Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-02-20
.nArrIE OF roRT DoNHLsoN,
roou..DOna.ucs Of The Richmond whls.l
FRosr OF FoRr DoSEIsoS,

-f req. 81, 1900
The booming of the cannon has scarcely ceased as
snatch moment to inform you of one OF the most hoty
contested fights of the war. And, desperate as the
sighting was strange osay, the loss on either side was
Insignificant The enemy was protected by his breast
works. and troops, by the excitement and widenr-
ing of the foe About the last of January, Gen. Whee-
ler fresh from the Cumberland, and fatigued with q
difficult campaign started out in his ambulance one
night and travelling constantly, arrived the next even
ing in Franklin where he had ordered Gen. Forrest,
Wharton and Maj HodgSon, Commanding part of the
lst brigade,) to rendezvous. Taking up the line Of
march thence to Dover the command traversed nearly
hundred miles over miserable roads in weather severely
cold The progress Of the artillery being arduOus the
march was necessarily SLOW AT two o'clock, Feb Sd,
our troops came into position before the outworks in
front of Dover the pquets and skrmishers OF the ene
my being driven Mold Doneson, you remember, is
dismAntled) A flag Of truce was sent to COL Hardin
of the SD Illinois regiment demanding the surrender
of the fortA He refused and as we afterwards under
stood took occasion then to harangue his troops INFORM
ing them that if captured they would all be slaughtered
Our batteries were now in position TO command the
outworks The fort is constructed in the centre OF the
town. around the Court House-the outworks and rife
pits surround the town in semicirce, end resting
upon the river The of the town is unforted and
unprotected beyond the guns Of the inner FORT which
sweep the streets in that direction. Hardly had the
flag reached our lines before the artillery of the enemy
opened upon u.s. Gen. Wharton, with his men dismount-
ed had gained the rear Of the town. while Gen. Forrest
with his brigade mounted, and in line Of battle stood
under the brow of hill in front; Wheeler on'a hill
that commanded view of the Whole scene had charge
of the battle. He dispatches two aids to order the
charge The guns of batteries belch forth their
hurting iron and their sound is not echoed back before
they again sweep the outworks Forrest turns in his
saddle tells his troopers that "they must plant their
banners upon the inner works before Wharton comes
up on the other side and orders the charge. The bu
gle sounds His brigade in line more than mile long,
at first walks off, Forrest is in its 'front.' 1t gains
the eminence shower of bullets greet it. As if dis
dainful of the enemy the horsemen strike trot
until they have descended to the bottom of the hill
The fire of the enemy is furious On the next hill
are the rAepits and bitches The bugle sounds again.
but now its notes are more thrilling and rapid The
General of hundred battles rises in his strrups and
valves his sword. The dash forward at full speed.
The earth fairly trembles beneath their tread Woe
to hose poor fellows. What storm Oflead is thinning
their ranks. They will be repulsed, No! Hurrah |!
The enemy leaves his rHepts. On go the horsemen at
| full charge Now they are among the rife-pit. Now
they jump the ditch. Now they pursue the fugtives
into the town. Now they up to the main fort itself
We expected every moment to the Confederate flag
on the parapet. The enemy has taken refuge in the
houses The Yankees fire both from them and the fort Our
brave boys can 90 no further They falling every
moment They must retire Slowly they fall back, dis
j mount and charge again Again they gain the town.
Again the fire from hidden foe drives them back. The
ammunition is spent, night is coming on and the COM
| mand is at last ordered from the field.
Just at this crisis gunboas come into action and
/ we retire beyond their range.
While Forrest was charging so calamity Wharton in
the rear was slowly driving them back. He holds
every inch of ground he gains He captures battery
after driving the gunners from it, with his artillery
Such was the precision Of his firing that all the guns
22fgutfan, he also ia forced to retire.
Many instances of individual gAllantry displayed
in this action and the desperation with which gen
orally fought has been surpassed We mourn the
loss of several officers killed and wounded Strange say
our whole loss will hardly amount to hundred in all
/ The loss Of the enemy is less
Unable to close this until the 9th, will add that
the enemy sent out JEFF c. Davis division from Nash vle
TO intercept u.s. Suffice it say they didn't get u.s. 1t
/ is now at Franklin. ALEXANDRIA.