Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28

but had fortunately become foul At the
crosstrees. I beckoned-for IL was use
less to call amid the din-to Orderly Ser
geant Jones. an old '.man-o' wars man.
to come to my assistance, and we ran
across to the Flagstaff and up the lower
rigging to the crosstrees. and by our
united efforts succeeded In clearing the
halyards and lowering the flag.
The view from that elevated position
at the time was grand. exciting and strik-
ing. At our feet the fort with her few
remaining guns was sulienly hurting her
harmless shot against the sides OF the
gunboats, which. now apparently within
two hundred yards OF the fort, were. In
perfect security. and with the GOODNESS
ing the entire fort. To the north and
west. on both sides OF the river, we're the
hosts of 'bluecoats. anxious and in
terested spectators, while to the east the
feeble forces OF the Confederacy could b.
seen making their weary way toward
Donelson.
On the morning OF the attack We were
sure the February rise Of the Tennessee
had come. When the action began the
lower part OF the fort was already flooded,
and when the colors were hauled down
the water was waist-deep there When
the cutter came with the officers 20 re-
ceve the formal surrender she pulled
into the "sally-port." Between the fort
and the position which had been occupied
by the infantry support was a sheet OF
water a quarter OF mile or more wide
and running like a milrace." IL the at
tack had been delayed forty-eight hours
there would hardly have been a hostile
shot fired; the Tennessee would have ac-
complished the work by drowning the
magazine.
The fight was over: the little garrison
were prisoners: but our army had been
saved. We had been required to hold out
an hour: We had held out for over two
The formal surrender was made to the
naval forces. During the evening large
number of army officers came into the
fort, to whom 1 was introduced by my
old messmates, Lieut.. Commanders Gwin
and Shirk. Here l first saw Gen. Grant.
who impressed me at the time as
modest, amiable, kind-hearted but reso-
lutte man. While We were TT headquarters
an officer came In to report that he had
not as yet found any papers giving In
formation Of our forces and, to save him
further looking. / informed him that
l had destroyed all the papers bearing
on the subject. at which he seemed very
wroth, fussily demanding, by what
authority?' Did l not know that l laid
myself open to punishment, ETC., etc. Be-
fore ] could reply fully, Gen. Grant quiet
ly broke in with. II would be very much
surprised and mortified IL one OF my
subordinate officers should allow inforina-
the hands OF the enemy"
4
We were detained for several days at
the fort and were confined to tho came
steamer on which Gen. Grant had estab-
lished his headquarters, and as the Of
ficers. Confederate and Federal, messed
together, / saw much of the general dur
ing that time. We were treated with
every courtesy; SO our confinement was
less irksome than we had anticipated and
was only marred by one incident.
Two of the younger Confederate officers
having obtained liquor. became vocifer
Gus. At dinner Gen. Grant did not take
his seat with the rest,s and this restraint
being removed. the young men. despite
frowns and nudges, persisted in discus
sing politics. military men and move
ments etc. While they were thus engag
ed Gen. Grant, unobserved by Them. en-
tered, took his seat. and dined without
appearing to notice their conversation.
but when the youngsters left the table
they were dumfounded to meet q corporal
and file of men, who tremendously con-
Quoted them to the nursery and left
ed them. At last promised to intevee2e,
which I did, carrying with me. regrets,
explanations and apologies The geu-
eral smiled and said that he had cot
fined them partly fur their own sakes.
lest they might fall In with some OF LIS
own men in similar condition: that llr
did not believe the young men knew =
his presence. and that he would orc
their release as soon as they becanis
sober, which he did.
Copyright, 1912, by the Century Company