Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1862-03-03
An INTERFERING ARnY LETTER.

FOsf DoNELsoN, Tenn, FEB. 10
BURR ASDRsws-De0 SIR :--Douot.
less you have heard Of the capture Q!
Fort Donelson, and the particulars OF
the fight. l was in the thickest OF 1t,
but did not get hit with bullet, though
l was struck in the breast with the butt
OF a musket, which knocked me OIL the
breastworks and disabled mo tor an hour
or so. Our troops had been lighting on
the right for three days, and were re.
pulsed with great loss. Our regiment
were stationed on the extreme lett OF the
Division, the most important position,
as it brought Us close under the enemys
guns. The night before we made the
charge, was bitter cold, the worst That
| ever experienced. We had nothing
to eat or drink, and could not sleep, IS
we had no blankets with us. When We
got the order to charge on the breast
works at the point of the bayonet, We
looked at each other, as much as to say,
We are "gone up but as looked along
the line, l could see d46rmination on
the faces of the men to obey the order
at any cost, The left wing made the
frat charge, which brought our company
to the front; and it was the first to 60
over the works. 1t was q desperate
charge. We had to 60 up a steep hill
over logs, brush and stumps. As soon
as they saw our heads, they opened a
most deadly fire on us. / did not think
one OF US could live to get to the works;
but there was no faltering, but with q
shout, we went on determined to take
them or die. Here our best men fell
among them our Captain, the pride OF
the regiment. My file leader and right
hand man, both fell dead. Such calm
ness as our men displayed, would not
have believed if had not seen it. We
kept cheering one another on-"go in,
Davenport boys!'' aud such like. II
the rebels had not been towards, but had
stood and took deliberate aim at us,
there would not have been many of us
left. We did not fire q gun, until we
had scaled the works. As soon as they
saw our bayonets on the works, they ran
like so many sheep, and We began pour
ing the lead into them. Gen. Smith
said we should have all the support we
wanted but we fought inside the works
for more than two hours without any
help. Every one fought on his own
hook, after we got inside-some behind
trees and others behind stumps, driving
the enemy foot BY foot, and if we had
h al help in time we would have driven
them out at the other side of the fort
The most of our officers behaved we'll.
Capt. Bob Littler hid behind tree and
did not go up the hill. He is "gons up
We held our ground that night, and
slept on our arms.
The next morning the fort surren-
dered Internationally, and the Iowa
Second was the first regiment to march
into the fort, and the first to plant its
flag on the ramparts Of Fort Donelson.
AS we passed by our own regiment, they
sent up cheer after cheer-even the
rebels themselves, cheered us as we passed
by their lines. Iowa need not feel
ashamed OF her troops. Gen. Hamilton
tried to disgrace the Second Iowa Regi-
ment, in St. Louis, but he cannot do it.
We met the two best regiments in the
South, and wiped them out-they
owned it themselves, after we had taken
them prisoners. They are better set
of men than Missourians, and they fought
well, but nothing could stand our charge.
The most of our boys wanted to get
into fight, but they are sick Of it now.
As tor myself, l hope l shall never be
called upon to 90 through the scenes
that l went through that day. You
have no idea of 1t it must be seen to be
appreciated it is awful.
Our flag was shot through thirteen
times, and was shot down three times,
but it was soon raised by brave men.
Everything in the fort is in perfect con-
fusion piles Of bacon, molasses, sugar,
shoes, tents, rice, flour, guns. rifles,
knives, pistols, dead rebels, etc. We
will start for Clarksyille to-day or to.
morrow, and so on to Nashville, If they
do not show the Stars and Stripes. The
gun-boats did not injure the enemy here.
The rebels are getting pale; l think
they will soon give up. have got no
place to write, so you must excuse this
letter. My respects to all.
Yours, CHAs. D. RoGERs.
Ex.SpEAKER PENNINGTON KILLED BY