The National tribune., 1883-11-22
FORT DONELSON
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n oIt1 h0N LllOON
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and it is little wonder that in rejecting upon
his helpless condition and chatting under what
he regarded as a cruel disregard of his request
for an honorable equalization, he, for the first
time, lost control of his temper, and wrote the
following reply:
SIR The distribution OF the forces under my
command incident 10 unexpected change OF
commanders and the overwhelming force under
your command compels me- notw outstanding the
brilliant success Of the Confederate arms yesterday
TO accept the Ungcnerous and unchivalrous terms
am &C. s.R. BucKxEn,
Brig.-Gen. I. ; GRANT. Brg.-Gen, c. S. A.
United States Army.
The terms Of surren der, generous enough
were rs stated I'M the following order: "All
prisoners taken at Fort Donelson viii be col
lected as rapidly as possible near the village of
Dover under their respective company and
regIment2l commanders, or IN such manner rs
may be deemed best by Briga6ier- General
Baekner, and viii receive two days rations
preparatory 10 ernbarking Cor Cairo. Prisoners
are to be allowed all their clothing blankets
and such private properly as may be carried
about the person. and commanding officers viii
be allowed their side arms" The Confederate
troops, worn out with three days Of incessant
duty ii the trenches and upon the field fell
asleep upon picket or under fire. Many of
them were disabled and many more demcral-
lied by the sight Of the dead and wounded
Huddied together under the protection of hill
sides and behind logs, they were deaf to all
appeals Of duty or patriotism. 1t is a
fact attested by the observation of every
one who has witnessed the operations of
large army in the field, that tie men in the
rear compose large percentage of the number
reported upon the rolls as present for duty,
nyffl .a,t,, ~,
made up from regimental returns, needs to be
modified b. this not very complimentary allu-
sion to the timidity of mankind. But on the
other hand the Yalor of the troops who bore
the hEunt of battle was fully attested by their
losses 0at of 5000 in McClernand's division
l,369 Were killed or wounded. Smith lost 964
and Wallace 275, mostly in Crufts brigade.
The missing footed up 224, making total loss
of2e32; while, out of 1900 Confederates en-
gagged. General Pillow ia his report estimated
the killed and wounded at 2,000
GIANT IS MADE MAJoR-GENERAL.
The news OF the fall Of Fort Donelson and
Its results following IN quick succession-the
evacuation Of Nashville aud points below on
the Cumberland, filled the Northern people
with delight, and caused corresponding depres-
sion AT the South From comparative obscuritv
General Grant suddenly doomed up in the
galaxy OF generals as a star of the iTst magni-
tGdei IN fact, one star was not sufficient,
and another was aided by Congress, which
conferred upon him the rank OF major general
People dwelt admiring.y upon his curt answer
to Bucllner and, taking advantage OF his
initials, they bestowed upon him the pseudo
nym, " Unconditional Surrender Grant. His
success gained for him the hearty praise aud
good VIII Of the Secretary Of War. and the
firm, admiring friendship Of the strong-willed
member OF Congress from his district in Hi
nols, which was henceforth in more than one
emergency to prove his protection.
FORT DoNELsoS WAS 4 SCRATCH"
Time has rot dimmed the glory of Fort
Doneison nor faded the wreath with which a
grateful people crowned the brows OF the heroic |
army which fought so bravely and persistently |
upon that bloody field, but the cold light of |
the record has disnelled much Of the romance |
that for time hung about the name of the |
commander The public knew little of the |
preparations made for the capture OF the fort |
by assault, and OF their failure; nothing of the
Intention TO abandon ali hope of CARRYING the |
works Dy direct assault, and Of the prospective |
siege, and little Of the action of General |
Buell. IN contributing the troops which gall |
lantly wrung victory from the Jaws OF defeat |
on the memorable 10th of February. The |
smoke OF battle obscured from their view the |!
retreat Of Grants right wing behind the /
friendly line formed by Wallace's division OF /
Buell's troops, and they heard only the shouts |
OF victory ushefcd IN by tie solitary busier on /
the enemys works waving the white flag in !
token of surrender. 1t was Grants high good
fortune 10 command the troops before Donelson. |
but it was equally his good fortune that his
order TO Wallace aud McClernand 10 fall back. /
after establishing their lines upon the right on
the night Of the 18th, was not obeyed, else /
morning would have found the garrison far on
It's way to Nashville, and the supply depot a /
sInouldering heap Of ruins. But it was pre-
emlnentiy his good fortune that lie did not meet
N the commander OF the Confederate forces at
Fort Doneis3n general equal 10 the occasion
Had Floyd persistentiy executed the wel-c0n-
ceived plan of Buekner, for which be had
authority from Johnston, not all the skill and
strength Of his antagonist could have pre-
vented MIN from following up the defeat OF
AcClernand by an escape by the Winn's Ferry
road. Had Buckner held supreme command
the movement would have taken place two
days before, when the divisions of Smith and
McClernand alone stretched their thin lines
around the Notifications. and when sudden
onslaught upon the right could have been
accompanied By charge from the center, the
effort Of which must have been quick and
overwhelming defeat TO the Union army. 1t was
well said By General Grant himself, in CONVEX
sation with General Rosccrans, Fort Donel-
was q scratch"