The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-11-23
FONT DONELSON.
First Grea1 Union Victory and Its Far.
<sRoOchin9 Results.

First Grea1 Union Victory and Its Far
<xResching Results.
Editor National Tribune: A few
weeks since some one asked you:
Where was the beginning Of the end
of the civil war;" Your answer was
The heroes OF Donelson constitute the
rallying nucle1s around which was or
gained thezgrand old Army Of the Ten
nessee; THAT Army that followed the
destinies OF Grant, Sherman and Logan,
fighting great battles and gaining bril-
that never was driven from the field in
all their long march from DOnelson to
Bentonville: the grand old army that
opened up the Mississippi from head to
mouth, drove the rebels from the
heights Of Mission Ridge and Lookout
Mountain into Georgia, then crossed
the Blue. Ridge and drove them out Of
Georgia, swept down to the sea, cut
ting the Confederacy in twain, and
kindled a hundred thousand campfires
around the tidewater Of Savannah, then
turned their faces toward the Confed-
crate Capital. and moved up slowly
through the Carolinas. The rebel Con-
gress saw the light OF their campfires in
the distance and fed; Lee became
alarmed, and surrendered; for we'll they
knew the victory that ever followed
when the old flag Of Donelson led the
way.
The battle of Fort Donelson was the
first great victory Of the war. Bull
Run had proved disaster. The gal
liant heroes OF Wilson's Creek had to
retreat: Mulligan and his braves at
Lexington, after long siege OF fighting,
suffering with thirst and hunger, finally
surrendered, and Grants attack upon
Belmont had proved sad repulse.
These reverses weighed heavily on the
expectations Of the North. The hopes
of the Nation were slowly sinking in
gloom and despair. It was a period Of
disappointment and dependency upon
the part of the North. from the fall Of
day of February, 1862. That day dark
ness faded to light; the tide turned;
victory had come to our armies at last;
success was upon our side. AS fast as
the news was flashed across the coun-
try that the I'd Iowa had planted the
Stars and Stripes upon the heights Of
Donelson, where, like Napoleon's star
Of Austerlitz, it presaged future VIC
tories, one universal rejoicing went up
from Maine to California. All had cause
for congratulatiOns-a stronghold of
the Confederacy taken, a rebel General
and $4,000 rebels taken prisoners. The
good news was SO inspiring (the best
news from the field) schools were dis
missed, shops and stores closed, farm
ers came rushing to the town, inn
prOmptu mass meetings were held,
bands played, speeches were made,
songs sung, women cried for JOY, while
Grant and his troops at Donelson were
toasted time and again. Confidence was
fully restored, and the people felt that
the South could yet be subjugated and
the Union would be preserved. Our
quotas of enlistments were filled fmme-
diately. Lincoln took fresh courage,
and Congress again repeated the old
threadbare resolution 'in favor Of a
vigorous prosecution Of the war" The
battle of Donelson not only revived the
hopes and confidence OF the North, but
it completely reversed the expectations
Of the South. up to this time the South,
cxulting in the success Of their armies
and over-cowardice of the North, and
the bravery Of the blooded .cbivalry of
the South, felt confident in their safety,
6 nd laughed 1t Northern invasion. The
immortal Gideon Pillow in his secession
speeches had pledged himself to drink
all the blood that the war. would, cause
to be shed south of the Ohio River. But
the battle OF Donelson convinced the
South that Southerners would retreat
and surrender and Northern men would
fight stubbornlysand desperately. The
evacuation OF Nashville Is q fair exam
pie Of the effect that Donelson had over
the South read in an old pamphlet
history Of the Army Of the Cumber-
land, circulating among the soldiers in
time OF the war, written by an eye-wit-
ness, that while the siege OF Donelson