The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-10-29
HE NOW SAYS HE MEANT MOTH.
ING DIsRESPECTFUL TO
BUCKNER.
IN HISTORICAL EVENT DISCUSSED,
ne Meant to Show That Buckner as a
Leader Lacked Judgment and Wis
dom-Culberson Thinks He Is
Being Prosecuted.

berson referred as follows to the Buck-
ner affair:
I'm the course of speech at Fort
Worth recently l referred to the sur
render of Fort Donelson during the war
by Gen. Buckner, the nominee of the
indianapolis convention for vice presi-
dent, and some, for obvious reasons. are
endeavoring to distort the reference into
an attack upon the personal courage
of Gen. Buckner. 1t had no such DUR
pose. 1t was simply comment upon an
historical event and an expression of
opinion, based upon the Judgment of
participants in the battle that the sur
render was ill-advised, inexcusable I'M
necessary and disastrous. My reference
was intended to call in question the
Judgment and wisdom of Buckner as a
leader, to be considered by the people
in connection with his efforts in this
campaign to draw enough votes from
the democratic candidate to insure the
election of Mckinley. That the surren-
der was disastrous Is apparent, for it
led to the immediate evacuation of Nash
vile and Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston
declared in his report that the blow was
most disastrous anc almost without rem
edy.' Whether it was inexcusable and
Unnecessary l Willingly leave to those
who were there. The testimony of many
could be produced, but it will suffice to
refer only to the most prominent. Hon.
B. G. Bidwell, then commanding Ten
nessee battery and now a prominent
citizen of WeatherfOrd, said in his re-
port: This boy is one of the prisoners
so unnecessarily and wrongfuly surren-
dered at Donelson. Capt. Jack Davis
of Gregg's Texas Regiment, said in his
statement: When the intelligence of our
surrender was communicated to the
troops there was a general feeling of in
dignation, mingled with surprise, among
all. The men were frantic to be per-
mitted to fight their way out He also
said in answer to Il question whether the
army could have escaped: Yes; two
boats could have taken the men and mu-
nitions of war in two hours. The enemy
did not come within gunshot distance of
the fort until after the surrender Gen.
Sidney Johnston said in his report that
Gen. Buckner took the lead in advising
the surrender and that subsequent
events showed that their investment was
not so complete as their information
from their scouts led them to believe.
1t is well known that the determination
to surrender was reached in a council
of war composed of Gems. Floyd, Pillow
and Buckner, Pillow alone opposing. OF
the decision to surrender he said in his
report to the secretary of war: In this
opinion | differed with them. l believed
we could cut our way through the enc
my's new line and insisted it was our
duty to do so. | believe we
could have maintained our position an
other day and have saved the army by
getting back our boats and setting the
ment was made chiefly, however. upon
the opinion of Gen. n. B. Forrest, who
is now almost universally regarded as
the greatest cavalry leader the world
has known. He commanded the cav
airy ar Donelson and refused to surren-
der In Il sworn statement soon after
wards he said During the conversation
that then ensued among the general Off
GERS Gen. Pillow was i'll favor of trying
to cut our way out. Gen. Buckner said
that he could not hold his position over
half an hour in the morning, and that if
he attempted to take his force out it
would be seen by the enemy (who held
part of his entrenchments) and be fol-
lowed and cut to pieces. told him
that | would take my cavalry around
there and he could draw out under cover
of them. He said that an attempt to
cut our way out would involve the loss
of three-fourths of the men. Gen. Floyd
said our force was so demoraliZed as
to cause him to agree with Gen. Buck
ner as TO our probable loss in attempt
ing to cut our way out. L said that L
would agree to cut my way through the
inf
might designate. and stated that L could
keep back their cavalry, which Gen.
Buckner thought would greatly harass
our infantry In retreat. Gen. Buckner
or Gen. Floyd said that they lthe enemy
would bring their artillery to bear or US;
| went out of the room, and when
returned Gen, Floyd said that he could
not and would not surrender NM
self. then asked if they were gong TO
surrender the command. Gen; bu ntn4oJ
remarked that they were. then stated
that I had not come out for the purpose
of surrendering my command, anu Wouiu
not do it if they would follow me 9u.,
that | intended to go out if l saved Du'
one man; and then turning TO zen u
low | asked him what l should 40. y
replied: "Cut your way out. lill,,ieI
ately left the house and sent for all the
DulCtTS lily
to them the facts that had occurred ana
stated my determination to leave, and re,
marked that all who wanted to go coulu
follow me, and all who wished to stay
and take the consequences might remain
in camp. In his official report Gen.
Forrest said: ~
"'About ~ o'clock at night l was call,
ed in council with the generals, VINO hau
under discussion the surrender OF the
fort They reported that the enemy nau
received II 200 re-enforcements since tne
tight. They supposed the enemy had re,
turned to the positions they had occupied
the day before. / returned to my. quar-
tiers and sent out two men, who, gong Dy
road up the bank of the river returned
without seeing any of the enemy, onis
hres, which believed to be old camp nres,
and so stated to the generals; the wlna,
being very high. had famed them INTO
q blaze. When I returned Gen. BucKner
declared that he could not hold his posi-
t tEn. Gems. Floyd and Pillow gave up
one responsibility of the command to nun,
una told them that | neither ccould nor
n m,,ld surrender my command, zen
ilslIloW then said l could cut my way oul
II chose to do so, and he and Gen. floyu
agreed to come out with me. got my
command ready and reported Mt head4uar-
I pS. Gen. Floyd informed me that Gen.
hhlliow had left and that he would 20 by
a BOAT | moved out by the road We had
s3pne out the morning before. When