The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1862-02-28
tn. Battfe of Fort non.,son

One of the editors of the Chicago Post,
who vas present at the siege Of Fort Don>
elson gives the following particulars of
the battle. They will be found far more
ineligible than the mixed up :elegraphic
reports:
FIELD OF BATTLE. FoRr DoSELsoF,
Sunday night Feb. IS.
The day is ours All honor and glory
to cur brave volunteers of the west. They
have wiped out the disgrace of Bull Run.
They have taken position stronger than
Manassas aud gained position more i'm
portant 10 it's results, and It's moral effect,
than any that has vet been won. But
thew have bled terribly to gain it, and the
blackenng corpses that strew the heights
around this fertilization furnish terrible
evidence of the unfinching courage and
awful determination with which they
| fought.
How shall describe that fght-that
seriss eftorrible engagements constituting
one grand battle, beginning on Thursday
morning and terminating in glorious tri
unph on the SABBATH morn, No one per
son could behold it ell, nor in any possi>
bic way to qualify himself to testify as an
original witness to the many events that
were Transporting at oDe snd the same time
on different parts Of the extensive and
mountainous field. Those who have seen
both, .ay tina. the ground in lis uneveness
and wooded character much nb!es
that Of Manassas bu. that the inequali
ties are greater, tie hills higher, the ra
vines deeper and roads (where there were
ANY,, muddisr. It was a region extending
for some FIVE or six miles around the sx>
tensiye Notifications which have received
the name of Fort Donelson-but which
some sycophantic newspaper young man
will probably soon dub with the name of
Gen. Grsnt, or some other. Such vans
ties are in the wors: possible taste, and re>
feet no praise upon the officers VITO quiet
IL accept The soh impeachment.
In order to gain correct idea Of the
battle it will be necessary to have cor
rec. ides Of the character Of the rebel for
tifca.ions. The fort $50 called, though
properly I'D sntrenched camp, crowns
the summit Of hill one hundred feet high
on the left bank of the stream, just W here
its general courss turns toward the north.
1t encloses an area CT about ona hundred
and sixty acres. The hill slopes gradually
down to the river, and on its face, some
40 or 40 feet above the water, is q range
Of water batteries, mounting twelve guns
eight 30 Founders, one ten inch shell
gun manufactured st tho Tredgs7 works
Richmoud), and one immense ri1ed gun
from the same works. and two 81 pound
howtzers. These constitute the defences
Of the place against assault BY water. On
ell other sides Of The fort, the ground sinks
Immediately into deep rayine, who're
and on the opposite side hills, the ground
is covered with felled trees. Across this
ravne, entertainments and ranges Of rife
pits sre thrown up en- the surrounding
hills, in such way that each hill is made
an independent Redan, yet supported by
and supporting each Of It's fellows. I am
told that the engineer, Capt Dixon who
constructed the works, salected as his plan
that Of the famous Russian engineer Todtl
ben for the works in the Crimea. 1t is
said by skillful engineers in our army that
if the rebels had had force sufficient to
man all parts of the fortifcations, an army
Of three hundred thousand men could not
have dislodged them. But their very
strength was their weakness. Instead Of
having an army of $4,000, the least mum
Der that would be required, they had less
than $4,000. Many of their officers say
they had only IL 600 but the figures show
plainly $4,000 This force was insufficient
to defend all parts Of the extensive works
against force Of more than double their
number.
But tho s0utherners fought brsvelv and
desperately, if not at all times quite hon
sstIy, Whom on the first day Of the bat
tie our infantry on the right attempted to
storm their position on one Of their fsrti-
cd hills, they repulsed them because they
we're able to shoot in safety from fife pits
while our soldiers were in open field, or
sheltered only by thin woods But when
they came out of their pits after US, we
stood on equal terms. and our bows after
some bard fighting drove them back. If
our soldiers did not stand their BULLETS
where they bad no chance to play back.
theirs did not stand our bullets in q fair
stand up fighs. And he next day show
ed that the rascaIs were not willing to
take their chances Of being shot, evan in
their rifle pits, for they had placed par
apet of logs on their breasworks with q
crack wide enough to shoot through, thus
protecting their heads from the never fail
ing aim of Birge's sharpshooters. These
fellows with their heavy western rifles
would clip the whiskera Of a squirrel at
500 yards.
Th. results of the fighting on Thursday
we're that our troops were repulsed on the
right flank and the enemy gained posses
aion of the ground which Gen. MoC!er-
nsnd had occupied for three DAYS. The
gunboat Carondolet had wasted about 100
shot and shell at long range, without do
ing them any damage. The enemy were
highly ela'ed and confident.
On Friday 1000 fresh troons arrived
and entered the field, but fighting between
The infantry was no. resumed ill towards
evening. The gunboats opened their bat,
teries at B p. ~, and poured terrific
storm of shot and she'll until half past 4
when two of them were temporsrilv die,