The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1862-03-04
THE FIGHT AT FORT DoNELsoN

of Gen. Pillow:
The fight commenced at Fort Donelson on Wed
nesday, at noon, and continued daily until the fort
was surrendered on Sunday morning. The main
fight was GU Saturday, when our forces marched
out of our nchn,ents and attacked the enemy,
killing not less than 1000; capturing pieces of
artillery $50 prisoners and large lot OF small arms
blankets, and knapsacks Our loss was EGO killed,
and from 400 to 600 wounded. The enemy had
with large force, surrounded US, preparatory to
cutting off our communication with GAINESVILLE
and Nashville. This was the cause OF our going
cut and attacking them Saturday. The result
of the fight on Saturday made us feel triumphant
About shutdown on Saturday, We sent off the sick,
wounded aud prisoners in two small boats we had
at Donelson Early in the night, our scouts
brought us the information that fourteen steam
boats were landing fresh troops mile and half
below us. Three hours after, our cavalry inform
ed US that the enemy, in large force, had again
surrounded us, occupying the position from which
we had driven them in the morning. ..
The complete state of exhaustion of our army,
and its manifest inability to make or sustain
other attack, determnd the surrender The
was three inches deep, the weather severely cold,
and our men had been working and fighting for
several days and nights, with no means OF rest ex-
cept what they found in the trenches. They had
been hurriedly carried there, without their tents
or camp equipage The number surrendered was
about 1000. The number escaped about 5000.
This does not include about 1000 cavalry, the
most all Of whom probably escaped.
RICHMOND, Feb. 26-The Lynchburg Repub-
can has received specia! dispatch, stating that
the enemy occupied Nashville Sunday, the
23d.
The number of Confederate prisoners taken at
Fort Doneson about 1000; killed. 800;
wounded, 1900. The enemy admit loss of
from to cd nd ed
saved all his command but the Twentieth Missis
sippi aud Green and Jacksons batteries. They
were made prisoners.
$50 yankee prisoners, captured by the Confed-
crates at Fort Doneson, were removed to Mem
phis before the surrender took place.
The editor of the Lynchburg Republican, who
was in the fight at Fort Donclson, speaking of our
defeat, says:
This is certainly a great calamity-by far the
worst of the war, but it must not discourage our
people, or dim for a moment the prospects of the
Southern Confedcracy Ten millions of people,
whose blood flows in the veins of those whose
deeds have rendered immortal Donelson and its
hills and valleys an! streams, can be
quered. The enemy will exult, but he never won
dearer victory. His loss was tremendous, aud
far exceeded ours Twenty-f five hundred will not,
perhaps cover his killed alone, 1t will necessarily
cause the fall of Nashville, and the surrender for
time, of portion of Tennessee, but the enemy
has long road to travel before he penetrates the
heart of the rebellion" Our people, however,
must arouse themselves to man. The crisis is
imminent, and calls for all the energies of the
republic Speculation must cease, the greedy
hunt after gold must be abandoned, and every
man must become a soldier. Speculation has
ruined Nashville, and caused its fall Its people,
with few exceptions, have been hunting money in
stead of preparing for defence. So it is all over
the country. Able-bodied men are rushing to and
fro, from east to west, specializing in the very life
blood of the people. at the moment the batterins
rams of an accursed enemy playing upon the |
walls of our iberty's citadel
nzs-The Richmond Examiner, speaking of the
late reverses to southern arms, says:
Even in the worst view. the DAYS we behold are |
bright. compared with those which this same |
country saw towards the close of the first Revolu-
ton. The enemy then had undsputed possession
of the whole North, and Of all the South beyond |
Carolina The Continental Congress governed
piece of Pennsylvania, piece of North Carolina !
Maryland and Virginia; and even in Virginia the |
British had their army the James. The |
Americans had been defeated in every campaign
for six successive years They were hemmed in
by all the armies of Britain, yet they never quail
ed; they bore their defeat with fortitude; they
brought out their last resources. 1t was ordained
that while there man, that man should bear
a musket; while there was cart-load of hay or
bag of corn, it should feed soldier, or soldiers
horse they Tough and fought again. refused all
terms, listened to no coward never dreamed of
submission. They won. and deserved to win.
This also we shall surely do if we are their true
sons. But we must 60 to the work with greater
earnestncss than We have yet shown; we must dis
card luxury and ease; we must put down incom-
pence, cease to put trust in pigmies and listen
no longer to pedants.
GENERAL FLOYD.-This brave and gallant man.
after his brilliant but unsuccessful defence of Fort
Donelson, retreated with portion of his brigade
to Nashville. Upon his arrival in that place, he
was enthusiastically welcomed by the citizens, and
in response to the calls of an immense crowd who
visited him at his quarters, spoke as follows:
This said Gen +. sis not the time for speaking
but for action. It time for every man now that
loved his country to enlist in the army and for the
war. Not day ought to be lost" He spoke
feelingly of the fight at Fort Donelson where only
O,OOO effective men fought sor four DAYS and
nights against force of 10000 of the enemy,
But nature could not hold out any louger-men
required rest. and after having lost over onethir
of his gallant force he was compelled to retire.
not, however, without leaving over 1000 dead Of
the enemy the field. He spoke in high terms
of General Sidney Johnston, whom he said had
not slept wink in three nights, and also that his
plan was wise one to entce the enemy to our
mountain businesses away from the water courses