Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-07-31

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For nearly two months Grant disciplined
his troops in the district of Cairo, In Janu-
airy, 1862, by order Of Gen. Halleck, he moved
a force of 5000 men, under McClernand, from
Cairo and Birds Point towards Mayfeld and
Murray, in West Kentucky, and sent two
brigades threatening Columbus and the Con-
federate line between that and Bowling Green.
There was no fighting, but the object Of the
movement was accomplished.
He longed to take Forts Henry and Donel-
son, but was silenced when he preached the
subject to Halleck. Not till the I'd of Feb
ruary was he permitted to leave Cairo with
that intention. With 1900 men on trans
ports, accompanied by Admiral Foote with
seven gunbosts, he started, landing at Bailey's
ferry, on the east bank, three miles below
Fort Henry, which be took after an hour and
a half's fire from the gunboats on the 9th, the
main body Of the Confederate garrison hay
ing retreated upon Fort Donelson.
Grant determined to take Fort Donelson on
the Sth. On the It'll his cavalry penetrated
to within a mile of the fort, and the infantry
and cavalry on the east bank Of the Ten
nessee were notified to move on the Sth,
''without membranes, " and with two days
rations in their h~aversackS Heavy rains
had flooded the country, making it impossible
to move baggage or artillery, and delaying
the attack. Requirements were secured,
but Halleck's orders to Grant were always of
a defensive and not aggressive character.
Fort Donelson, high on it's range of hills,
encircled by a formidable abatis and gar
risoned by q, 600 men, was n of the greatest
strongholds Of the enemy. lis Notifications
had been strengthened since the fall of Fort
Henry, re-enforcements had poured into it,
and Buckner, Pillow and Floyd had been sue
cessivsly sent to command it, each ranking
his predecessor, who remained to serve under
the new superior.
On the 18th Grant got into position. Skr-
mishers were thrown out in front and several
smart fights occurred. en- the night of the
18th he was established on the heights, par
allel with the enemy's outworks. The
weather suddenly became intensely cold. The
troops, compelled to bivouac in line of battle
with arms in their hands, within musket
range of the enemy's breastworks, suffered
extremely. No fires could be built, many Of
the men were without blankets and with in
sufficient rations. That was an awful night,
never to be forgotten by those who partici-
uated in it. There were no tents, and as the
night wore on snow and hail fell, wrap
ping the waiting men in a bitter
blanket Of ice. Many were frozen. The Con
federate pickets fired an uncertain but inces-
SAINT rain Of bullets. The groans of the
wounded, the pitiful calls for help and water,
made the hours Of darkness terrible. The
next day re-enforcements arrived, and for
hours an irregular fire Of sharpshooters, with
occasional discharges of artillery, was kept
! up. In the afternoon six gunboats, in com
mand Of Foote, attacked the fort at 400 yards
and were worsted. Another night Of cold,
danger and suffering for the troops, Grant
then having 1900 men.
Atdawn on the 18th the memorable siege
Of Fort Donelson was begun in earnest, the