The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-01-03
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaign.

or NATToNAL TRIBUNE:

FNtlthh D4tE>EvA ~ ffoHttsVHs
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
In your excellent paper Of November %,
find an article on the capture Of Fort Donel-
son. TIE article is a good one, carefully pre-
pared; but which, In the first sentence he
saws: The repulse of Generals McClerDand
and Smith" &c, / feel that the comrade does
unintentienal injustice to the memory OF as
good aud brave an officer as ever wore his
countEy's uniform as well as to the boys of his
division. one brigade OF which so calamity car
riea the works when they were ordered for
that purpose The writer was member of
Smiths division, commanding company *, 9Th
Iowa. and took part IN every movement OF the
brigade and division from the first 10 the cap
ture, and states from his own personal knowI-
edge that smiths division was not repUlsed Oh
the 18TH on any other day of the siege. j pre-
sumo The writer refers to q ieiut we made on
the 18Th. We did not attempt 10 carry the
works by storm, and none Of rs Thought of be-
iGg Tepllse0. NE marched as near the works rs
we were ordered 10, and from complete cover i'll
The ahatiE OF fallen timber annoyed the enemy
ali We conld. Ia fact, re had them at a great
disadvantage, for Is soon as head showed
above tie smooth line OF eaTfhw0rks, our boys
made target Of it, while they could not
safely look over long enough To see US. This
they fully realized, as the night following they
cur timber and rolled logs along the entire line
Nl. HllA'ttNEAH WIN ftit-bolts u4it-NA iiAN4i4.
This saved their heads from our boys aim and
the shar{ssheotegs, or Bucktaiis, VINO were
with Us.
Nos, this is thekind of fighting we did: On
the J3th We went as near the works as we
wele Ordered 10, stayed as long as ouF officers
wished Us 10, and retired with but slight loss
when night caEae on, and never dreamed that
We dad 0-en repnised- ! thought at the time
thai II re we're ordered, we could then carry
tie works. In the light Of facts as we now
know thelA, it would have cost rs heavily If
we bad succeeded, and had We tried It, We
might nave made the report OF which we COM
plain iTae. but ne gave the enemy no chance
10 rePniss Us. J.F. MAR,SER.
lsercgi letters from members Of Smiths division
sinlliaf sl t0uc 20 Tie above have been received
Ia some of which tlle fact : doubted liat assault
ca sle c.seily wolks WAS mace on the 18th Of
1e-I aafy II bort DcmSlsoD. General Smith made
REPORT a Le operations OF ms division AT Fort
Desleso.l. AlcArshUrs brigade WAS held la re-
serve in support "a laYencers batteries IA tie
celtcr Hlltll T. "a, Nen he nlossa 10 the right
Launsn lnasie 40 Tspcrl. CoiCilel Cook, in his
re3sort, alskes the following briei mention OF the
lie Is.h, the mems llasegsacl.s being wei
hlied, hearty breakfast eaten IL carly
hour sliA under orders III Il. 4 Eaoyed The
commend Mp Tao Dover road 10 poiat within One
hait flllr 90 the cifera. outer works; fcV!o@ed
IA llle ie i Illinois on tue T t ana ID lndieaa
Oh tht ie-t - tlIiilii-4t1s 4-le command moved
steadily forward thIoDGa The dense timber, cross
lug te CDap Iarsle without resistance, giltii the
sill illinois lcxtefial- Colonel fsabcock command
ing found itself within steri fange ola battery TIL
then undiscovered, which Immediately. upon APP
lJestIl4cc at our cDiDrs. opeaed destructive fire,
l1Il4tA instantly Captain n. J.. AeDael company
= ana AFotll0iig several others. Csy-ng to the
density ~ tie timber, ouT own artillery was not
Vel ~ position The regiment retired beyond
range aisG 10 the Support 81 CaDiaiu Richardson 8
battery. Isl Missouri Light Artillery, just going
lato position
Coionsl lanes Yea.el., 9Th Indiana, is more ex-
The 9Th INDIANA regiinent marched with
tie brigade FROM toTt l-ellTy the 18th Of
February. and 5ivcEacized AZ nigl.t on the ex-
kreille -. - oar lines Ntthin jess tll hail mile
81 tie enemy Every la-ug remained ouiei during
lhe night at lc 0ir5Dtk a. the 18Th We
moved reFwara ia Inc battle 10 the top OF the
Lii saici was between rs and the eneIny's breast
WOES aere resolved your OrceT 10 fiZ bayonets
and charge the reis, and II possible. drive them
from ti-clr works The Timber 50 thick that
We cnulu cilE see Aere aud there part Of Tie rebel
aFo-1 -, suI could 3or4n ifea ii llseiF range or
eStelIt seIlt forward. directed, the flank
kAf-eeA and =, Captains Ssitzhlgll and 1illein-
laE4eer-.o depioy akirnsshers. which they did
most admirably. and tiAe regiment moved forward
on the charge. Oar flank companies they adj
ssilleea ie1ld the enemy works extended far 10
OH lex and they reTy properly moved 10 the left
and toCs. position q 8i where they did gaua-
bie seIE-i= by preventing fire on Gun flank from
Ife elsesat ilie pits. ai.o IN keeping silent g.
