Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-02-26

nent among the friends and relatives Of those
surrendered, that I deem it proper to lay before
he public my official report Of the several con
fiicts. This I am aware is irregular, and in
violation of the usages Of the government, but
feel that the extraordinary circumstances OF
the case justify departure from usage so far as
to publish the report. not doubling but that the
government viii approve Of the motive which
induces its publication
GID. PmLoW BHgadieT-General
COLUMBIA, Tenn, February Is. 1852.
Capt Clarence Derrick Assistant AdiutantGeneral !:
On the sth inst Gen a. S. Johnston ordered
me TO proceed to Fort Done.sOn and take com
mand Of that post On the 9th inst arrived
at that place. In detailing the operations Of the
forces Gnder my command at Fort Doneson, it
is proper TO state the condition Of that work, and
Of the forces cons lituting its garrison. When l
/ arrived ] found the work on the river battery
unfinished and wholly too weak to resist the
JORGE Of heavy artillery. / found a ten-inch
coiumbiad snd thirty-twO pound rife gun had
not been mounted Deep gloom was hanging
over the command, and the troops were greatly
/ depressed and demoTalized by the circumstances
attending the surrender of Fort Henry and the
I manner of retiring from that place Ny first
attention was given to the necessity Of strength
/ ening this work, and mounting the two heavy
guns, and 10 the construction Of defensive works
| 70 protect the rear of the river battery. / inn
parted to the work all the energy which Il was
possible 70 do, labOriug day and night with the
! whole command. The battery was without
competent number of artillerists, and those that
were there, were not wei instructed in the use
/ of their guns. To provide for this want placed
the artillery companies under active course of
/ instruction in the use Of their guns. l detailed
/ Capt. Ross with his company of artilierists to
/ the command Of one OF the Tiver batteries
These heavy guns being Ihounted and provision
made for working them, and proper supply Of
ammunition having been procured By my or
l deTs from Nashville felt myself prepared to
test the effect OF the fire OF the heavy metal
/ against the enemy's gunboa;s, though tbs work
I was much IN need OF more heavy pieces.
The armament Of The batteries consisted ofl
/ eight 82-pounders, three y pound carronades. ]
one l0-nch columbiad, and one rife gun Of -
pound csliber The selection of the site for the
work was an unfortunate one, While its com.
mand Of the river was favorable, The site was /
commanded by the nights above and below on 1
The river, aud by continuous range Of hills all /
around the works to its rear
A feld-work Of very conlrseted dimensions
had been constructed for the garrison 10 protect
the battery, but this fiel i-work was commanded
by the hills already referred TO- and lay open 70
ire Of artillery from every direction except
from the hiiIs below To guard against the
Effects Of IRE OF ARTILLERY from these lights
line OF deiense-works consisting of rifle pits
and sbattis for infantry, detached on our right,
but continuous on our left, with defenses for
our hight artillery, were laid of By Mai Gilner-
Engineer Of Gen A. s. Johnston's staff. but on
dury with me at the post--aTOund the rear of the
battery and on the nights from which artillery
could reach our battery and inner field work
enveloping the inner work and the town of
Dover, where our principal supplies OF quarter
and commissary stores were in deposit
THESE works, pashed with the Hnnost possible
energy, were quite completed, NOR my troops
all IN position though nearly so when Brig
Gen. Floyd, my senior officer, reached that sta
tlon The works were laid off with Judgment and
skill by MAJ. Gilmer, We're well executed, and
Designed for the defense Of the rear of the work
The only objection being to the length of the
line, which, however, from the surroundings
was unavoidable. The length Of the line, and
the inadeauaey Of the force for its defense, was
source OF embarrassment throughout the
struggle which subsequently, ensued in the de-
tense Of deposition.
1 bad placed Brig Gen Buekner in command !
Of the right wing, and Brig.-Gen johnson in
command Of the left. By extraordinary efforts Fl
we had barely got the works in a defensible {
condition when the enemy made an advance in /
force around and against the entire line Of outer
works.
