Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-03-08
The Battlefield OF Fort Donelson.

correspondent of the Chicago Times writing
from Fort Donelson under date February II, gives
the following sketch Of the scene presented after
the battle. No troops ever behaved better than
did the Confederates on that bloody field. The
correspond mt says:
- | was invited on Sunday morning by Gen. Nc
Clernand to take ride the battlefield 1t
would DC difficult to describe in a few words the
scenes which have.net my view. The battle-ground
chiefly confined to the space outside the rebel
forthcationS extending up the river bank distance
Of two miles, to the point where Gen. Netherlands
forces rallied from the retirement which they were
at first forced into by the mpetuous charge Of the
enemy. II must be remembered that it was here
that the grand sOrte made by the rebels up the
river bauk with the intention Of turning our right
flank and cutting their way out Some ten or twelve
thousand composed the force sent out for this
purpose. They advanced under cover of deadly
lire of artillery, and steadily drove Gen. McCler-
nands force before them distance of fifty sixty
rods Our troops here made stand, and having
oeen reinforced by one or two regiments began the
assault before which the enemy were forced to re-
treat. The ground was contested with desperation,
and the slaughter on both sides was immense. The
whole space uf two miles was strewed with dead,
who lay in every imaginable shape and form.
| FedcralS and Rebels were promiscuously mingled,
sometimes graphing in the fierce death-throe, some
times facing each other they gave and received
the fatal shot or thrust sometimes lying across
| another, and again heaped IN piles which lay six or
seven feet deep. | could imagine nothing more ter
rible than the silent Indications oragony that marked
the features of the pale corp$cs which lay at every
step. Though dead and rigid in every muscle, they
| still wrthed and seemed to turn to catch the pass
ing breeze for a cooling breath. Staring eyes, gap
| ing mouths, cenched hands, and strangely cOntrac-
ted limbs, seemingly drawn into the smallest COM
pass as if by mighty effort to rend asunder some
irresistible band which held them down to the tor
turc of which they died.
| One sat against tree, and, with mouth and eyes
| wide open, looked up in the sky If to catch a
glance at its fieetng spirit Another clutched the
branch of an overhanging tree, and hung half sus-
pended as in the death pang he raisedhimSe part
! ly from the ground; the other hand graSped his
faithful muSket, and the compression of the mouth
told of the determination which would have been
fatal to foe had life 'ebbcd minute later. third
chung with both hands 10 a bay onet which had been
buried in the ground in the act of striking for the
heart of rebel foe Great numbers lay in heaps,
Just as the fire of the artillery moved them down,
manglng their forms into almost undistinguish-
! able mass. Many of our men had evidently fallen
victims to the rebel sharp-shoOteTs, for they were
pierced through the head by rife bullets, some In
the forehead some in the eyes, others in the bridge
Of the nose III the cheeks, and III the mouth. ms
circumstance verified statement nado to me by a
rebel officer among the prisoners, that Their cn
were trained to shoot low and aim at the face while
ours, as a general thing fired at random, and shot
over their heads
The enemy in their retreat carried OF their
wounded and great many of their dead, so that
ours far outnumbered them on tho field. The scene
of action had been mostly in the woods, although
there were two open places OF an acre or two where
the fight ragged fnriously and the ground was GOV
cred with the dead All the way up TO their en-
trenchments the same scene of death was presented
There were two miles Of dead strewR thickly. min
cled with fire arms artillery, dead horses and thu
paraphernaa OF the battlefield. It was a scenS
! never to be forgotten-never to be described