Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-03-11
gbe Obio 3tatesmam
fR RM q,
From Fort Donei.on.


We have been kindly furnished with the fol
lowing copy Of letter written BY Sergeant. c
M. MARRIorr, of Co. D., 76ih Regiment. O. v
U. 8. A., to his father, T. H. MAnnIorr, o
Eden township, Licking county, Ohio:
FoRT DonELsos, TEENrssEE,
nkADouARrGRs 76rH REG'T o. v. U. 8. AZ
February 2Otb, 1862
MY DEAR FATHKR:-Doubtless Won are Al
anxious 70 hear from your boys. We left New
ark' on the Slh inst, amidst the shou,s an
eheeis OF the enthusiastio crowd that assemble
70 witness the departure of the Seventy-sixtI
ior while, and to many of them forever. I
was the most exciting time ever witnessed Il
Licking county. Every banner that could b
.ouna 10 town was fstterlng, and our old faf
appearing to bid defiance to traitors,
We arrived ut Columbus at six o,olock p M
and stopped for an hour. The band nlaye,
some old patriotic pieces. A respectable orowt
assembled to meet US, and gave us a yery cor
dial reception.
| we arrived at Cincinnati at four O'Clock II
.he morning marched through the streets, th,
band playing, aud had the satisfaction of view,
lng the Queen City, magnincently illuminated
with innumerable gas lights.
we got on board the steamers Union and
diamond, and set off at eight O'Clock for Padu.
can. We passed through Lawrenceburp. Pc
tersburg, Rising Sun, Madison, Louisville, Car.
rolton, Haysville, thence to Psducab, Ken.
lucky. We arrived at nine O'Clock at night
and after laying there till noon the next day
We leit with about, fifteen thousand strong for
Fort Donelson.
IL was a splendid sight TO behold fourteen
steamers and ak large gunboats, plowing their
way through the tuIbid stream. EVERYTHING
seemed full OF mlrth and Joy. The bands
seemed TO vie with each other, endeayorinR
each to excel the other, Imet DR.. Harrison Of
the Sixty-eighth Ohio, and Cary Mccain on
board the Nelly Gray, at Paducah. DR.. Harri.
son Is good looking and intelligent man. He
kne" me at hrss sight, although be had not
seen me since was small boy.
suppose ere this reaches you you will have
neard through the papers, of the fight at Fort
Donelson; but, perhaps, can describe some
things to you more correctly. -
The battle commenced on the 18th and lasted
for four days. On the 18th there was sharp
nght The rebels came out of their intrench-
ments' and opened fire upon our troops; but our
men fought like heroes. With "charRe BAY
onets" our boys drove them pell NELL back to
their hiding places. Then the gunboats com.
mencea pom6arding and shelling them, and By
the help OF Taylor's battery, the enemy were
exposed TO destructive and CALLING Ere. Our
men twice drove the enemy over their breast.
works, and, in fact, some of our men scaled the
oreastWorks; but we had not force enouph
to Sold the place. The principal amount Of
fighting was done by the batteries, with some
skirmishi1g. After the days work vas done,
each army retired for the night
We arrived about fifteen thousand strong.
and telly pleased the boys. They cheered
Us as we passed along their lines; they were
glad to see the Ohio boys.
After putting over sleepless night, for we
were continually annoyed by the firing Of the
pickets, early in the morning we we're called Ut
BY the shrill notes Of the bugIe. And then VIC
knew we had something to do, for our batteries
had opened on them, and were playing away
beautifully, and sounding like peals Of the most
terrinc thunder. We were Immediately formed
IN brigade, put In advance, and marched to
the scene OF action, under Col. Wallace. tell
you It tries mans courage to march over the
field of carnage, where the dead and diving lie
stretched on every hand. Some DOOR fellows
that were wounded, and could sit up, would in.
quire, as We passed them: "What regiment ia
thatT' When we told them the Seventy sixth
Ohio, they would say: "Give them hell, boys!
Keep cool and stand up to them; they fight like
the devil!"
At that time the grape and capnister shot
were flying like hail about our heads from the
rebel batteries; we were ordered to lie PROSTATE
on the ground for little while, to avoid their
raking trej and then we were ordered up the
hill TO support Taylor's battery, which poured
In Q Calling fire that soon eilenced their bat
teries. Taylor's battery, is the finest battery
In the United States, and does the best execu
tion. The rebels fear 10, for IL never fails "a
silence their batteries.
We then went over the hill, and were held In
reserve the balance of the day, and another
brigade took our place, A very sharp Aght
lasted oil day, and there were good many lives
lost on both sides. The rebels wont fght fair
for they skirmish and wont stand up TO the music
as our boys do.
On Saturday, the 18th, after lying on our arms
all night, with nothing to lie on but the ground
and our covering the blue vaults Of heaven, we
were marched early In the morning to the field
Of carnage, to battle maniully for our country's
cause. And such dreadful struggle that en-
sued, the history Of our country has not yet re-
corded. think 1t was the hardest, or one Of
the hardest battles ever fought on this CONT.
"vhV' SVLno ie6Iueubc WeEo literally cu6 TO
pieces, on both sides. The lIth Indiana. the
18th and 9lst Illinois suffered terribly. Some
Of the rebel regiments came out of the HRht
with only IT'S, quo, 300, 400 and 500 men. The
loss was very severe on both sides. think we
lost as many, aud perhaps more than the enemy,
They knew their ground; yes, every hollow and
ravine. They were very strongly fortified
Old Floyd and Johnston said that when we took
Fort DoDelson, they would throw up their CAPS
and give us three hearty cheers.
We took the fort, but they did not stay 10
cheer, for they left on suspicion. We got Gen.
Buckner and --, and some sixteen thousand
prisoners, and all they had. tell you IL was
clean sweep. The mules, horses, wagons, field
pieces and small arms are almost innumerable.
They have some Of the finest cannon | have
ever seen. The entire estimate of all we have
captured is supposed to be worth million and
half.
We had the fort entirely surrounded. and
the rebels knew that II they could not get out
they must surrender. So they made desper.
ate attempt by advancing on our brigade with
charged bayonets; but thank God, our bows
stood firm, and bravely did they receive them,
and drove them over the hill at the point of the
bAyonet. The loss in the Seventy sixth ia
small--seven or eight wounded, l had INV
pants cut BY minnie ball, but tdid not cut the
fesh. | tell you, to make o long story short,
there are but few men who will NOT be more or
less excited on q field Of battle. But believe
there was not Q man In our company that was
actually frightened, even in the hottest Of the
fight. marched to the field coolly and calmly.