Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-02-19
Ane Recent Fight at Fort Donelson.
An Interesting Account.
Correspondence Of the State Journal

posi-. our forces consisted of nine com.
panles OF the SD Illinois. Col. Hsrdinp
two sections OF Floods Qll) Battery, un-
der Lieut.. Moore, and part of one com.
pany OF Jae 9Th Iowa Cavalry. in all. six
hundred effective men. The attacking
force was four thousand fce hundred
strong-some rebel prisoners estimate it
as high as eight thousand-under Wheeler
and Forrest; the former said to have been
lately made Major General. Col. Hard
ing, who was Ia command of the post.
nad one siege gun, 50 FOUNDER, in po-
sltion. Fort DonelSon proper has never
been occupied by our forces. 1t has no
advantages as a position. save to command
the river below. The old village of
Dover, nearly mile farther up The river
has been partially fortified and occupied
by our forces. 1t is surrounded on all
sides by high ridges, frequently broken by
ravines, and partially covered with under
brush and timber. The attack, though
anticipated for week, was not known to
be imminent until noon on Tuesday. the
Sd. At p. m. battery of rebel arti-
lery took position on the ridge to the west.
at the distance of three-fourths of mile,
and opened fire upon the town with she'll.
Soon their artillery was playing upon our
forces from three or four directions and
their forces completely encompassed the
town in semi circle of perhaps three
miles IN extent, from river to river. At
ter thus forinidably displaying the strnr i
of his forces, the rebel General seat flag
of truce to Col. Harding, demanding an
unconditional surrender of the place. 1t
was promptly refused the Colonel de
clariDg he would fight as long "a he had a
man left. The attack was renewed with
great vigor, charge after charge was made
by the retels, who were all mounted, but
the Springfield rifles of the $50 were IN
erring, and each charge resulted in repulse
and score of elnpted saddles. A body
of rebels, dismountipg and leaving their
horses, forced their way into the town,
fired on our men from such houses as thew
could secure, till they were driven ont at
the point OF the bay or captured AT
about p. 10. the rebel Adiutant General
approached our lines waving a whitk
handkerchief
" hat in HI do YOU want now, with
that white rag2n sung out Capt Bond of
the SD. Do you cowardly villains ont
there want 10 surrender
i wish to see your commanding Off
Ger, was the reply.
Capt. Bond shall have to blindfold
you,"-fumbia tor his handkerchief.
give you my word OF honor that I
will report no hing that see,' said the
General.
Capt B.. could not find his handker
chief. Come on, said he, "God damn
Yea, we can whip you anyhow, | don't
care what you seel"
His Generalship was conducted TO Col.
IT,, when the following parley ensued
Col, you have made a gallant defense
more could not be- expected of YOU A.;
but we do not wish to shed blood need
lessly. | have come to demand again an
unconditional surrender.n
General, | have had no orders to sur
render. Really, could not think of it,
But it is folly for you to hold out long
er. We have shown you but one half of
our force. You must surrender or take
the consequences y
Well, sir, have shown voa bnt about |
one Efth Of my force. You may return
and ell your men to pitch in-I'W take the |
consequences I"
So the fight began again. Every man
fought where he thought himself most |
hSSdSu, booh dSliDSl db0 alBI, anu lDhuS his
shots tell whenever a butternut showed
himself within rifle range. Sue fighting,
against such OdGs, has not yet been re.
corded in the history of this rebellion. Bv
s p. IN. FL DDS battery had lost forty eight
out of sixty-t0ur horses, had fred its last
cartridge and lost one piece. But the reb-
els too were oat OF ammunition, and actu-
ally began to retire before the stubborn
bravery of The noble six hundred.' At
this ,uncture gunboat reached the scene
OF action trom below, and did splendid ex-
ecution by Smelling the retreatlng rebels
SO long as they We're within range.
kein!orcements were promptly sent from
Fort Henry by Col. Lowe, as soon as the
approach of the rebels was teegraphed
him, but they arrived at 3 O'Clock next
morning, too late To participate in the
glory, as well as loss, Of the gallant SD.
Forrest admits loss OF two hundred
killed, including enc Alabama Colonel, left
where he fell Con the very steps OF Colonel
Harding's headquarters) while boldly lead
ing charge, besides several other officers
his wounded must exceed that number.
OF the latter we have in our hands over
sixty, Including three captains and several
heutenants. FORESTS son is reported
dangerously wounded. Woodward is also
said TO be wounded Gen. " heeler was
at first reported killed, but the body prov
ed to be that of Col. McNary, above meu-
toned. Our loss is comparatively small,
but includes some of the finest officers in
the SD. Capt. P. E. Reed OF 90. A, and
Quartermas.er Bissell, are killed Capts.
McClanahan, of Go. Is, and ellison, of Go.
E, are wounded. Lieuts. Moore, of the
battery, and Sykes, of Co. |, SD, are
wounded. Fourteen of our men are killed
and fifty one wounded-a few fatally. Two
officers aud twenty seven men of the 9th
Iowa cavalry, with several of the $50, aud
number OF Capt. Floods men, were cap
tured. The men were parolied aud have
returned, and the officers with whcm pa
rolling is "played OUT as you are aware
mar eyed to escape. One of them, Lit
Lene, spiked one of their guns before leav-
ing, and made his escape on one of their
best horses. He reports them in sorry
condition. destitute of ammunition and OF
food, save what they could CLEAN from in
habltants along the liHe of their retreat.
One OF our men, psroled, reports that they
gave him nothing to eat, aud gave as
reason that they had nothing-the men
having tasted since the morning before the
battle-thirty six hours. They LETT ! so of
their dead for our men 20 bury. Among
them were many mere boys. saw one,
with his brains oCzjng from a ragged hole
in his narrow forehead, who could not
have been mere than fourteen bnt, except
that of Col. McNary, sought in vain for
physiogn0my indicating ANYTHING but