THE BATTLE OF THE TRENCHES 4
The first assault was commenced BY the enc o
Dy's artillery against the center Of our left 2
wing which was promptly responded TO BY 0
Capt Green's ba terry of field artillery Afterl 4
several hours Of firing between the artillery Of q
Ihe two armies the enemys infantry advanced 2
10 the conflict all along the line which was Kept 4
up and increased in oiume from one end of the q
ine to the other for seYersl hours, when at last
Inc enemy made vigorous assault against the D
1ght OF our left wing, the position assaulted q
o-lng hight commanded by Col. Heiman, and a
ieisndtd by bis brigade, consisting Of the IOsh &
tennessee, under command of Lieut. Col Nc Z
SaVock, Col Eoorhies' Tennessee, Col. Hughes a
Alabama, and Col Heads Tennessee regiments q
# volunteers, and Capt Nancy field battery 0,
rms assault was vigorously made aad the /
1osiilon IS vigorously defended and resulted in U
he Tepnlse Of the enemy here and everywhere +
lround the line. The result OF the days work e
lfetiy we'd tested the strength Of our defensive ~
ne, and established, beyond question the gal
auuy OF the entire command, al Of whom on
ought well At every portion of the line The oss o.
ustaned BY our forces in this engagement was tei
lot large, our men being mostly under the shell ~
sr OF the rhe PITS but We nevertheless had quit SO
ontmued fighting which followed, it was inlDo.. NJ
ble 80 get any official report Of the casualties If sol
be day On tue same day battery on tine river no
las engaged with one of the aaemy's gnnboaA vi
inch oceasioned quite a lively eannonading br OF
lore thau sn hour, in which the gallant Ca5t tht
llxoH, of the Engineer corps, was killed ia On
tantiy al the battery. This officer had bsep BET
n duty for some menths at the post. and had for
hown great energy and professional skill; and en-
TectiDg the operations Of the day under my Tol
rders had justly earned for himself higt dis He.
nction. His death was 4 serious loss d the
srvice, and was source of no little embaIrass- ior
'ent in our aiter-Operatons WI
On the 18Th we had quiet, but we saE the en'
nolIe Of large number Of gTnboats and ny
ealnbosts at short distance below. We also taR
ceiYed reliable information Of the arrival Of a t~,
fge number Of fresh troops greatly increasing ia
e strength of the enemYs forces, already said ioa
be from 20,09O to $4,000 strong, ems
THE BATTLE wTH THE GUNBoATs. ali
On the 18Th these reinforcenients were seen -,
vaucng to their position 10 the line Of invest sey
ent; and, while this was being done, SIX Of -,
g enemys iTon-cased guubeats were seen w.
ivaleing up the river. FIVE OF which were ~
eeast aud IN line of battle aud the sixth some 10
stance to The fear When the gunboats (
uyed wiihin a mule and a half of the fort .ie
eR opened ilre on the batteries. My orders TO ~,
officers Capts. Shaster and Stankoviieh. who ~,
mmanded the lower battery, OF eight guns. -,
q Capt Ross the upper battery Of four guDs. ~
- sI,71J . .as,l ..s 2n'l sne enemy gun his
MS they did, though the ordeal OF holding 80 80
sir fire while The enemy's shot and shell fa
] thick around their position, was severe =, -
itFaiut upon their patriotic impulses But. ~
our batteries made no response ~.
the gunbosts got within range of their guns ~
II entire hne OF batteries then opened ire -
2 guns oi ooel taislss were wen served Inc Gen
ani5 constantly sqtares4i HeiiysIlhg ahect Tant
agsinst 9lI 1a''.les rom MS llne oi I'VE fscti
noosis ~tlie me siAtn Dosts moving np IN ne
X and Gloss al around the position of our ne
larias The h.rI.t ..nniinslad illa srauan -.