The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-02-24
The Battle of Fort Donelson.

As we get full reports of the capture Of this
rebel fort we find that much the severest fight
ing on the part of our land forces occurred Sat-
urday. On Thursday there was much sharp
and severe skirmishng by the land forces, and
some excellent practice Of our sharp shooters,
and the Intellectual attempts to storm por-
tons of the encmy's cntrcnchments, of which
We had pretty full reports at the time. The
gunb,ats fought their battle mainly Friday, but
on ,ha, day the fighting on the land side of the
fort is not reported as having been important or
decisive.
OF the battle of Saturday we give some Incl
dents from the correspondence of the city papers
Early on the morning Of Saturday almost
before it was fairly light-the enemy, poured
forth in mass of not less than three thousand
men, hurled themselves with tremendous force
against the Forty fifth and Twelfth Illinois Reg
ments, that were nearly on the extreme right.
Accompanying them were twelve batteries of
Artillery. The Forty-ffth and Twelfth sustain
ed the shock mGntully for IL short time, and
then withdrew. The Eighteenth and Ninth H.
inos soon after came to their support, and tor
short time held the enemy to IL check. Soon
after, the Thirteth, Thirty first, and Eleventh
Illinois Regiments, the Eighth Missouri, Fifty
eighth Ohio, and Twenty-f h Kentucky, and
Willard Battery were added to the National
forces, and the fight became Of terrific proper
tions. McAlis,er's Battery took position on an
eminence, and for four hours their heavy TWEEN
| ty-luur FOUNDERS were not silent for single in
slant. During all this time they were exposed
to heavy fire from the Rebels, who had erected
batteri 20 as to command McAlistcr's position
from three polnts-two directly in front, and
On his right. Taylor's Battery stood u little
to the rear OF the other and to the left-the
other National batteries were distributed at Va.
rious points along the line, as the nature Of the
ground would permit-all kept the air ncess-
anty filed with their music, and with showers
of grape and she'll
This is out an outline of the position of the
national forces for there can be strictly no cor
rect account gwen, as at no time during the
fight were the regiments stationary. Now they
pushed forward again fell back, withdrew, and
we're replaced by others. The fight itself was
prolonged and desperate. Now it rolled over u
hill anon poured along ravine, always III the
woous, ana always making its track IN charac
tiers of blood. The conflict was not conducted
according to any particular military plan-meu
stationed themselves behind trees, logs, rocks
and anything that would afford shelter, anc
blazed away whenever hostile head appeared
The lwenty-ffth Kentucky Regiment was on
the extreme right, and was attacked by swarm
Of the enemy with such vgor that they broke
and fled in disorder. AT another part of TIL,
National line the attack was conducted by sucl
overwhelming numbers that the line was broker
through, ana the battle seemed wel-nigh likely
to become total rout on the part Ol the Ma
tlonal forces. 1t was a. this last gap broker
through the National line that McAlllster'
Battery was stationed, and where Tor u time i
Tell into the hands OF the rebels The batter,
had only $50 rounds Of ammunition, and a.
ab,ut zen clock these were all fired away
not single shot was left. Capt. McAllistcr il
vain endeavored to obtain supply from tin
rear shot from the enemy passed through
three OF his horses; another tore Oft the traI
from one Of the guns; third smashed thu
wheel of second gun. Just at this time
heavy force of the enemy obtained II cover nea
him, and opened FIRE at about two hundred yaro
with musketry. Eitching SIX horses to the on
ly unchanged gun, he endeavored to haul j
off, but the weight was 30 great and the road il
such muddy condition that it was found i'm
possible to get along with it, and after draggin.
IT half mile it became mired, and he was re
luciantly obliged to leave il. The horses wer
driven Of, dragging the limbers and empt,