i'm front OF General Buekners position
in the intrenchmeuts, and when his command
reached his position he found the enemy rapidly
advancing To take possession of this portion OF
his work He hid stubborn conflict, lasting
one aud "A half hours to regain it. and the enemy
actually got possession of the extreme right OF
his position and he held il SO firnl, that he could
not dislodge him. The position thus taken by
the enemy was a most commanding one, being
Immediately on the rear of our river battery and
field work for its protection. From it he could
readily turn the intrenched work occupied by
General Buckner, and attack him in reverse, or
advance under cover OF an interv enng ridge di-
rectly upon our battery and field work. While
he held this position. it manifest could
not hold the main work or battery.
Such was the condition of the armies at
nightiall, after nine hours of severe conflict, on
the 18th inst in which our loss was severe and
leaving not less than 5000 of the enemy dead
and wounded on the field. We left the field
nearly all his wounded, because we could not re
move them We left his dead unbured, because
we could not bury them.
Such conflict and courage has. perhaps, never
before orculred upon thus continent. We took
about three hundred prisoners and large numbers
OF arms. We had fought this battle to open the
way for our army. and relieve from invest
ment, which would necessarily reduce Us and tie
position by famine We had occupied the whole
day to accomplish our object and before could
prepare to leave, after taking in the wounded
and the dead, the enemy had thrown around Us
again in the night immense force of fresh
troops. and re occupied his original position in
the line OF investment, thus again cutting off our
retreat
We had only about twelve thousand troops, all
told. OF these. large proportion we lost in the
three battles The command had been in trenches
night and day for five days, exposed to the
snow. sleet. mud and ice water, without shell
ter and without adequate covering, and without
sleep.
I'm this condi ion the General officers held "a
consultation to determine what We should do.
Gen Buckner gave it as his decided opinion that
he could not hold his position one half hour
against an assault of the enemy, and said the
enemy would attack him next morning at day
light The proposition was then made by the
undersigned To again fight our way through the
enemy's line, and cut our way out. General
Buckner said his command worn out
and cut to pieces and demolished that he could
not MAKE duOiutf H-ui, tildt IL WOulu cost the
command three quarters of its present number
to cut its way through, and it was wrong TO
stcriice three quarters of command to save
"a quarter: and that no officer had a right TO
cause such a sacrifice General FLOYD and Ma
lOr GIlmer ! understood To concur in this opinion.
then expressed the opinion that we could
hold out another day, and in that time we could
get steamboats, and set the command over the
river. and probably large portion of it,.
To this General Buckner replied that the enc
my would cerIainly attack him ut daylight.
and that he could not hold his position half an
hour.
The alternative of these propositions
surrender of their position and command. Gen.
FLOYD said that he would neither surrender the
command would he surrender himself a
prisoner | had taken the same position. Gen.
Buckner said lie was satisfied nothing else could
be done, and that therefore he would surrender
ii placed in command. General Floyd said he
would turn over the command To him ii he
could be allowed To Withdraw his command.
To this Gen Buckner consented. Thereupon
Gen. FLOYD turned the command over TO me.
| passed. il Immediately to Gen. Buckner. say
ins | would neither surrender the command nor
myself prisoner directed Col. Forrest TO
cut his way out. Under these circumstances
Gen. Buckner accepted the command, and sent
a hag OF truce to the enemy for an armistce
OF six hours to negotiate for terms of captu-
lation Before this flag and communication
were delis ered | retired from the garrison.