New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-02-17
THE LATE FIGHT AT DoNELsON
a Most Gallant Defense The Garrison
Rescued by the Gunbeats-20O Rebels
SIuiu.


Sluin.
Cerre,p oudence Of The n. Y. Tribune.
CAIRO, Feb. II, 1863.
No detailed account Of the late fight at Fort Dom
elson has yet appeared In the papers. In fact, the
telegraphc mention Of tina; important engagement
represented bu. few OF its leading features; and as
have just returned from the immediate scene OF the
conflict, propose TO present an outline at least to
your readers.
Early Oh the morning Of the Sd inst, Col. A. c.
Harding of tue S3l Illinois, who was in command Al
For, Donelron, was informed by scouts that heavy
force Of Rebels were marching to attack him, aud
that they would be upon him before night His
force 10 the fort consisted Of lis own regiment o.
about 5OJ men fi for duty, one company Of the 9Th
Iowa Ca,alry. and Capt. floyds battery Of artil-
lsry. Toe arr, thing Col. Harding did Was 10 as'
certain a. uesry US possible the enerny's strength.
For this purpose i.o sent out scents R1d trusted
Union rnnn Of tho neigh5orhood who returned ny 10
A. m, with the information that the Rehels, under
forrest and Wheeler, were approaching, ana thht
thew were between ave and seven thousand strong.
Col. Harding iolmedi.iely telegrsphed this intel
lirsnce 10 Col. ". w Lowe, at Fort Henry, and
kei for rrsnforce meas. Col. Lowe IL ~ com.
nand OF the district embracing Forts Henry. He
u n aua DoussoD. An answer was immediately
returned. in witch Col. Lowe sald bis meu were all
ont scouting; that lac hal no reenforcements to send
mill they returned, but that Col liarcing should
hold the plsoe at all hazards until suQset, when he
would receive aid. On this Assurance Harding
prepared 10 make toe best defense he could. Al IL
clock bis pickets driven 10, AM some of them
cartnr,d tiy two clock tho Rebels bad fairly in
vested tho Fort, and the contest began
Eurred doubtless knew the exact strength OF tho
garrison and prrctey tho beet points Of attack, FOR
hs .p,es are daily in and out Of all three forts az
will They are generally citizens who proiess 10y
atty and the face of csneer are as meek as suck
Dg doves bat, the moment an opportunity Is Of
r,et they aid the Rebellion in every possible way.
N,,withsian1 ding all tbis, however the Rebel alI-
proscl was cautious in the extreme. The pluck and
,oufsge Of Col. Harding and his men bnd been tTir
aid \ dO.sed resstance was aDticit atct The
Rebels eoamenced the action by throwing cold suot
tom "a SIX yJund gun. While tie infantry made fev-
er,l fin,s 40 though Ihey would storm rho works
Ine plin o. the garrison was an admirable Ons, ana
well adhered TO throughout. Ii was. TO De perfectly
cool Abd waste 10 ammunition IA long range fring
Tbey dIi not exactly wait " ill they could see the
white of the Rebels eyes' but they allowed them
T., g ma WITHIN good ride distance when our sharp
n ote,s would lex item OH by tie scofe~ Bot little
WIS done with arlllery In tact, II seems that
but one 32-pourd piyo. gun was III d posihoh wnefo
i could he ufed.
Arrr this Kind Of derulsory and irregular ilhting
ha1 been kent 40 40 noue or more, the Rebels sent
iu.ftg OF truce with the drnIad That lhc garrrOA
aho,.a surrender. Iul- WA promptly aud l,eremp-
rldiv refused by Col. Harding. Inc nag returned,
aud .Ge &c wns renewed 10 pretty inuca zoe Same
manner is .slOie--tLo Rebels. however, becoming
holder. AID y. essing us closer, and uNhIug their
inye.tmsut vi The Tort more hLd more Complete. Ia
ftc'. thiu,s began 70 wear doubtful aspect. Oar
io,rr in tic oF kept up Its old actcs. aud red only
when there WAS prospect oil making Rebel bite
tho dust. At T. N. FJ.re-e sent III alo' .r nas oi
truce. demanding a surrender. Said tue Rebel oil
Ger who Accompanied l.. " You may Just ss We'll
surr. rJer NOW rs tomorrow morning, Tor We arc
bonnd 10 rave tue place, and You wish II. Why,
Won haven't seen moro than hah oar men yet
Got usrdlug nl,er turning nI5 quid tine OF TWO,
reyii ii: ~ eli, 40 back ant tell Sour General hc
WI b tye 10 u.ng out the rest Of hls men All
then 10 added, after moAieny % reelection, " We
won. surTtuder.
