Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-09-25
=, v,.Dort OF Cen. But kaer in Regard to the
Oms'~i Fall Of Fort DOnslsOn.

Tho official report of General s. b. Buckner Ia re-
ION 70 the defense and surrender OF Fort Donelson,
10" bpeu furnished the War Department having been
Ioved until the present late day by the circumstance
u lis capture and long Imprisonment by the enemy
% reDort is too lengthy to give entire in columns,
G the following extract relative TO the surrender, will
at tail TO be read with interest
D0 4 council of general and field oficers held after
:l+ it was unanimously resolved that if the enemy
3 not re-occupied, 10 strength, the position of Gen
pillow the army should effect its retreat, and orders to
samble the regiments for that purpose given by
General Floyd. But as the enemy had late In the af
t-poon appeared i'll considerable force the battle
qad Of the morning, reconnaissance WAS ordered,
think by General Pillow, under the instructions of Gen.
T oVd ] be report oil this reconnaissance, made By
Colonel Forrest, has been fully stated by Gems. Floyd
and Pillow, and from what l have been able to learn
since, | anu satisfied the information was Correct
Amongst other incidents showing that The enemy had
not Onv reCccuped their former ground but extended
heir lines still further to Our eit Is the TACT that Over
o'a cavalry following after FORESTS was cut off from
retreat by nflnUE tgca .; the enemy at the point
where Forrest had crossed the stream the river road
When the Information Oh cur rClDyestment re-
ported, General Floyd, Gen Pillow and myself were
tie only members OF the cCUocl present.. Both of
these officers have stated the views OF tie council but
ny recollection OF Of the incidents narrated differs
50 materially from that Of General Pillow, that, with
out intending any reflection upon either Of those officers,
feel called upon TO notice some OF the differences be-
tween u.s. Both officers have correctly stated that
regarded the position OF the army desperate and that
an attempt extrCate il by another battle ia tie suf
efug and exhausted condition Of the troops was almost
Fopeess. The troops had been worn down with watch
ing with labor, with fighting, many Of them FROST
"a by the intensity OF the cold all Of them were suffer
ing and exhausted by their incessan abos There had
been regular issue OF ratIOns for number OF day
aud scarcely any means OF cooking. Their ammunition
nearly expended. We were comp leely invested by
a force fully four times the strength Of our own. In
tier exhausted condition they could not have made
march. An attempt TO make s0rtie would have been
roasted by superior force OF fresh troops and that
attempt would have been the signal for the tall Of the
water batteries and the presence OF the enemys gun
boats sweeping with oner fire. at close range, the posi-
NOus OF our troops who would thus have been ass4iled
On their trout, and right flank at the same Instant
The result would have been virtual massacre Of the
troops more dIsaeartenDg IN It's elects han surrender
10 this opinion General Floyd conceded oud | am
certain that both he and conIipced that Gene
raj Pillow agreed with US in opinion. General Pillow
then asked our opinion az to the practcabity of hold
ng our position another day. replied that my right
was already turned, portion Of my entertainments in
tue enemys possession they in position successful
" to assail my position aud the water batteries and
hat with my weakened and exhausted force l could
rot successfully rs SYST the assault which would be made
at daylight by vastly superior force / further re-
maIE5 that understood the principal object OF the
defense OF D0nelson TO be to cover the movement Of
General A ). Johnstons army from Bowling Green to
Nashville, and that if that movement was not com
pleted, 1t was my opinion that should attempt q
further defense at the risk of the destruction OF
entire Iorce as the delay of few hours might gain
the safety OF General Johnson's force General Floyd
remarked that General JohDstOn's army had already
reached Nashville. l then expressed the opinion that
1t would be wrong to subject the army to virtual mas
sacTe when no good coud result from the sacrifice and
that the General officers owed it TO their men, when
further resistance unavaiDg to obtain the best terms
Of equalization possible for them. General Floyd eX-
pressed himself IN similar terms and in bis opinion
understood General Pillow to acquiesce. For reasons
which he has stated General FLOYD then announced his
purpose to leave with such portions of his division as
could be transported in two small steamers which
were expected about daylight. General Pillow
addressing General Floyd then remarked that
lie thought that there were 10 TWO persons IN the
COnledeTacy whom the Yankees would prefer capture
than himself and General Floyd and asked the latter
opinion as to toe propriey of bis accompanying Ge0e-
raj Floyd TO this inquiry the latter replied, that 1t
was question for every man to decide Tor himself
General Pillow then addressed the same inquiry to me
to which remarked that could only reply as General
Floyd had done, that it question for every officer
to decide for himself and that il my case regard
cd 1t as my duty to remain with my men and share
their late, whatever it might be- General Pillow how
ever, announced his purpose to leave when Gen. FlOyt
directed me to consider myself in command remark
cd That CaplulatlCn would be as bitter to me as
could be to any one, but regarded it necessity o
position, and could not reconcile it with my sens
Of duty to separate my fortunes from those OF my com
maDd. 1t is due to General Pillow to state that SOM
time after the command had been trausf rrel TO NE
and while preparations were making for his departure
he returned to the room and said to General Floyd ant
my elf that he wished it understood that be had though
1t would have been better to have held the fort anothe
day in order to await the arrival Of steamers TO trans
port the troops across the river. again recapituate
my reasons" for thinking it impossible to hold our pc
sltion and whatever may have been General FioW'
opinion, he certainly impressed with the belief tina
he again acqlesced in the necessity Of surrender.
1t was near daylight OF Sunday morning
the 9Th l ordered the troops back to their pc
stlons In entertainments, and addressed note, cop
OF which Is enclosed, 10 the Federal commander BrlG
Gen. U. S. Grant. His reply is also transmitted
When it was received but O small portion oil tAe troop
had returned to their lines. portion OF my field gut
had been spiked when the troops had been withdraw
under Gen. FlOydIs orders. The gunners had not "
returned to the water batteries degree OF coDtuSlo
amounting almost to state of disorganization resul
ing from the knowledge OF cur position, pervadeG
considerable portion Of our troops. corps OF NJ
less than 10 600 OF the enemy with fifteen pieces OF
tery, were III position 10 assault the extreme right
the ne which was ef4cJuay turned, aud the wat
batteries exposed to assault without the power of
ssting the attack At the point most strong
time Il thousand Every road leading ire
the lines was ehectual!y closed. Even the rv
road by which the cavalry had LETT and which was II
passabe by infantry, closed BY force OF the eI
n.y. within fifteen minutes after Forrest had passed al
Overtons cavalry was forced to tie lines. eIhe trOo
were broken down by ua privaons. Most
them had labored or fought almost incessant!y for
week. From Thursday morning uld. Saturday mig
they had been almost constantly under lire. Ere
Thursday evening until Sunday morning they had s
tered intensely in heavy snOw-sorm and from lner
cold, almost without shelter, with insufficient 10
and almost without sleep. They had behaved vi
galiantry unsurpassed, until the power of further
duranCe was exhausted. The supply OF ammunltl