The National tribune., 1890-09-25
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What0ur Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns
BATTLE OF DOVER.
One or the Fiercesi OF the War for Numbers En-
gagged.


nj Dover by this 18Th Wis comradc. Our boys. i'm
their cards and letters 10 me- kicking fearfully
about a. well they may, for there Is a vast
amount of cheek and assumption. The comrades
want "a just and true account. ] don't know of
anyone who can do 1t Rs we'll Rs you; besides,
you have Col liardiug's report aud other data.
Please write and send 10 THE NATIONAL TRIBUsE.
y G. HoGUE,
Secretary, SD III Association.
Not few Of the GOO who defended Donelson
at that time live in this locality and know all
about il. Comrade Dennis, 18th Wis, has
played havoc with the real facts The 18th
WIS. was at Fort Henry at the time, and he
may have come mp with his regiment about
midnight after the guuboats had reinforced us.
and poured enough shell into the then retreat
ing rebels 20 make their march possible for
them. lie viii have TO confess to a vivid i'm
aglnatlon, and like the man in the story who.
when asked 10 show the wounds and sears Of
which he was bOastiug, and failing. finally said.
Oh. forgot; they are on brother Bills arm
Among the memories which the SD holds
as the most thrilling for what it dared and ac-
compilshed and most sacred in remembrance
OF the comrades who fell there, is the fight
which occurred at Dover, or Donelson, Feb 3,
1853, aud no attempt to deprive the regiment
OF the hcnOrs they have since so proudly borne
should go unchallenged
From data in my possession lhaving mislaid
Col. HardinEs report / select from the one
prepared soon after the engagement by Com
4
oi that victory, and because il has never before
been published.
After the occupation Of Nashville by the Ma
tonGl forces and the opening of the Tennessee
River "a the Alabama line, il was considered
improbable that any serious attempt would be
made 10 retake Fort Douelson The old fort
was abandoned, and tie small force retained at
that point was posted nj the old town Of Dover
about one mile east Of the fort. There were
no intTenchments. not even rife pits for de-
Tense. Col. A. c. Harding. with has regiment
tthe SD lll) was here stationed with Capt
Floods battery of four six pound guns and a
squadron Of the 5th Iowa Cav, 20 keep guer-
Illias IN check aud protect the line of the Cum
bcTland River
Rosecrans's army, depleted and exhausted bv
the terrible hattie of Stone River, was at Muir
freesborO awaiting reinforcements of men and
supplies, which must come 10 them If az all. bv
the Cumberland River, the railroad being mad
equate for that purpose.
The rebels approaching the situation. de-
teTmlned 10 cut the line OF the Cumberland by
retaking Fort Donelson. and for that purpose
organized force Of 5000 men with I3 pieces
OF artillery, under Gems. Wheeler, Forrest and
wharton. This force rapidly moved up be-
tween the Tennessee aud Cumberland Rivers
nankinE 6cn. Rssecrans, being Joined by the
band Of HoodwaTd's guerrillas and on the
morning Of Feb. 3 was within seven miles
OF Fort Donfson, when a colored man bronrbt
10 Col Harding the first intelligence Of their
approach. The company Of the 5th Iowa Cav.
having been csptured, Col Harding immedi-
ately telegraphed Col. Lowe, who commanded
the district OF Fort DOnelson, whose headauar-
ters were at Fort Henry, Of the approach OF the
rebels IN large force Col. Lowe telegraphed
back for particulars but the wires were imme-
diateiy cut by the enemy, and all commnnica-
tion with Fort Henry ceased until after the
battle.
Col. Harding Immediately prepared TO de-
lend the place. His whole available force did
not exceed 500 men lcne company Of his regi-
ment being in Nashville, and four uieccs az
artillery Floods battery One 32-pounder
had been moved from the old fort and mounted
on piFot His position was in what remained
o. tue olc town Of Bower, some dozen or II brick
and wooden structures standing on an elevated
plateau about 100 feet above the level Of the
rlFer. surrounded on the east south aud west
by ecCIr VIDE Tayines, except at the southwest
Wheie spur or divide extended about half a
mile Ia the direction Of Fort Henry. Rcyond
the Tavine is q high range Of hills COMPLETELY
encirciing and surrounding the place from the
TiveT on the east around southwardly 10 the
river on the west
After telegTaphiHg Col. Lowe, Col. Harding
sell Lieut. 6arret with his " Barefeet," squad
o. Iennesseeans, TO reconuolter. who soon
found the advance, aud quickly returned
shouting, BY the life, boys, they re coming
sure" Soon after labout noon the enemy took
possession Of the range Of hfiIs. and. having
completely invested the place. sent in a fac az
truce demanding an immediate and uncou.
ollonal surrender. To give the demand an
acc itl0nai eject, II was signed by all three M
the rebel Generals. But ID failed. CoI Hs,d-
ing didn't scare well and returned a prompt
and decided refusal. Then the Lall opened
Capt Floods battery on the Fort Henry road
was supported by two companies Of the sd
under Lieut. Col. A. A. Smith the other COM
panies were 9ud.ciously placed, while the " old
hlese-gln 81 %-pouuder,-cOmm the ap-
prDacAes IRON the east, where Forests com
nand s1rged Up tie hill ia oft-repealea charge.
only 10 be repused time and time again.
Everywhere around the line the enemy was
ne a.ia fepulsed5 veterans never fought bet
teT. Retreat they couldn't surrender thew
wouldn't They hoped for rcinforcemepts from
Fort Henry, but EcFe aware that between them
and Henry there were four times as many men
g. there we're az Henry ia all. One Of the
guns oi Fio9H's battery was captured after q
fearful struggle. Meantime Forrest bavin,
iailed 70 capture the 81 FOUNDER. his mon
finally fanked its position and got between n
hsa the river, distant about 200 yards, where
ABOUT lOJ o. the enemy took possession OF a
mouse, from which they could pick of the pun-
Ders, and commanding the ragine. which led "a
Tie river, cutting of the men from water. A
charge was ordered by two conIuanieg. and the
house taken and some 100 prisoners and the
REMAINDER u Their force driven back A charge
~ TIE broad street was about this time made
70 take Tue big gun IN charge Of Eerg't Grant
Abbey. hiding almost onto the gun. its sur
render was demanded, with the words. Don't
ycu see your gun Is captured 2" The answer
was You have that end but have this.D and
charge Of grape and canister and the yolleys
from The boys who lay behind the gun. sent
the yeiAng, maddened troopers again to the
rear.
il was now about dark. The terrific and I'M
eguaI struggle had been maintained for more
tlaH SIX hours. The enemy had by this time
Thrown their force mostly On the Fort Henry
Toao, and between that aud the river About
THIS DiDc lag Of truce was brought In by Mai
Briord, WHO said 10 Col Harding that the dc.
Tense was al! that his Government could expect
aud be was causing useless waste Of life 10 hold
out longer: that their whole force had not
been brought into Tequsition," and that he
ought 10 surrender. The Colonel Informed the
MAJOR that be had not brought his whole force
into requisiton, and that he hadn't the slight
est idea Of surTendefing
Well, now, said the Major, "do Won mean
10 say that you haven't the slightest idea Of
surrender"
That is precisely what mean," replied the
Colonel
Maj. BufOrd soon retired, and the rebel troous
began 10 withdraw on the roads leading gouf,
snd east, our force having formed breast works
o. nay bales and other material expecting a
iuItheT charge all along the line
Boon after this the bOarso cough Of the ppn-
boats heard rguRdiny fla I.nA -.