IouEitf slea piece t-1at Was brought 10 beer on US
irOIn tlst lsrecssOn- AZ the FOOT of the hsil The
enemy poured on terrible lire q 1.sslzketTy.
Craps, and canister. with few shells
= TIE geaI3 t1reastnsOrEs were I4ow in plain view
Oh tiie t9s u tbe hlli. The heavy timber on the
Llliss,Ac -la been le.ied foTnli8g dense Of
briis i iesH. Through and over these obstacles
cur lisen advanced against tie enemy 4 ire with
ESeE1eot rDuasess ana sseGess, haiting for a
lnoIl-slt iaiis they received your order After q
tl1 - ieN minutes they ssgal advanced within
a slDrf ~ szaElce 81 tc enemy srestwosEs hen
takr lFS rom 6-Deunder 1ieid piece and T.
IoAiiasf a4eU4tzrT on Cur right destructive
THAI 8 became necessary halt ard direct tlae men
10 ie cgga - save frtel very heavy loss. After
reil3aills Under a very heavy sIrc lor two hours
All .t-, minutes, wlf4l opportunity 10 return
ihe 4re ~ advantage. the enemy neing almost en-
tlre-F illt. ana seeing 40 movement indicating a
4lltles advance -rOol any part u tiie ilIse. asked
Your eell ssea 10 withdraw my regiment 20 save
Eeiltiiz pN1si ~ lie nature q tle ground and our
e149SeA posi- %a. tise were thrown INTO slight
coi-s, gi1 tley Tz.-lcd promptly a tilc foui al
the A ase remained iH liat position until might,
ground Ne pqcHpied - Tie morning. We lost IN
tins sc1 fe1rteel slftf and sixty -olse wounded.
lleilc14l-t-,- oioel J1-lcs q Parrot oh Iowa
relsts 70 .ise asss.gii & follows
sie res7la.slli zen tort Henry on the morning
O. tAle 4A aAl proceeded ~ tie vicinity Of FOrt
I3oEielrl. aere II ..fg5Ec about !. IL same day
The regiment i5F your orders was placed n posi-
hon on AZ eiaiDelee about Half mile from the
o2ef Ngiizs cf the enemy, 70 support the lsl Mis-
sour battery consisting Of sgo --EDulsdcr Parrot
gums. F=ge IL Fefi&ii-el an night te regiment
blVcuaez ~ 2lil0ut shelter or bianGeis.
= Ca l1e ll-0rDlng 81 tl4e 1913 i ordered By
yoa 10 soin US brigade GA the extreme lell wing,
whore TOOK paii wzh SAID b5sade ia the ass1tilt
se i TeslFae5 q ils largseT position. where il re-
l4@iuea curing ne Bsglt which oAe Of great
lIsclcs.lcne.-
M1ie Ills assault was being made on The left.
Scf helFAl-aG, on Tie rig.H. pushing his bril-
Eaoes ~ cetegg5ii ned bat Intellectual attack upon
tsAe i0Tlile1tlo-ls Ia LIS lrOlL-i.D.