The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-02-14
From Fort DonelsOn-HOW the gun hos =
saved the Day. ail
2. Special pispstch 20 the Chicago Tribune

saved the Day. a5I
!" Special Dispatch the Chicago Tribune -
Etfti: e'a iisa tf7@a CAIRo, Feb 10, 1858.
!. In all published accounts of the late battle Z,
Fort Donelson it appears that, from some reason
or other, all mention of the fact that the gun.
boat feet under command Of Capt Leroy Fitch
participated has been ommitted; but this will
probably be remediedin Col. cHarding's Official
report 70 Col. Lowe commanding the three forts
-Donelson, Herman and Henry. s...f he
From participating officer Of the light
drauEht gunboat feet, who arrived to.dsy, ! have
obt.inediths following regarding the part taken
in the battle BY the naval forces s. s3aoes IL 81
Il seems that on the Sd inst, the gunbosts
Lexington, Capt. Leroy Fitch, 81. Clair, Capt
J. g. Hurd, Brilliant, Ospt. Cbaaa g.. Psskins,
Silver Lake, Capt Robert Rullsy, and Robb,
Capt Joshua Yandy-all under the command
Of Capt Fitch, were engaged Is convoys to
forty-two transports, carrying men and stores
Tho men commanded By Gen. Beard-to Roe
.ecrans' army. When sbout twenty miles from
Fort Donelson, information was .rscsived Of the
desperate straits Of our troops at the Fort, I'M |.
der Col. Harding. The gunboats left the trans.
ports end steamed q fast - possible TO the lid
Of Fort Donelson.e 0 Il wa O'Clock whea they
arrived They took position and opened upon
the rebels, who we're investing the fort on three
rides, and must have had possession in les than
half On hour The gunboat Lexington followed
With her heavy guns. sud others Of the fleet
soon went in with great effect The St. Clair,
ing opposite our forces, had to 60 to another po.
sition, and she opened upon the Confederates-
From the number of dead bodies brought in
from the locality covered by her guns, and
where the SD Illinois had done no Sighting, IL
seems the Sc Glars aim was most effective.
Previous to the arrival Of the gunboats the
rebels had sent ssecond dag Of truce demand
ing the surrender of the fort, but Colonel Hard.
ing bad firmly refused. he had hopes of hold
ing ont until Col Lowe could, send him rem.
forcements, and'if they failed to arrive, and al
he and his officers unite in Saying, had the boats
tarried half an hour longer they would have
been compelled to surrender. They had held
the fort for elk hours, Their ammunition was
nearly expended, and all the men tired out with
hard fighting. 5aif.i.q tae s1o5g' ~
I The rebel force was several thousand. Our
force wac less than 600, all told, but when the
gunboats appeared Colonel Harding ordered
firing to cease, and drew bis men into as small
= compass within the works as possible that
they might not be injured by shot and shell,
and awaited the result, giving the conclusion OF
the battle entirely to the feet. p 4isGs
(, Right we'll did they finish what the brave Illi-
nois troops and Floods battery had we'll com.
menced. The rebels took fright, broke ranks,
fed and run pell nell, heller skelter like sheep,
with curses loud and deep against the internal
+gunboats. iag q aa 4a4F :.
Gems. Wheeler and Forrest we're not last of
the field. Col McNary was undoubtedly killed.
with 200 others His corpse was recognized by
an old friend, in the presence of the captain Of
the St. Claire. * sge- .ss '-.ovs,
It is conceded on every hand that Col. Har-
ing's men fought well and nobly, and it is also
conceded that but for the timely arrival Of the
gunboats, the Confederates would soon have re-
possessed point that cost go much blood to
capture from them. All honor to Col Harding
Of the SD Illinois, and Capt. Fitch, of the
light draught gunboat feet. Honor to the SOL
diers, honor to the officers and seamen. They
saved Fort Donelson. AtA :,