The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-02-22


Country not saieable at over tic.
GROCERIES unchanged and quiet.
e9 We published yesterday a long &C
count of the battle Of Fort Donelson, taken
from the Missouri Democrat. The corres-
pondent Of the Republican publishes some
additional particulars, which we copy. It
gives the 18th Indiana Regiment the credit
of storming the Redan instead of the SD,
as stated by the Democrats correspondent
While the last action was taking place.
Gen. Grant ordered an advance by Gen..
Smiths division upon the left Gedoubt.-
Those who saw the command given, say the
old veterans eyes (Gen. Smith has grown
grey in the regular service) flashed with
delight as he rode off. He is man of few
words, and, SOLDIERS, that Eedoobt must be
taken" told them W hat vas before. The
Second and Seventh lows. and Twenty-fifth
Indiana leading, dashed ap the hill under
terrible FIRE, and without faltering mo-
ment, regularly as If on parade, entered the
redoubt, delivered one volley, and charging
bayonets drove the whole rebel force of the
works concentrated there, back three hum
dred yards to a new position behind two
guns, placed so as to sweep the INTERIOR
Gen. Smith, who had been the first to enter,
ordered his men to fall out of range. From
behind breastworks and other spots less ex-
posed the troops continued a destructive
fire, holding their position for an hour, re-
peatedy repelling charges by the enemy.
Shot fell and shell burst around from
every gun that could be turned upon
them, but after entering the works, al
though for an hour exposed to treble their
number, they never retreated. Three stan
dard bearers crept along by an angle of the
WALL and planted their flags within three
hundred yards of two rebel cannon. The
secession rage was great, two shots were
directed at the hated ensigns, and a dozen
bold adventures were picked off by the
sharp-shooters while endeavoring to reach
and tsar them down. The flags hoated I'M
injured not a star or stripe being injured
when taken away and placed upon Fort
Donelgon itself next morning. Meanwhile,
re-enforcements had arrived, and Capt.
Stone, Of CavenderAs Missouri Artillery,
came up with two of bis guns and placing
them within the redoubt at once opened
Gre upon the enemy. Its effect was appar-
emit by that of the latter slackening, and
had it not become dark the enemy would
have been drigan completely away, and the
main fort itself stoEmed. When night
closed in, the army rested on the ground it
had gained. Gen. McCleEnands division,
on the right wing was ready for an adj
vance next morning, and Gen. Smith, on
the left was within their works. These
advantages had not been gained WithOnt
loss. Passing among the camps, officers
would point sometimes to where dozen or
less guns were stacked, as those Of what
had been IN the morning q full company.
Among the regiments suffering most Sc
verely were the Seventh and Second Iowa,
the Thirty first Eighteenth, Eleventh and
Forty-nnith Illinois, and Twenty-hfth In
diana. On the two battle grounds the
scenes were fearful. The snow W6s 30 tho
roughly saturated with blood, that it seemed
like red mud as you walked around in it,
Men writhing in agony, with their arms,
feet, or legs torn of, many begging to be 1
killed, and one poor fellow saw deliriOus,
who laughed hideously as he pointed to-
mutilated -stumpy which had an hour ago
been. his arm. One old man, dressed in
homespun, with hair white as snow.swas
sitting moaning feebiy against a wall. A
fragment OF shell had struck him upon the
head, bursting off his scalp as if detached
from the skull by knife, and causing il to
hang suspended from the forehead over his
face. Instances of suffering were on every
manu. anu a0deu u Gn6 F6foitnB nOFEoHS VI
the two fields. A young Southern officer
who had gave his name as Chas Sey mour, of
Memphis, we fonnd on the side of a ravfne.
A ball had passed through his breast and
he had a finger upon the wound, vainiy en-
deavoring to stop the flow which was issu-
ing out. He gave to US little square
block of dark wood, set in frame of gold,
and requested it to be sent to his mother in
Memphis. Some event long past, hidden
history, perhaps was corrected with the
strange memento. Bodies of Union soldiers
dressed in uniform and Southern ones
clothed in hemespun were strewn around.
The loss must have been nearly equal, about
eight hundred on each side. 1t appeared
the events of the day had convinced Gen.
Buckner that further resistance was use
Less. a07 /
General Orders, No. 43. zt-f si