New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-02-27
THE BATTLE-FIELD ABOUND FORT
DONELsON.
Vro,n Orr Own Correspondent.

From Oar Own Correspondent
C.IRo w.dres1sy, Feb. Is 1862.
The exposure and fatigue to which reporters are
subiected or the battlefield and the necessity when
exists for writing rapidly make an early description
of the scene, after the fight ia over impossible Re"
readers are aware Of the efforts required to gather
and select fact, which will give just idea OF the
conflict. or of the weary hours devoted to compost
ton 10 the midst Of distraction and noise The night
following the day Of the surrender of Fort Doneison
scarcely presented q more weary get OF fellows
than the reporters, for some fell asleep while
writing.
The battle continued three days, commencing on
Thursday and ending on Saturday at dark but on
this last dsy il was most general. Thur,day wal
very cold, the mercury being only lo' above zeroi
aud during the night il see;ed and snowed ne /, did
sI.o the following night. Friday was warmer; sill
il froze all day, and tho did not melt till after
the fort surrendered.
TIE defiance between the two armies during the
three days in many cases was slight that We could
not bring OF our dead, and the wounded who could
neither walk nor crawl remained where they fell till
Sunday morning. some, even, till late that day.
prisoner told me that some Germans lay wounded
before their earthworks on Friday night calling FOR
help and water, and that they went on. to bring them
in, but it being moonlight our men fred on them, and
they were obliged to go back. twas early Sunday
morning before they ventured ont again. when they
brought them in. They were sti alive, but blue
with cod and covered with frost and snow. They
did what they could for them, but il war not much,
and for this reason: For aweck they had been guard
ing their earhworks three miles In length, and from
Thursday they had been out in force, night and day
many Of them In the rife pits froze their feet and
hands. On the boat I saw young officers whose
slaves pulled of their stockings, and as they did 80
the skin from various pas Of their feet slon2
with them. In passing from their works TO their
quarters they frequently had 20 wade slues waist
deep, and then lay down TO seepin their wet clothes
The least result was violent cold. In addition on
gun-boats kept them in constant alarm, and theiI
altilleriss were WON out with constant watching.
The 18th Illinois suddenly coming upon the enemy
was forced to retreat beneath an awful shower Of
balls. The Major then called for volunteers to bring
off the wounded. Twenty or thirty started, crawl
ing, aud they brought of few, but some Of then
we're wounded ia the attempt. Again volunteer
were called for, and they approached amid an awful
fire. when one OF our wounded beckoned them away
The attempt was madness. just then the leaves
took Ere, and, covered by the smoke our men rushed
in and saved few more bu. the clothes OF these hac
taken fire, and sone persisted miserably. Those who
were left, Of course, persisted.
Gen. Grant ordered that no FREE should he built a
night bu, free werc built, and they i!lumned the
woods for miles. II wouli have been merciful, II
ut the cose Of each day, we had been permitted
under u truce, to bring off our wounded but ii wa:
not 30, and they lay in the frost and sect between
the two armies-maDy 10 hear, but none TO hell
them.
The severity Of the cold Is well illustrated by Tie
statement made by our field officers, who rode from
port to post during the night, that in the morning
their clothes were stiff that could they have been
taken off they would have stood alone. II is doubtful
whether suffering was greater, though 1t was
longer, in the retreat Of the French from Moscow.
Let 10 one hereafter cay that onr soldiers are paid
too much
Most of the borses Of many Of our batteries were
shot down. They had been well trained and stood
fire WELL The horse is the most intelligent of all ami
mails. lie has thinking eye, it sparkles with in'
qury as you approach him. lie loves music, and in
the horrors Of battle he is not afraid Rerodotus
calls the horse stranger, perhaps because lie was 80
little understood. Saturday morning. when the
enemy came out in heavy columns with knapsacks
on, and three times were driven back with ire
mendous slaughter, eome batteries were ordered ~
positions which the enemy bad little while before
occupied. The horses bestsed not TO tread on the
wounded, dying and dead, and the pondcrous artil-
lery wheels crushed limbs and skulls. IL was al,