Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-02-06

outer lines of pits and held on in the
face of a Confederate division which
attempted to beat him off,
| Under the cover of Smiths charge up
to the fort Lew Wallace sent forward
demibrigade led by Colonel Morgan L.
Smith. There were but two regiments
in the cOlumn-the Eleventh Indiana,
known as "Wallace's zOuaves," and
the Eighth Missouri. Both regiments
had been trained as skirmishers. After
explaining to the men the desperate
nature of the task Wallace told them
to be governed by circumstances. His
words were drowned by their cheers
and cries of Forward! Forwardv
AS the skirlnisherS advanced up the
slope the Confederates opened from a
forest in front a terrible rifle fuSillade.
The zouaveS and MissOurianS spread
their line until it covered the whole
battle front. Volleys were fired over
their heads into the main line Of battle
following at a distance. Soon the en-
emy'S skirmiSherS were encountered,
and then commenced q savage bush
fight lasting an hour. 1t was every
man for himself.
Knowing the field well, the Confed-
crates made citadel of every tree and
rock Often antagonists took shelter
behind the same object. Upon nearing
the crest Wallaces men began firing
steadily, and before the supports got
we'll engaged the Confederates fell back
to their Entertainments. Just then an
order reached Wallace to suspend the
attack; but, believing he had the wedge
well ill., he ignored the order and push
ed the skirmishers forward to the
Charlotte road again, cutting Off the
way of escape. His men bivOuacked
within $50 rods of the enemy'S guns,
lying on their arms ready for the eX-
pected counter assault. Grant retired
the night of the 10Th believing that
the Confederates must surrender next
day or be captured in their works. The
battle for the army had been more deS-
perate than that of Skaters corps at
San Juan Hill and Ell Caney July I,
1898 The troops had lost over $500
killed and wounded and the navy 81
in all.
McClernand's battle had been the
most costly of the day in losses. The
Confederate attack on Grants right,
held by Netherlands division, had
been planned the night of the 18th,
after the repulse Of Foote'S gunbOats
and while Grant was debating the
question of protracted siege. The
plan of the Confederates in springing
the attack was to throw 10000 men
upon McClernand and rush through
the broken lines to freedom. All night
the columns were getting into position
to spring forward at daybreak. A
heavy storm prevailed, and the Federal
pickets kept light watch.
BY the middle of the forenoon Nc
Clernand's line was in confusion.
One by one his brigades and regiments
were forced back, and at II o'clock the
Charlotte road was uncovered. The
Confederates lost heavily in these
chance encounters, but the number OF
casualties could never be learned. Ar
tillery on both sides maintained a saw
''rebel YELL told of victorious charge.
For some unexplained reason the Con-
federates did not take advantage OF
the surprise which meant escape to
them. 1t was claimed that after cap
turing Charlotte road Pillows men
were ordered back to their intrench-
ments, and before the ground lost
could be regained Grant was on the
field pushing the attack from his side.
The Confederate soldiers had suffered
from the cold more, perhaps, than their
fOemen. In the fireleSS, cramped quar-
+ers of the fort they had no chance for
exercise. The ground was newly fro
zen after a rain and was covered with
zee and snow.
There was division in the Confeder
ate councils even at the moment when
victory was in their grasp. General
Buckner, the third in rank, was good
fighter. The second in command, Pill
low, did the work cut out for him in
opening the road Of retreat, but imme-
diately began to ignore his chieftain,
Floyd, who was in supreme command.
Grant estimated that the enemy had
on the start over 10000 troops
General c.. F. Smith fought his last
battle at DonelsOn. He was a native
Of Pennsylvania and had served with
Taylor in Mexico, winning laurels ut
Palo Alto and Resaca de Ia Palma.
He died soon after Donels0n as the re-
suit of exposure in the campaign.
Smith had been q character in the old
army. When told, in 1861, that he was
accused Of disloyalty, he said, Never
mind; they'll take it back after the
first battle"
There was another Wallace besides
General Lew at Donelson. This was
Colonel W. H. L. Wallace. who led
brigade. He was noted for his cool
ness, especially during the excitement
over the broken line of battle. John
A. Logan was also a fighter at DOnel-
son, and his voice could be heard above
all the tumult of cannonade and "rebel
wells" GEORGE L. KILMER,