Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1862-04-05
lETTEn FROM =. O. CHEsNUr.

Through the kindness of Mrs. SHARP
we are permitted to publish the following
letter recently received from her brother,
who belongs to Birge's Corps of Sharp
Shooters, conspicuous in the assault. upon
Fort Donaldson. The writer, Thomas 0.
Chesnut, was formerly resident of Sioux
City, and we doubt not bis narration Of
the battle will interest many of our read
ers.-ED .js..
Fort DONALDSON, Feb. 2sth, 1862.
Dear Sister Il have the extreme plea
sure Of carefully perusing letter from
you which have this moment received -
l am very glad to hear that you are well
and enjoying yourselves. Your letter did
not find me at Sturgeon City. ! left there
on tie 18th inst, and went to St. Louis
from thence we were ordered to Cairo, and
from thence to Fort Henry. We arrived
there on the night Of the 9th, just few
days after it had been taken by the Union
forces We remained there until the NOR.
ming Of the 18th, when we took up the
Gas oF naarsh for Fort Doaslsoa On the
Cumberland river-distance from Fort
Henry twelve miles We arrived within a
half mile of the enemies breast works the
same day, and lay there in the leaves
until daylight, without fire. had been
sick all day-was sick when started in
the morning, but would not stay behind
the company. When we stopped in the
evening was compelled to lie down q
while before | was able to spread down my
bankets-but finally got better and
made my bed, lay down and rested pretty
well, though weak. This was Thursday
morning, 18th inst, and our regiment was
ordered to commence the Fighter open
the ball as we say here--and | can assure
you that the Sharp Shooters were all up
TOR fight, and a sick man would feel well
enough in short time. There was a
strip of woods between where We were
ehcamped and the enemys breast works,
and then the rebels had cut down the tim
bers all around their breast works for
some three hundred yards. The Sharp
Shooters marched out to the edge Of this
fallen timber, and the rebels were stand.
ing On their breast works in large nun
bers, and did not dream of the Sharp
Shooters being in the neighborhood until
we marched out to the edge Of the timber
and opened Gre on them. Those that
we're not knocked off, got off a. double
quick. When our guns would crack you
could see rebels 60 head long into the
ditch, and can assure you they cid not
seem very particular how or where they
struck.
After the frs. haIf day you could not
see anything more than man. head to
shoot at, and that not very long at a time
We fought them for two days, almost
entirely alone, and without intermis.
sion, except at night We kept the can
non on our side Of the breast-works, most
OF the time silent Whenever o man
would show bis head at or near . cannon
he was shot down Immediately, and by
that means they could not use their artil
lery on our infantry while the latter were
making the charge On the morning of
the third day Saturday. the rebels under.
took to make their escape and break
through our lines, but they found too many
Yankees there. They found them shout
six deep, principally Illinois boys, and
they we're forced TO retreat inside of their
intrenchments. ..-.
There they formed into line and thou ght
they would try it again, but they were
forced to retreat second time with a
heavy loss on both sides. But l think
the rebels suffered little the most This
was early in the morning Of Saturday. The
18th, our regiment was not engaged in this
part Of .hs fight which vss soas two