Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1862-02-27
Charles City, Iowa, February 81, 1862.


1he 81. Louis Republican of tht
18th has the following account of tn,
fighting at Fort Donclson on the Sat
urday previous:
just at daylight heavy sortic was
made by the garrison from the left
portion of .heir works. This attacl
was made upon the extreme right
wing Of the Union army, where it was
weakest. Part of Gen. Netherlands
division, under Col. Oglcsby, consist
ing of his brigade, was stationed
there, and also Schwartz and McAllis.
ter's batteries. .. g..
The point was upon ridge leading
into the right redoubt, and was situa
ted just above the main fort. During
the night the enemy could be heard
busily at work, but what at, it was
impossible to tell, as thickets and
woods encompassed the Union troops
on every side, rendering the view, in
any direction, almost impossible. Al
daylight large body of the enemy
suddenly appeared on the extreme
right wing of Col. Oglesby's command
and opened a terrible fire with cannon
from redoubts, playing at the same
time upon our forces from guns placed
in position on the night previous.
The camp of the Twenty-ninth and
Thirty-first Illinois was most exposed,
and the whole brigade was at once
formed into line as follows: Tho
Eighteenth Illinois held the extreme
right, Eighth Illinois next, the Thrift.
eth Illinois next, then the Twenty
ninth Illinois supporting the right of
Capt. Schwartz battery, and the Thir-
ty-first Illinois defending the artillery
on the left. @n
From the firing of the first gun un.
til . o'clock, the battle ragged unrcmit.
tingly and with fearful force OH both
sides. Again and again our troops
drove the enemy back, but they were
often reinforced, while our troops had,
owing to the extended lines Of our ar.
my, and also their position on the cx-
treme right, to fight unassisted. More
gallant fighting never took place than
that of the Union troops, exposed to
the terrible firing of thrice their num-
ber. They stood their ground until in
some regiments every officer was Kill
led or wounded. At last, and reluct.
antly, regiment by regiment, they
slowly fell back, leaving Schwartz's
battery and three of McAllistcr's guns
in the rebels hands.
Retiring a few hundred yards, they
again made stand, and Gen. Smith
arrived with rcinforcements and at
once drove the enemy again into their
works. In the first Of the battle was
also General Wallace's brigade, the
twelfth, eleventh, seventeenth, and
forty-eighth, also Col. McArthur's brig
ade, all of which troops suffered Sc
verely. Opposed to them were IL 900
rebels. supported by guns placed care
fully in position. '.r...
Gen. Grant having command of a
division. drove the enemy back with
reinforcemcnts aud gained the lost
ground at once. He ordered an ad-
vance by Gen. Smith on the left,
charging under hot fire up the steep
hill, on which was the outer redoubt.
Our troops gained the high breast,
works, and with hardly pause went
over them, planting the Stars and
Stripes on the wall under most gal
ling fire. They formed and charged,
and drove the rebels back until they
fell into a new position behind some
batteries.
When evening came the Union
troops had been victorious ut every
point, having gained back the ground
lost in the morning. and got within
part of the enemy's works. Our
troops held their position during the
night, repeiling the repeated assaults
The scene within the captured fort af-
ter the surrender, showed how terri
bly, the rebel garrison had suffered
Everywhere were lying fragments of
shells and round shot, half buried in
the earth tents were torn to pieces,
guncarriagcs broken, aud blood scat.
tered round. aims a..t gs HEs
In the left redoubt, where the as
sault had taken place, the dead bod
les lay thickly, and abundant evidence
of the stern resistance and gallant at
tack was visible. On the extreme
right. half mile distant where the
desperate sortie was made by the gar.
rison, similar scenes were visible.
The gallantry Of the Union troops
has been well and severely tested aud
they have proved more than equal to
the task before them.
As the fleet approached the Fort
this morning salute was fired, and
loud cheers went up when the Ameri.
can flags were visible.
No officer in the army had an idea
of Fort Donelson's defences until they
had been gained and examined. v
Several regiments, when ont Of ammu
niton, rushed forward, and although
exposed to the full fire of the rebel
artillery, gallantly drove their assail
ants back with the bayonet and cap
turcd their guns.
The following are the names of somo
of the rebel officers captured Col
CAN'T, Col. VOORHEES,, Col. Forest, Col
Brown, and Col. Abernethy.
Correspondence of the Chicago Tribuncl
BATTLE FIELD NEAR FIR DoSErsoN.
February 10th, 1862.