The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1893-03-22

p naval HOtltlu unuci
Commodore II.
TNSNA Edrew II. Foote as
IA ~Ax6XNM ccnied the Tenncs-
W. & see River and be
MONN gan their active
,,,-1G2J@Nu AWoperations which
S1AANs AW fSY opened mp the Ten
TAeAv kNN,IN nessee and Cumber
land Rivers, and gave the Union army nc
ccs TO the historic fields OF Shiloh, Nash
willie and other Southern 5attlelields. The
Northern people were atxiouSly nwaitingto
see iftlcre was not some one who would
rise up aud lead the Union army on 10 vic
cory, and dispel the gloom that hoycred DER
the Union at this time. Gen. Grant had
been placed in command at Cairo aud had
urged GEN llallecl, to let him and Com
mander Foote undertake the reduction of
Forts Henry and Donrlson on the Tennes.
see and Cumberland Rivers. llaleck did
not approve OF the plans, an Commodore
foote also urged him to allow the move.
ment to be made. Finally consent was
given, and Oh Feb. . 1862 The movement
began.
There was 1000 infantry and cavalry
and the gunboat~. The river was very high
and all the streams were swollen. Arriving
near the fort the troops. d,sem barked. and
on the morning of Feb O the naval fOtilla
moved up to the fort aud began a rapid tire
which was returned The elInboats plowed
their wav right up under the guns OF Fort
Henry. and poured III shot and shell until
the tort was surrendered By Gen. llovd
lilghman, who was alterwarl killed at the
battle OF Champion Hills, Miss All the
l.la l..,t .l,,.t f...I
treated tu Fort Doneson - mites east, on
the Cumberland River. The infantry did
not get up in time to do any lighting, rs the
roads We're almost impa,siole and the navy
IL entitled to the honor of the capture OF
Fort Henry.
The army under General Grant was di.
vidcd in three divisions commanded by
Gems. g. i. Smith, Lew Wallace. and John
A. Nc, ,crnand, and was At once moved
across the country to Fort Done,sOn. while
the eunboats went down the Tennessee
River and came iIp the Cumberland
Fort Donelson was located on u blutf, and
was natural fortress 100 feet above the rv-
er. There were two water batteries com
manding the river, one had Il rifle gun
| carrying Il l2S pound sh I'll, with two -
FOUNDERS strongly posted There were also
| extensive parthworks surrounding the place
| and extending around the city of Dover
| The tort was in command of ten. Bushrod
| Il. Johnson, with some lj,OOO troops. He
was reinforced by troops commanded by
Gems. Pillow. Floyd, and :. n, Buckner in.
| CreasiDg the force to 10000.
The advance ot Gen Grants army reach.
ed the outlines Feb. r. aud Gen. McCer.
| nand's Division took the right, with Me
| Arthurs Brigade, while Ton. &. +. smiths
| Division went to the left and Lew WaIlaces
| Brigade came up from Fort Henry and oC.
| cuped the center. On the 18th Col William
| X. Morrison, commanding the 10Th ILL.,. and
| Col. Ilayne, of the 18th III with their regi.
| ments made several assaults On the other
! works of the Cont icdcrates and were repuls-
! ed, and Col. Morrison was wounded
The command to which we belonged was
sent to the ex'reme rgh, We were without
| supplies, and the roads were almost impass.
able, During the night OF the ith storm
| set in and snow and sleet covered the earth.
I causing much suffering. as We were not
allowed to have any fires, for fear oi draw.
| in the fire of the enemy's artillery, and we
| had no tents to shelter us from the Storm.
1t turned cold and froze our wet blankets.
covered with ice and snow.
| Very early on the 10Th, before we were
able to build fires to warm ourselves the
battle opened. The shrlll. keen voice of Col
lsanc {. Pugh of the ilst H. could be heard
calling on the command to fall in. The
Coniederates had determined 10 cut their
way out and escape to Nashville. Our pick
cts fired and fell back to the main line Our
| first move was to charge on the enemy,
| whcl we did, and fired volley Mt their ad'
vancing columns, which sent them back in
disorder. They soon reformed their lines,
| however, and came at us heavily reinforced.
| Our regiment was standing In an open field,
which was observed by Gen. II. j. Oglesby,
who commanded the brigade on our lett,
and he rode up and ordered the regiment
| moved to the right into the timber for pro.
lection. The order was given and we NOV.
ed about the length of one company, when
the 10Th Miss, which had forued along the
rail fence just north of u.s. opened mur
derous tire on u.s. and shot down four or five
out OF each company. When we fell back
to The timber OH the south of us about II
steps the line of bluecoats lay on the snow
showing where our line had been when we
received the first yoley from the Confeder
ates. This will always remain impressed
npon IN y memory, for in that line OF blu'
lay my comrade who with me had beer
boys together and with whom had enlist
/ ed for the war.
We returned their fire, and the battle o
| Fort Doneson was opened in earnest
soon the 9th ana 18th III, were hoty en
gagged with an overwhelming force of th'
Confederates, who were trying to cut thei
way out We exhausted our ammunition
and were compelled TO fall back, lighting u
we went Gen, Oglesby's Brigade was 500,
engaged, and Schwartzs battery b, came
bone of contention, and hot contest ensu
ed for its possession.
The entire right wing was now engaged
and was being pressed back toward the cen
ter, Gen. Grant had gone to meet commo
dore Foote at the river several miles beoy
the fort, and knew nothing of the contes
that was going on. The tide of battle swep
on until Col. John A. Logan, with the Bis
ILL.,. and Col. Il. q. ltansom, with the III
ILL.,, were hotly engaged, and both thes
commanders were wounded and their regi
ments suffered severe losses
A messenger was sent to Gen, Grant, VIII
returned at once, aud mteti x Gen. lie,
Wallace, who informed him OF the battle
he ordered Wallace to follow him immed
ately with his command and to assault tn
enemy, which was done, and they wer
driven back into their works, only to com
out as prisoners OF war, They had halle
in the Valley Of the Cumberland when the
had cleared the road to Charlotte, Tenn
and it was while This halt was made thu
Wallace's command assaulted them an
drove them again INTO their works.
While this was going on Gen. c. f. Smith'i
command assaulted the works on the lef