The Evansville daily journal., 1862-02-28
Field Order Re Donsfson-EElo loqueEAt
OmciaI TRfbufe to the vkctOrs.
HEADQUARTERS FIRsT DIvisfoN,
FT. DoNELsoN, February p, 1862.
FIELD ORDER NO. l45

FIELD ORDER NO. I45.
Officers and Men of the First DiUision Of The /
AaUaace Forces: E #
You have continually led the way in the
valley of the Lower Mississippi, the Ten
nessee and the Cumberland. You have car
Eried the flag of The Union further South
than any other land forces marching from
the interior toward the seaboardl
Being the FIRST division to enter Fort
Henry, you also pursued the enemy for
miles, capturing from him in his flight six
field pieces, many of his standards and flags,
/ a number of prisoners and a great quantity
Following The enemy. TO this place, you
were the FIRST to encounter him outside OF
his intrenchments, and drive him within
them. k @H @ %
Pursuing your advantage, the next dsy.
being on the right, you advanced upon his
lines, in the face of his works and batteries,
end for the time sileneed them.
The next day skirmislling all along his
j left, you daringly charged upon his re-
doubts under a deadly Ere of grape and
canister, and were only prevented from TAX
ing them by natural obstacles, and the ac-
cumulated masses which were hurried for
4 ward to defend them..
The next day you extended your right in
the face of newly erected batteries quite 10
the Cumberland, thus investing his works
for nearly two miles.
The next day, after standing nnder arms
for two days and nights, amid driving
: storms of snow and rain, and pinched by
hunger, the enemy advanced ia force 70
, open the way to his escape. By his own
confession, formed in a column of ten sue
cessive regiments, he concentrated his at
tack upon single point. You repulsed
7 him repeatedly, from Z to Il o'clock A. If
often driving back his formidable Odds
Thus, after three days fighting, wheE
: your ammunition was exhausted, yon fell
back until it came up, and reformed a see
ond line in his face. 80
9 Supported by fresh troops, under the LEAD
o of a brave and able officer, the enemy wa.
a again driven back, and by combined ad
vance from all sides, was finally defeated
His unconditional surrender the next da,
consummated the victory.
Bndiverted by any other attack for nea
. four hours from any other part OF our lines
Il the enemy was left to Concentrate ilis attael
n with superior numbers upon yours Thus
Z while yen were engaged for longer tim
than any other of our forces, you wese sub
= iected to much greater loss -
The battle field festiies to your galor an
censtancg. Even the magnanimity Of th
il enemy accords 70 yon an unsurpassed hero
,e ism, and an enviable and brilliant share i
!, the hardest fought battle aud most deeisiv
victory ever fought aud won on the Amer
1 ican continent. s =
Your trophies speak for themselves; the
Of consist of many thousand prisoners, Tort
= pieces of cannon, and extensive magazine
a Of all kinds of ordnance, quartermaster
!, and commissary stores. es.
o The death knell of rebellion is sounded
ts an army has been annihilated, and the wa
q to Nashville and Memphis is opened. Til
re momentons fact should, as twill, encoarag
o. you to perseveres in the path of glory.
* must alleviate your distress for your bras
comrades who have fallen or been woundeI
Il will mitigate the grief of bereaved wivs
,e and mourning parents and Kindred.
- viii be your claim to place in the affe'
" tions Of yonr country ,.and upon bla,
Oned page of history.
BY order Brig. Gen. McClernand CONG
n - = A. SCHWARTZ,
i Capt. and Act. Chief of Staff