Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-03-27
GENERAL FLoYD's REPORT.
CAlr NEAR MuRr&EsBoR0',
 February Y, lsG2

General A S. Johnston:
 SIR Yonr order of the 18th Of this mouth, transmitted to me from Bowling Green by tc!e- graph to Cumberland city, reached me the same evening. It directed me to repair at once, with what force oodld command, to the support of the garrisOn at z Fort DOneison." mmcUiate pre- pared for my departure, and effected 1t in time to reach " Fort Doueison'' the next me:u,ne, 18th, before daylight. MeaeG.. .s nau been already taken by R..ga,uer Denera Pillow, then in command, to render our resistance 10 the attack of the enemy as effective as possible. He h.d ,,tt activity and industry, pushed forward the defensive works to- wards completion. These de'ences consisted in an earthwork in q Fort D0nclson," in which were mounted guns of different calibre to tl;o uu,nber of thirteen iieiI @o,, intended for tie infantry supports, and constructed immediately behind the battery and upon the summit of the hill in rear.-- Sweeping away from this field work eastward, 60 the extent of nearly two miles in its windngs, waa | line of entrenCl,hcn defended on the outside, at some points, with abattis. These entrcnchments were occupied by the troops already t!ete, and by the addition of those which came upon the field with me. Tie. position of the fort" which was estaLshedb by the Tennessee authorities Was bY no means commanding, nor was the least military sig nfcance attached to the position. The entrcnch- ments afterwards hastily made, in many places, were iniudcously constructed, because of the dis tance they were placed from the brow ot the hll, subiecting the men to heavy fine from tho enc my's sharpshoOtelS opposite, as they advanced to OF retired rom the entrenchmentS. Soon after my arrival the entrenchntentS were fully occunel from one end to the other and just as the au, rose the cannonade from one of tie queuy's gunboats announced the opening Ot the conflict, which wa. destined to continue for three days and nights In a very short time the fire became general along our whole lines, and the enemy, who had already planted batteries at several pont3 around the whole circuit ot our ehtrcnohmenta, as shown by {. diagram herewith sent, opened general and ac- tive fire irdsn all arms upon ou, trenches, which continued until dai kness put an ond to the conflict They charged with NnQ0EnAOn spirit at several points along on the line, but most particularly at | point undeiendcd by entrenchment-, down hol- low which separated the ri9h ,eiI.y under Brgadier General Buckner from the right of the centre, commanded by Col. iIiman '!hiss charge was prosecuted with uNoDtnmon vigOr, bat was met with determined spirit of resistance, cool, de- liberate courage, both by the troops of Epgadier General Buckner and Gel. Hinian, which drove the enemy discomtted and cut to pieces, back upon the position he had assumed in the morning. Too high praise sannot be bestowed uP0n the battery of Captain Porter for eir participation ill the rort of the enemy in this assault My position Was immediately ill front of the point ot attack, and hus enabled to witness more distinctly the ln- ciIents of 1t,
 The enemy continued their fire upon different parts of our entrenchHients throughout tue night, which deprived our men of every opportunity u sleep w. lay that night upon our arms in the trenches We confidently expected at tile dawn ot day more vigorous attack than eyer But in this we were entirely mistaken. The day advanced, and no preparation seemed to be making for ge neral onset. Bat an extremely annoying fire was kept up from the enemy's shafFshootei5 through out the whole length of the entEenohmet:ts, from their long range rifles " hist this mode of attack was not attended with any considerable loss. 1t ne vcrshele-s confined theImen to theig trenches and prevented their taking thelr usual rest. So stood the affairs of the field until , o'clock, r. M, when the fleet of gulboats ll full force sdyance5 upon