The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-03-07


daylight The proposition shss wss msAs
by tke undersigned 10 again heht through
the enemy's line aud cnl oar wsy eal--
General Buekner said his command vas
80 worn out and cut 10 pieces and deno-
sslised. that lac could not make another
tight thai il wauld cost the command
three quarters OF its prcsent number 10
cut 10 way through, and 10 was wroaQ 70
sacrifice thrce-qasrtars Of q cosamahd 70
save cneauarter; that no officer had :
right 10 cause such . sacrifice. OeneFai
Floyd and Maj. Gilmer I understood 20
concur in this opinion.
then expressed the opinion that We
could hold out another day. aud in THAI
time VIC could get steamboats, and set the
command over the river. anu probably
save large portion Of H. To this osn.
Buekner replied that the enemy wvaid
certainly attack him at daylight, and that
he could not hold his position hall an
hour. The alternative OF the proposition
was "A surrender Of their position aud
eosatneid. Gen. Fleyd said Chat he would
neiiher snrrend the command, nor would
he surrender himself o prisoner. ] had
taken tho same POSITION, Gen. Butkner
said he was satisfied nothing else could
be done, and that therefore, he would
surrender il placed In command. Gen.
! Floyd said he would turn over the c~m-
mand TO him II he could be allowed to
| withdraw his command; 10 this General
Buckner assenied. Thereupon Gen. Floyd
turned the command over 10 me. ] pass.
ed il instantly to Gen. Buckncr, saying !
would neither surrender the command
nor myself prisoner. ] directed Col.
Forrest TO cut his way through, Under
these circumstances Gen. puekncr NC.
cepted the command, and sont n ilas OF
tuce 20 the enemy for an armistice OF six
hours 20 negotiate fol terms OF caplinla'
ton. Before this ilag and communica'
ton was delivered retired from the gar
rison.
Before closing my repolt Of The opera.
tions OF the army at Donelson, ! must in
justice to the officers and forces under my
immediate command, say that harder
fighting or more gallant conduct in oih-
GERS and men have never witnessed. In
the absence Of official reports OF bnga.
dier and regimen,al commanders, tnf
which am deprived by the circumstances
detailed in this repoyt,) may not beablo
10 do justice 10 tho different corps.
will say however that the force under my
immediate command bore themselves
most calamity throughout the long and
bloody conflict.
speak with special communication OF
the brigades commanded by Coils. BALD
win, Wharton, McCausland, Smonlon
and Drake. and Captains Nancy and
Greene, who fought their guns under the
constant and annoying fire of the enc
my's sharp-shooters, and the coacentrat'
ed fire from his field batteries ilom which
both commands suffered severely, Capt.
Nancy himself was wounded and had so
veral licutenants and many Of his c"niia-
ny killed and wounded; 80 did Captains
Porter and Graves. III should hereafter
Iga@ira the reposis OF repiprm,sl Md
brigade commanders giving me detailed
Inflammation of the bearing Of officers and
men will make n supplemental report.
The absence Of official reports dcpriycs
me Of tho means Of giving lists Of tho
killed and wounded Of the different, com.
mands. am satisfied that in such se.
rics of conflicts our loss was heavy. ]
know what the enemy's was from passing
over the battlefield with Gen, Floyd in
the evening immediately after the battle.
His loss in killed and wounded was terri.
bic, exceeding anything have ever seen
on a battlefield. Our forces in the field
did not exceed ten thousand men, wble
from what saw of the enemy's force and
from information derived from prisoners,
we are sure he had from thirty 10 forty
thousand on the battlefield ! must ac-
knowledge my obligations TO Major Oh.
mer, engineer, for the especial and valu.
able services rendered me in laying or
tho works, and the energy displayed by
him in directing their construction, aud
for his consul and advice. likewise sc'
knowledge my obligation TO Col John q.
Bureh, my aid.de.camp, to Capt. Gus. A.
Henry. Major Field, Lieut.. Nicholson.
Lieut.. Chas. r. Martin, and Col. Brandon.
my volunteer aids.de- camp, 10 Maj. Hays.
my assistant quartermastcr, for the prompt
manner In which they executed my or.
ders under trying circumstances through
out the long and continued conflicts, and
10 Mai Gilmer, who accompanied rns
throughout the entire day. Also TO Capt.
Parker, OF my staff whom ] assigned 10
the command Of Capt. Ross field battery
with new recruits rs gunncrs, and who
fought and served them we'll Col Bran.
don's command constituted the front OF
the attacking force, sustained imWedihte'
ly by Col. Wharton's. These two brigsdes
deserve especial commendation for the
manner in which they sustained the hrss
shock Of battle, and under circumstances
Of great embarrassment threw themselves
into position and followed up the conflict
throughout the day.
flsirg mostly with these two LriEedo,,
can speak from personal knowledge OF
their gallant bearing. must also no.
knowledge my obligations W Brig Gen.
Johnston, who assisted me N command
OF the forces with which ! attacked tho
enemy. and who bore himself gallautly
throughout the conflict, but having rccei-
we'd no official reports from him ] cannot
give detailed operations Of his command.
have pleasure in being able TO say that
Col. Forrost--wbose command greatly
distinguished itscommandor as bold and
gallant leader and reelected distinguished
honor upon itself--.pnssed safely through
the cnemys line Of investment, and trust
il will yet win other honors in defense Of
uur rights and tho just cause OF our coun-
try. GID. J. PlLLoW,
Brig. Gen. G. =. A.
-
Cotton in Augusta.
We are gratifed 10 find a statement In