Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-03-10
Rebel Account on the Battle of Fort
DOnelsOn-General pillows official

DOnelsOn-General Pillows official
Report.
We find the following extract from the official
report of General PILLow of the battle of Fort
Donelson. 1t is taken from the Memphis Aua-
lancae:
The operations of the day had forced the en-
tire command of the enemy around to our right
wing, and i'm front of General Buckners position
in the intrenchments, and when his command
reached his position, he found the enemy rapidly
| advancing to take possession of this portion of
his work. He had stubborn conflict, lasting
one and half hours, TO regain it, and the enemy
actually got possession of the extreme right of
his position, and he held il so firmly that he could
not dislodge him. The position thus taken by
the enemy WAS most commanding one, being
Immediately on the rear of our river battery and
/ field work for its protection. From it he could
readily turn the intrenched work occupied by
General Buckner, and attack him in reverse, or
advance under cover Of an intervening ridge di-
recty upon battery and field work. While
/ he held this position, it manifest could
not hold the main work OF battery.
Such was the condition of the armies at
| nghtfall, after nine hours of severe conflict on
/ the 18th inst, in which our loss was severe, and
| lea wing not less than 5000 of the enemy dead
and wounded the field. We left on the field
nearly all his wounded, because could not re-
move them. We left his dead unburied, because
we could not bury them.
! Such conflict and courage has, perhaps, never
before orculred upon this continent. We took
about three hundred prisoners and large numbers
of arms We had fought this battle to open the
way for our army, and relieve US from invest
| ment, which would necessarily reduce US and the
/ position by famine We had occupied the whole
day to accomplish our object, and before we could
prepare to leave. after taking in the wounded
and the dead, the enemy had thrown around
again in the night immense force of fresh
troops. ami re occupied his original position in
the line of investment, thus again cutting Off our
retreat.
We had only about twelve thousand troops, all
/ told OF these. large proportion we lost in the
three battles. The command had been in trenches
| night and day for FIVE days, exposed to the
snow. sieet. mud and ice water, without shell
ter and without adequate covering, and without
/ sleep.
| In this condi ion the General officers held
1 consultation to determine what we should do.
Gen. Buckner gave it as his decided opinion that
/ he could not hold his position one half hour
/ against assault of the enemy, and said the
enemy would attack him next morning at day
| light The proposition was then made by the
undersigned to again fight our way through the
enemy's line, and cut way out. General
/ Buckner said his command was so worn out
/ anu cut 10 pieces anu ueinOllSneu Intt lie cOuiu
not make another fight; that it would cost the
| command three quarters of its present number
TO cut its way through. and il was wrong to
sacrifice three quarters of n command to save
/ a quarter; and that no officer had right to
cause such a sacrifice. General Floyd and Ma
jor Gilmer l understood to concur in this opinion.
| j then expressed the opinion that could
hold out another day, and in that time we could
/ get steamboats, and set the command over the
river. and probably save a large portion of it,
: To this General Buckner replied that the enc
my would certainly attack him mt daylight,
and that he could not hold his position half an
hour.
The alternative of these propositions was
surrender of their position and command Gen.
Floyd said that he would neither surrender the
command nor would he surrender himself a
prisoner. had taken the same position Gen.
Buckner said he satisfied nothing else could
/ be done, and that therefore he would surrender
il placed in command. General Floyd said he
I would turn over the command To him ii he
could be allowed to withdraw his command.
To this Gen. Buckner consented. 1hereupon
Gen. Floyd turned the command over to me.
/ passed il Immediately to Gen. Buekner. say
ing | would neither surrender the command nor
myself prisoner. / directed Col Forrest to
cut his way out. Under these circumstances
Gen. Buckner accepted the command. and sent
flag of truce to the enemy for an armistice
of six hours 10 negotiate for terms Of capitu-
lation. Before this flag and communication
were delivered | retired from the garrison.