Col lurdiaf knew nothing OF the kind OF and le
w.. Ia receive or from what quarter II was coming.
Rel,ing oh Col. loves promise bee resolved TO h0d
tLa Ior 10 the last.
ON The niormn. of the 81, Il fleet OF forty-two
tranrporis conveyed by the ganbotts Lexington
and fairp play, COMMANDED by CAPT Leroy frch o.
ind Ina; vt Cialr, CAPT. j. ). Iiud OF ken.
cnuati; Silver Lake, Capt. hobt. kelIlry OF Penn
,lysnla; and thv X ID, Capt d. Cloudy OF CinCln.
mali. had started IRON bmttldnd Tor Nashville, aud
nt t,c time o! the attack we're WITHIN twenty niles
IL DobeIson. Col Lowe,,Hware OF this Tact, di--
pntchad "a boat dosn TO the fleet ordering the gun.
%
which they Gid, arriving ~ tie scene vi action AZ
H. M ia tue meaniine the Rebels had made
.yrry pr.puratipn Tor hual attack. Their advance
had ben IRON tue East aud up the river, iron the
fort and nov they bad extended their lines I'll III r
,,h ,.ted ON the graveyard nc The top o. the hill
nt ll,lr I.lt on the river above. They were thIs
n, tire. ii or oil u.s. and the river wdA II rear.
,,nr iniuuniiun Wa nearly exhausted as were also
lne men, At this Junctnre bOty of Rebel IN
fantry led ~ a borsem"n attempted TO get III the
rner OF the r., OGuder aud tAts II By casn, yut
uI h,cu double hhOtted with Bsape hnd canltleT and
.eve,,tlIrg y.s prepared 10 receive thea. They
x,r an wed 10 approach very ucar, and Lhe hOrse-
~ an thhing oil his hat and wavlD II IN the air
uraa,o that all WAS rghl dasneu up 10 tnc mouth Of
me run exciaimibg, You damned Lincoln hOuuns
why don't you SURRENDER. AT mat moment the
an, WAS sthnrged, killing his horse and man Ing
lila BODY in IA horrible manner. Ar ne ie he grnsped
Ina. b,rres name and hrm was the death grip tuaC
mex day when the fragments were gathered up for
bnr.l. ine hair was still remaining IN ais clutch,
from which n was never dissnEsKed.
IA soon rs the guBboats arrived and the enemy's
po,,tion Wa aseerained they divided. the Falrpay
and Lexington gong above and the rest romAiaiug
below the iort The tairpmy opened with Crane
and shrapnell, the Lexington loO SinS IN the same
merry siiun The chorus also broke put below The
Tort, and tue matter was soon ended The Rebels
were struck wIth horror, and thought only now To
escape. Pei. mell they went, Lorse, loot, ana
draroon." Tne garrison IN the io;t ceased hrIng as
soon the gunboas came up, being content 10 Keep
out II The range OF the guns on the boats. uhioh
pr.oner heart one Rebel officer remark TO another
- The Cd d-n gunboats have come and us time
for us to be getting away" and 30 they did get
away. -
Next day 900 Rebels were buried and Whist was
rather remarkable, they were nearly all SHOT In the
head and breast, doubtless by our rharrshoV'efs
Col lIcNairys body was recognized by several VINO
had been well accnsiuted with him. The R'b"'s
carried away The most Of their wounded. Inc wgnt