The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-10-15
ECHOES OF THE PAST.
Excerpts From the Diary of Andrew
j. Campbell.
More About the Bloody Battle of Fort
DOnclsOn - Some Hardships
of the War.

CONTINUED from last week-Article 3D.
Feb. 13. On the 9Th we were
again alarmed by the pickets COM
ing in and reporting large body of
the enemy near by. FORESTS cav
airy and infantry and artillery rein
fOrcements reached DOnelson on the
18th. Skirmishing yesterday and
heavy skirmishing to-day around
the rife-pits which were constructed
] last night. A heavy sortie was
made against our brigade, Aber-
nathy's 53rd suffered the most, being
posted nearest Maney's battery.
Heavy cannonading all around the
lines.
Feb. 14th. Skirmishing still kept
up. About noon the Federal fleet on
the Cumberland. Commodore -,
commenced a vigorous attack on the
water batteries and the fort, advanc-
ing so close as to throw shell over
the fort upon our rifie-pits, a mile
from the river, and into Dover. But
the fleet was driven back, badly
damaged. Upon the hills in our
front the enemy planted field artil
lery and shelled our pits, Dover and
the fort. That night a council of
war was held and it was agreed that
at early dawn our left wing should
march out and attack the enemy in
his strength. The night of the 18th
it showed and rained.. We were
without tents and bedclothes and
had slept none scarcely for three
nights for watching in the trenches.
On the night of the l4th it showed
again. A few of US at time slept,
lying upon the ground and covering
with what we could borrow. The
enemy annoyed us so day and night
that we could scarcely sleep any or
cook, every one being required in
the pits every time an alarm was
given. In the day sharpshooters
from their covers were continually
picking off men all around the lines.
Bullets were continually whizzing
by the ears of all who were exposed.
Occasionally the roar of cannon
and an explosion near by warned us
of danger. For four days l never
slept more than six hours. Men
were so exhausted that they actually
slept in their position while shell
were exploding around them and
the deadly missils of the sharp
shooter flying around their heads
During these four or five days ]
never had time to get water to wash
my face and hands, being glad to get
enough to drink. Being without
canteens we were compelled to bring
water in our coOking-pans.
Feb. 10. At daylight the cannon.
aiding commenced around the lines
In short time the left wing
marched out, the 26th Tenn, Col
Gregg's Texas regiment and the 56tl
Va, leading. Under command Of
Jno. B. Floyd the attack was made
on the enemy before all had gotten
l up. The Southern yell accompanied
l the charge and roar of musketry
81. Gen. Buckner's brigade was ordered
to the left to participate in the at
4 tack. The enemy was driven back
1 gradually from the left fully two
miles by the middle of the day, oul
=, forces taking two batteries. About
l ten o'clock an effort was made tt
5 plant battery in front of Heiman's
= brigade, when French's and Graves
batteries opened fire upon it, com
!. polling the ensmy to "skedaddle.
The companies of Captains G. w
). Gordon and Z. f. Jamison, which
= had been detached from our regi
). ment Dec. % to guard the Whippor
will and Elk Fork bridges on the NJ
l.. & G. Railroad, joined us the
morning of the 18th just in time tt
participate in the fight.
: Between ten and eleven O'Clock
an order was given across from the
hill, where French's battery was
posted, for VOORHEES, regiment to g
to the support of the regiments o
Cook and Palmer in attack upon I
battery of the enemy. Six com
= panies on the left, after waiting t
; see or hear from our colonel anC
I failing to see or hear from him
Il, crossed the works and double
2 qucked it through the woods anC
e brush and over an old field to where
e the enemy was posted with bat
, terry. | never saw the lieutenant
l. colonel at all, but learned that he
e came up with some of the rear com
panies. While passing through tn
old field Lieut.-COl. w. B. Moor
was wounded in the knee, some o
Y Capt. Gordon's men assisting in tax
5 ing him off the field.
e We came up with Buckner's regi
= ment engaging the enemy. Advanc
!, ing into the woods, we engaged th'
e enemy for some time while iron hal
+ was falling all around from tn,
q belching cannon and the deadly
=; musket, Our battery, in the mean
t time, was firing over our heads a
= the enemy. Here | met up with III,
. old friend Lieut.. Joe Love [of Cul
leOka, Tenn. and shook hands will
him amidst shower of bullets, thi
1 being the first time that L had seel
him since we parted at Camp Maury
Col. Sewell ordered a retreat anC
left my company and Captain Cor
. don's. We then formed on Cook
I left, but failed to dislodge the enemy
: from the bushes. Being ignorant o
his strength and jthe exact position
' of his battery we, with the regi
= ments of Cook and Palmer, fel
back behind the point of the rise up
; on which we We're and proceeded t
clean our guns, when the forces or
the left were ordered in. Col. Voor
HES, in the mean time, received the
order from the proper source anC
started out with the remaining com
pauies, but, failing to find the place