The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-02-22
The Capture of TT. Donelson.

men. FROM rrluay \'tn) until TUESDAY
(1lth) was therefore occupied in bringing
up reinforcements. not only from Cairo
and Paducah, but 5000 were also sent from
Buells army on Green river; 80 that, by
Tuesday evening Grant had collected a
force Of 10000 men, and now considered
himself in condition to commence the
investment of Fort Donelson. This he
prepared to do next day with 10000 men,
leaving two brigades-about 10000 men
to garrison Fort Henry.
The rebels, during the same time, were
not idle The original force at Fort DON
olson was about $500 men, This was swell
ed to 5000 by the fugitivss from Fort
Henry. Then Floyd, Pillow, and Buck.
nsr had brought up from Bowling Green
and Nashville some 1900 more men, so
that, when the battle opened, the rebels,
considering that they were everywhere
strongly entrenched, had largely the adj
Gen. Grant commenced the movement
from Fort Henry on Wednesday morning,
all the day in bringing up his
columns and getting them in position. The
enemy's works were found to consist of a
series of strong earthworks, thrown up on
hills protected by underbrush and heavy
timber, extending for over four miles up
and down the river, while the Fort proper
was on An elevation in the centre, (ail
on the west side) Grants line was drawn
up in front Of these works, and was over
FIVE miles III length, touching the river
above and below the enemy, thus with the
river completely surrounding him. Col
brigade occupied the extreme
right, next to him the brigade under Col
Oglesby, and then Col. Wallace's brigs de,
(Dickey's cavalry on his right as fankers, }
these, with Schwartzs. McAlliste-'s, and
Taylors batteries constituting Gen. NJ Cler-
hands division. The centre was held by
Gen. Lew Wallace's division; and the left
was occupied by the division under Gen. C..
F. Smith.
The battle was opened at y o'clock on
morning by the gunboat Caron-
dolet, the only gunboat that had arrived.
About the same time cannonading opened
on both sides along the whole line. and
continued with vigor until s o'clock, when
there was a lull, the Carondolet alone no.
sharing it, but continuing her fire with vi
gor for 81 hours, when, having dismounted
three Of the enemy's guns, and received a
ten inch ball through her casemate which
eight men, she Withdrew.
Our materials are still too imperfect to
give an ineligible description of the ope-
rations of this day. The fighting was con-
tinuous on some part Of the field, but con.
sisted chiefly Of fierce cannonading, now
here, now there, and of sharp skirmishing
Dur sharpshooters would desce nd into the
ravines, climb up the ridge on which the
enemy was located, and pop away whene-
yer one would show himself Birge's rifle
men distinguished themselves in this way
One company got within IS yards Of re-
bel battery and completely silenced it du-
ring nearly the whole afternoon by pick
ing off the gunners.
A desperate advance was made on re
bel redout at o'clock, by the 18th and
i9th iii. under Col. Morrison They made
two gallant charges, penetrating up close
to the breastworks, but were obliged in
both cases to fall back under heavy cross
lire Of artillery and infantry. Close up to
the ramparts great quantities of brush
we're piisd, which it was impossible to Pc
netrate. The enemy during the day made
a sally from one of their forts, but were
driven back by the 25th Indiana
The casualties Of the day amounted to
about $50 killed and wounded on our side.
Among the killed Capt. Brokaw, of the
10Th ILL.,, Capt Mendell and Geo Elliot of
the 9TH ILL., John Bernhard, LIST Ind; Geo
Backur, Taylor's battery, and John Hays,
10Th Ind. are named. Col. Morrison, 49th
ILL.,, and his sdjutant were among the
wounded.
At shutdown fighting ceased, and cold,
lrizzling rain setting in, our troops had
ireary prospect for a nights rest before
h m Without tents, short of provisions,
md not allowed in most eases even to build
Tres, the night passed uncomfortably
enough. Reinforcements, however, kept
.rriving during the night, and with them
Eantafs Aaat IF g
served to divert and keep up the spirits Of
he soldiers.
Friday being still bad, nothing was done
~ the land forces except to place the new
'rrivals in position, and re arrange the diff
erent brigades The gunboats, four in
lumber, opened on the enemy at o'clock
NJ, with considerable effect, driving the
nemy into their upper works but having
10 mortars, they could operate against the
liver batteries only, while the enemy's
,uns on the hills had the advantage of
hem. In two hours three of the gunboats
we're disabled, had lost nine men killed
md 10 wounded-among the latter Com
'oote-when the boats were withdrawn
Saturday morning at daylight the ere
ny opened on the 18th ILL.,, (Oglesby's bri-
Jade, on the right) and soon the entire
brigade was engaged This was soon fol.
owed by Col. Wallace's and Col. Near
hur's brigades also taking part, being the
whole of Netherlands division. 1t soon
became apparent that the enemy had con.
nearly his whole force on this d.
'ision, being determined to turn our right
lank. The ground was iercely contested
or over three hours, when our men run
nut of ammunition and began to fall back,
he enemy pressing forward for half mile.
This retrograde movement on our side was
rrested by Gen. Lew. Wallace coming to
tn r