Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-03-06

The Battels at f'olt DOnetsOn-Ge en- H. 1 low,s Report--Battle of The Trenches,
 rebuary 1l-Battle with the Gunboats,
 -Febuary I3-Battle of Dover, Febuary
 Is.
 Memphis, February ?, 1869.
 EpsToEs AVALANCHE: There is 50 much anxiety in the public mind to understand the result of the battle of Dover and the causes which led to the capitalation, and so much excitement among'the friends of l those surrendered as prisoners to know their l condition, that I deem 1t not improper to lay before the people my official report of the series of actions occurring at Fort Don olson. This I am aware is irregular and in violation of the usages of the government, but I feel that the extraordinary circum stances of the case justify departure from usage so far5as 10 publish the re- port, not doubting but that the govern ment will approve of the motive which induces its publication.
 GID. J. PILLOW,
 Brigadier General. CoLuaeIA. Tenn, Feb. IS, 1862. Capt. Clarence Derrick, Asst Adit. Gen. On the Sth inst, Gen "A S. Johnston ordered me to proceed to Fort Donelson, 1 and take command of that post. On the 9th inst I arrived at that place. In de- l tailing the operations of the forces under | my command at Fort Donelson, it is pro per to state the condition of that work and of the forces constituting it's garrison.- l When arrived I found the work on the river battery unfinished, and wholly too 1 weak to resist the force of heavy artillery. l l found ten inch columbiad and thirty l two pound rifle gun had not been mounted. 1 Deep gloom was hanging over the com mand, and the troops were greatly de- pressed and demoralized by the crcum ! stances attendingt he surrender of Ft. Henry and the manner of retiring from the place. l My first attention was given to the necesSi- ty of strengthing this work, and mount ing the two heavy guns. and to the con l stuction of the defensive works 10 protect the rear of the river battery. imparted to the work all the energy which 1t was possible to. do, working day ard night | WlLn tic WuOIc iiC Ddlttf Y was without a competent number of ar tillerists, and those that were there were not well instructed in the use of their guns. To provide for this want l placed 1 the artillery companies under active course of instruction in the use of their guns l detailed Capt. Ross with his company of artillerists to the command of one of the river batteries These heavy guns being mounted and provision made for working them, and proper supply of ammunition having been procured by my order from Nashville, felt myself prepared to test the effect of the fire of the heavy metal against the encmy's gunboats, though the work was much in need ofmore heavy pieces 1 The armament of the batteries consisted of eight 32 pounders, three ;j2 pound car ronades, one Sinell columbiad, and one ri- file gun of B pound calibre. The selection ! of the site for the work was an unfortunate onc While its command of the river was favorable, the site was commanded by nights above and below on the river, and 1 by continuous range of hills all around | the works to its rear.
 A field work of very contracted dimen- ! sions had been constructed for the garrison 1 to protect the battery, but this field dwork was commanded by the hills already refer red 10, and lay open to fire of artillery from every direction except from the hills below. To guard against the effects ot fire of artillery from these nights line of defense-work, consisting of rifle pits and I abatts for infantry, detached on our right,
 but continuous on our left, with dcfenscs
 for our light artillery, were laid of by Maj. Gilmer, engineer of Gen. A. $. Johnston s staff, but on duty with me at the post.
 around the rear of the battery and on the nights from which artillery could reach our battery and inner field work, envelopng the inner work and the town of Dover, where our principalssupplies of quarter and conmissary stores were in deposit
 These works. pushed with the utmost possible energy, were not quite completes! nor my troops all in position, though near
 ly so when Brig. Gen. Floyd, my senior | officer, reached that station. The works were laid off with judgment and skill by Mai Glmer, were we'll executed, and de- signed fer the dsfense of the rear of the
 work, the only objection being to the leugth
 of the line, which, however, from the sur
 oundings, was unavoidable. The length
 of tue line, and the inadequacy of the force for its defense, was 6 source of embarrass-
 ment throughout the struggle which snb- sequenty enSned in the defense of the pos it;on,
 l had placed Brig-G Gen. nEckRer in com- mand of the right wiug, and Brig. Gen. Johnson in command of the left By ex- traorainary efforts we had barely got the 1 works in 3 delepsible condition when the enemy made an advance in force around and against the entire line of our outer
 works
 THE BATTLE OF THE TRENCHES.
 The first assault was commenced by the enemy artillery against the centre of our left wing, which was promptly responded to by Capt. Greens battery of field artillery
 After several hours of firing between the artillery of thetwo armies, the enemy's in-
 fantry advanced to the conflict all along the line, which kept up and increased in volume from one end of the line to the other for several hours-when at last the enemy made vigorous assault against the right of our left wing-the position assault ed being night commanded by Col Hei- man, and defended by his brigade, consist
 ing of the 10th Tennessee, under command 1 of Lieut.. Col. Mcffarock Col. Eoorbies'