The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1862-03-01

/ A correspondent writing 70 tne A""10''e
Journal from Fort Donelson. under date OF
Thursday. Feb. 20. gives the following
graphic account Of. the capture OF the Fort
and the description of the field OF battle
after the desperate conflict was over:
/ Under the guidance of Colonels Veatch
and Hovey horses having been provided
for us-we reviewed the entire e-bsitle. from
the enemy's right wing 10 our extreme lefts
extending some six miles. The time o:cu-
pied in SO doing was some four hours.
propose now to recite the facts Is they
were told me by those engaged. and as
saw them: l shall do SO impartially, and
by so doing. would not take from the
tame OF any Indiana regiment. nor those of
any other State. the lsurels SO justly won
when storming the entrenchments OF Fort
DOnelson. 7 ~
On the enemy's right. which rested l
think, southwest by west of Fort Doneison.
stood the first reIoabt. within one hundred
feet of anothe. on is left. In front OF these
redoubts trees had been felded. and brush
heaped up covering every spot OF ground for
a quarter of mile, to prevent the charge OF
infantry. and repel the attacks OF field guns
Beyond these redoubts. in front, aud over
small hill-cleared by the rebels-across
ravine, and upon a high tim6ered hill. rest
ed the 25ih Indiana-Gen. Smiths disis-
ion.
On Thursday morning they we're ordered
forward. to occupy position near the fell
ed timber.
About ten O'Clock Of THURSDAY, while
Col veatch. with his Adjutant, were recon-
moi erlng. they cspied upon the enemy's
center redoubt battery. which at that in
stant opened upon them. the ball passing
some two feet from the Colonel, and bury
! ing itself far beyond. He stepped back.
ordered his men forward, and gave the COM
uand to ix bayonets and fire. They ap-
| preached firing. within sixty rods OF the
! FIRST redoubt. But finding that his men
| could not effect anything, and owingto the
difficulty of surmounting the barrcades in
! his way, he ordered his men to fall back to
the ravine aud hill. side. They stood the
! FIRE like veterans. To the 25th Indiana.
whose bravery and courage is not to be ex-
celed in our great army. is the honor due OF
opening the ball on Fvrt Donelson. and
yloriously did they stand their ground and
position Of honor. The 7th Iowa and SD
{ Indiana were now sent forward to reinforce
them-the sgd Indiana the left of our wing.
the 7th Iowa the center, and the 25th the
/ right.
| In the morning the fight again commenc.
ed Col Veatch seeing disposition on the
part of the enemy to flank the 7th Iowa.
ordered portion OF his man to the left,
which turned their flank. and when the
/ fight grew hottest the death struggle Of the
ebels was desperate. The 7th Iowa. fall
ine --s.L;n twenty yards OF the enemy's en-
itrenchments, were cut down lie gr... 49,
fore the practiced sweep of the mower
,l vh Gallant mo we h. |
in few rods of the enemy, ordered. 'For-
ward. 25th Indiana, aud charge Deadly |
fl ishes burst forth. and the grass was Grim
soned with the blood Of hundreds. As the /
wind rolled away the suffocating smoke. and
the blasts of artillery and the musketry for
a moment ceased. the awful spectacle. the
agonizing wells. and the shrieks of the suf. |
tering, were piercing and heart rending.-
Prayers and groans. foul and inpions oaths. !
, and fond invocations of the loved and the /
dear, were mingled with sounds which
scarcely seemed Of human utterance, and
by the rapturous shout of victory which
rang from the redoubt.
The earth has not sight or sound more
maddsning in its passion, or its woe. than a
battle field. The labled pit beneath the
earth open from its bowels, and covers its
fair surface with the flames and yells Of de-
mon strife.
1t was when the order was given to
charge that Capt. Rylander. with firm and
steady nerve. catching sight of his brave
aud defiant Colonel. fought his way over the
d. ad bodies OF the gallant 7h Iowa. and
scaled the redoubt Of the enemy. Capt R.. |
first over the redoubt. planted the Stars ard !
Stripes over the dead and dying of the enc I
my.
This was one Of the hardest battles. Our
forces came up hill to the euemy's right. !
The SEND Indiana deserves great praise
They stood deadly fire, before. so to speak |
they even had time 10 load their guns after /
receiving them. The 7th Iowa and 25;h /
Indiana, all OF them, have left record. no |
power on earth can stain, and have won for
themselves q name that will live generations I
to come. Proud contumely. from military /
officers. comes with bad grace when they |
dare assert that one State alone deserves
the crowning wreath of victory.
{ Passing on from this blood dyed summit |
we reach the field where the sth and 18Th |!
Illinois, and Sth Missouri-in McClernand's /
Division--Inet the enemy a. the 4th, aud
5:h redoubls, In the evening, if I remem-
Der right. Of Friday. the sth Illinois en-
deavored TO storm the fourth redoabt--the |
same that opened first upon Col. Vestch.--
| In this they were repulSeo; also the lSlh
both suffering terribly. from the fact of
having to fl hit in road cut through the /
woods, and over and through the brush fell |
ed by the rebels. They fell back. and lay
on their arms, when the llth Indiana and /
Stb Missouri tZousve) were ordered for |
ward by Gen. Lew Wallace to pick of the |
guuners and aid in siorming the redoubts. |
| When morning dawned the attack again !
commenced The Zouaves doing their |
work according to their tactics, lying upon !
! their bellies. and picking off rebel when |
ever one could be seen. Finding the work
I too hot for them, the enemy tired to deceive
our men by ruAning up sticks with their
hats ON them. in order to gain time to rest
! But this ruse did not deceive our mem
They pushed forward. doing fearful execu-
ton. add sf,er desperate struggle our men
mounted the .edoubls. One of the Illinois