The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1862-02-25
THE FALL OF FORT DONELsON.

the reheIs bad III the advantages of position
being well fortified on hills, with The fort o
lower piece ot grounl near the river. FroI
the fort their enir~nchmcnts and riff. pits @,
tended up the river behind the town of Dc
Yer. Their Notifications on the land sd
back from the river, were ut least four mile
in length; their m ntar battery in the cent?
Of their fortifcations, y here il came down I
the river, mounted nine heavy guns.
The rebels We're sure Of success, and in an
other caus. and against less brave troop
could eas'ly have held their position against
hundred thousand men.
The business Of getting different Brigade
! IN POSITION. and attaching new arrivals To dii
fereut commands. took mp the great r portio
"f FRIDAY night. A. ds,l ght on Saturday
/ the enemy opened ou e Is h Illlroi-. wh"l
Ogesby's Br'gaie soon engaged, which va
soon followed by Naiace's aud McArthur'
Brigsdrs, ,.c latte a,,.n!u,l,r McCl,rntnd
| AS the position of the trnops had beer
changed during the night, and General Gran
bad been called away during the night Ia The
gunboats, the mo,encn,- 1t al The trorps ex
ccpt these attached to MClernand'- Dvis
ion, acted without anything rxcept genera
orders. Al the s. e :'slion from NcCernand
General Wallace saut up four Regiments &c
supp,r, his Divi ion, who were nearly out o
ammunition.
From the commencement until 10 O'Clock
the fighting was terrific. The troops on the
right Were disposed NJ follows-McArhur's
Brigade, 9th, l2ih, I7th and 10Th Illinois. -
Next, Oglesbys Brigade. 9th, 18th, got
30th and 3lst Illinois. Schwartz and Dr"s
sor's Battery; next, Wallace'- Brigade, llth
Goth, 45th and Ash Indiana Thee three
Bnga es composed Netherlands DIVISION
We bore the brunt Of the battle; but it was
found that the enemy wero concentrating a
main foIc, to turn our right, which was done
by cur men getting out Of ammunition, and
the Confusion of getting up renforcements,
and reireating about half mile. AS soon
rs the Division which had stood their q ound
manfu, Y for three hours retired, the enemy
occupied he field. when General Grant or
dered General Smith to move forward, his
Division slorminC the encmy's works on our
left. This order was obnyed with great aac-
rity; soon the cheers Of our daring soldiers
were Leard, aud the old hag was displayed
from within the enemy's entertainments.
Ge' rral g ant then sent word to McCler.
naud and Wallace that General Smith WAS
Thin the enemys entrenchmcnts, and or
dering their force 20 move f,rwarl and renew
the attack on the right. Part of General Wal.
lacc's Brigade. the ll,h Indiana, 9Th Nilsson.
ri, and some Ohio Regiments were rapidly
thrown in position, and Company a." Chi.
cago Light ARTILLERY plan cd in The road. A
the rebels, surprising W" were on the retreat,
came yelling out Of the works into the road,
the Chicagn boys poure hail storm of shot
and grape canister into their ranks, s!augh
iering dozens Of them. simultaneously with
this th" Inf ntry commenced firing at their
will and he Rebels went poll NELL hack into
ttrlr works, our men advancing and taking
iposs"ssiun Of the ground lost on a hill; he
side fresh trno Is who had not been in action
were thrown forward. aud rs the shades OF
ug drew on, we were IN a stropg postum.
"tly t. participate in Simultaneous attack
Ia tee ma ie Sunday morniug 10y Oyl' sby's
~ gadr.
WolIa anl McArthur's b gadcs did the
hardest hgh'lBg, aud have suffered terribly.
aud " uld u druItrd.y nave he'd Their hrsl
i,os,,,on, put Tor failure OF ammunition, until
nri'r"d To storm the ammunition wagons
winch were spi," distance If, tue hills pre-
vent NJ their b my moved rapid
Some Of our beet on,,r- aud m"u have gon
10 Their long homes. .uJ har.l, ,nau went
over the field Of battle who md not discover
,ome comrade who had fallen. Among the
lot are three Ll,ut Col ncl>. A, 'ast one
quarter Of all tue 9th Il, Officers ate wounded
or killed.
Early Saturday night a contraction of all
our lines was m de for slIuultaneous assault
from every point, and orders were given by
General Grant to axe the enemy at the rolnt
Of the bayouet. Every man was At hls post,
the 57th Illinois on the extreme right At
lay light the advance Vas made. Wncn the
light of day broke forth, white flags were hung
IN many places on the enemy's works; an OF
ficer at convenient point WAS informed that
they had stacked thei! arms aud surrendered
early in the morning. The following pithy
passed between their conmau-
ders:
HEADQUARTERS, !
FoRT DoSELsoN, Feb. l6, 1862.
SIp In cnnsiIuraIInn nf all fha cIrcn IN