The National tribune., 1898-08-04
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE: WASHINGTON c. THURSDAY

march across the narrow strip of land and in
vest the fort from that. side The mistake at
| Fort Henry was not1to be repeated. The
avenues of retreat for the rebels were to be
cut off by the land fonces before the engage
ment began. rs
| 1t was Gen. Grants intention to move
against Donelson mt nonce, but the rains
prevented. The banks of the rivers were
! higher than tho peninsula between, which
became an impossible mixture of lake, stream
and morass. The water rose so high that the
camps on the lower ground were submerged,
and their occupants compelled to make a
hasty retreat to a. more elevated position.
Meanwhile the rebels OWNED correctly
| the intention of the Union commander and
FASTENED forward to Donelson all the rein
| forcements within reach. Gen. Grant was
aware of this, and fretted deeply in his mud
bound camp, but it was not until the 10th
that the water subsided and the roads became
! firm enough to admit of the passage OF
artillery and cavalry, and then he issued the
| following order:
HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF CAIRO, /
FORT HENRY, Feb. 10, 1867
| General Field Orders, No. T.
The troops from Forts Henry and Hinaman
will hold themselves in readiness t. move on
Wednesday, the I2th instant, at as early an hour
as pracGica bic. Neiih tents nor baggage ii
be taken except such as the troops e N carry.
Brigade and rcgimental commanders will see
that all their men are supplied vita 4O rounds
of ammunition III their cartridge-hoXes and
two days ratOns in their huversackS. Three
days addit onal rations may be put in the
wagons to follow the expedition. but will not
impede the progress OF the main co umn.
Two regiments of infantry will remain at
Fort Henry to be designated from the First
Div sion, and one brigade at Fort Hineman,
A. n IA OpslDnafpI 10 N M
ing.
BY order of Brighten GRANT.
JOHN A. RAwLINs, Assistant Adjutant-Generai.
The army started out early on Wednesday
morning the 10Th, and by O'Clock the whole
Il, coo men were on the march. The force
was divided into two divisions, one of which
under Gen. McClernand-took the right
hand road and marched toward Dover to get
to the river above the fort and cut off the re-
treat in that direction. The other division
under command of Gen. c. S. Smith--marched
ont upon the more direct telegraph road, "
which led straight to Donelson. Co. A was
assigned to its old duty of skirmishing, and
marched at the head of Gen. Smiths Divis-
ion
The File, completed once more by the re-
turn of SeIg't O'Neil from the hospital, with
his wound healed but his heart sore from
having missed the fight at Fort Henry. went
in advance of the company as scouts and
sharpshoOters.
The morning was delightful: the sun shone
warm and bright, the soft air was laden with
delicious balsamic odors from the pine woods
that covered the hilltops; birds chirped and
sang eaily, and the modest violet's young
leaves were already beginning to deck with
tapestry of living green the sunny southern
h;t1.iIoc Everri,nIu in ba hoe Of
spirits and stepped galy out upon the for
ward march.
| An attack to arrest their forward advance
was continually anticipated, but though oc-
casonal figures could he seen moving through
the dense woods and watching horsemen
would galIop away from distant hilltop as
soon as they thought they were in range, the
mornin. passed without shot being fired to
| startle tie nerves of the sensitive teamsters.
As the sun came into the zenith at noon
| the advancing silirmisIers arrived at the edge
Of deeper rayne than any they had crossed
| on the march 1t was almost valley, and
| the little creek ortbruIch that ran through it
was filled over its banks by standing water,
backed up from the food of some larger body
| of water.
The banks on the other side ran up steep
and ruggediy to a greater hight than any they
had vet seen These were covered with a
thick growth Of Young oak trees which had
been cut at about the hight of a mans breast,
so that they would bend over till their tops
touched the ground in front. Then their
limbs were trimmed off sharply so as to form
an almost impossible chevaux de trise TO ar
rest the advance OF an enemy. At the crest
Of the hill was Zig-zag line Of red earth,
behind which few men were standing, and
thus marked the line Of the rebel outworks.
O'Neil went back and reported what they
had found and received Instructions to take
the rest Off 10 the left-g"'ng as far as the
river if possbIe-and to send or come back
at intervals to report.
Away the File went to the left. threading
their way through the woods with the great
est caution. for the enemy were beginning to
stir and the cracking Of musketry became
more frequent
Behind them the regiments were going into
position along the top of the hill rs fast as
they arrived. Gen. smith was endeavoring
to occupy with his division about two miles
that lay between the t,,o creeks and directly
in front OF the fort, while Gen McClemand' )
Division was iceing around 10 the right 10 ret
TO the town of Dover and the river
At times Il Jealous artlllerist would hurl a
shot that would 20 crashing through the
limbs with a terrible noise. but produce little
real effect, aside from the disturbance OF the
minds of those near whom it passed The
sounds OF hundreds If axes welded by
strong and skillful arms, rang out loudly.
Camps were being prepared and spaces clear
ed OF for the batteries.
10 be coniinHed.)