The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-01-03

rHE CAPTURE OF FORT DoNELsoN
Gen. r. Smith En,I,lcd .. the credit.

In an elaborate article on the Corporations Before
Fort Donelson," published In the Magazine OF
American History, Gen. William Farrar (Baldy)
Smith gives the credit OF the capture Of that strong
hold TO Gen. 9. r. Smith. He represents II TO have
been Gen Grants intention TO invest the place, and
await the arrival Of endorsements and repairs TO
the gunboats, severely handled by the rebel waller
batteries Of that place. This general design was
frtstfstedby tf'e attack Of Pillow and Buckncr on
Grants right ddffnf Gfarts sbsence from the front.
on his return he requested Adnfre1 Foetc to make
show Of ngh and ordered Smith 10 asfsul, 70 sa 'e
appearances" In letter to Gen. "Bndy stathi
dated June 10, 1855, Col. Thomas j. Newsham thts
describes the assault:
sdtatdey We opened brisk fre all along our front
aud maintained Inc same. all day About p. N. OF
Saturday the General and fyseif were sitting at the
Sasc o. Tree ON ne ns Eona IN @
and said Cen Smith, all has failed on our right
you must take Fort Donelson" Smith sprung TO his
feet and brushing his mustache with his right hand
said. viii do IT, aud turning to me said, Capt.
Newsham, ride to the left and get the regiments
Second Iowa COL futile on our cxrene left, having
Just arrived that morning. had Just got the men
In line when General Smith r)de up and asked what
regiment II was there In his front. answered y
was the Second Iowa lie turned to the men and
said second Iowa, you mus, take the fort take the
caps OF your guns, Tx bay0nets, and will support
| you.' We then meved in the following order: the
Second Iowa, the Seventh Iowa, the Tweuty-1nh
Indiana, tne Fourteenth Iowa and the SeSen,h IN
the colors reached the edge OF the wood, then for
ward by column by wings, crossed the small stream;
era and myself Immediately behind the nrst llne-and
until within twenty PAGES OF the line Of works, when
guns loaded with buckshoi in our very faces. Great
gaps made in our line, and through one OF these
In our front the General rode, and we rode into me
fort in advance OF ne-in fact, the General could
have placed his hand on the heads Of the rebels who
were firing at our advancing men. The fight soon be-
came hand .to-hand one, and for one hour and ten
minutes until dark the battle ragged Hereby; through
It all the General calm but TERRIBLE reckessly
rs d BY s sa oep
dispositions for the night he retired to his own camp
been s,,yen for the use q the woundedl where he
and his stan iu,. down in the snow, without ont food
waiting Cr e the attach Called da me- n snd
asked me TO 20 to the front and see that e,..tnng
was ready for a forward movement ~ soon as dss.
light Appeared I'VE had four regiments inside ne
Arriving there found the ffiet ali Quite ready and
waiting only for daylight, when the colonel Of the
ofIicer on the picket line who wanted to know II
there was an officer present who could negotiate for
terms Of surrender. I told him no, but would soon
have one there who could do SO; turning to 60 for
the General, soon met him and told him what had
happened He rode to tile 'front.' and the rebel Major
them with view to surrender the fort add army
Gen. Smith said, 81 make no terms with rebels with
The Ma Maor en ssd
ut Will take me three.quarters OF an hour to go te
the headquarters and return" The General re-
piled, ~ Will give you onehalf hour to be back here
with your answered. not here at that time I will
move on four works. Co." Turning TO me the
General said, Captain, 60 and tell Gen. Grant wha
have DONE" By this time 1t was light enough fol
me to see to ride pretty fast and, arriving at tn.
found Gen. Grant eating breakfast with his stan
and reported TO him as directed. Grant said, "Tel
Smith that approve all he has done" was ahol
to leave for the front again, when Grant said Holt
on, Captain; will ride back with you;" which HI
did, and, arriving where Smith was, the rebel once
had just returned, and Grant did the talking. Such
10 brief, was the part played by Gen. Smith at For
| Jamaican