Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1919-06-27

I cannot now recall the precise
late at which the evacuation OF
Bowling Green commenced, nor is
it material i'm connection with these
"reminiscences. 1t is sufficient
that it was inaugurated during one
of the coolest winters | had ever
known, and my own recollection is
that it required several months for
The removal of troops and supplies.
7 am confirmed in this opinion by
the fact that Col. Adams regiment,
which was the rear guard on the
march to Corinth, did not arrive at
that place, (our final destination)
till about the LIST of April, 1862,
only about three days before the
order was issued to cook three days
rations, preparatory to marching to
Pittsburg landing, to give battle
to Grant, before Buell. could effect
junction with him.
In reference to the capitulation
of Forts Henry and Donelson. which
rendered the navigation of the Ten
nessee and Cumberland rivers com
paratively easy for the gun boats
and transports of the enemy. thus
forcing the evacuation of Bowling
Green, it is pertinent to state, that
Fort Henry was an unimportant pO-
sition, with small garrison of less
than 1 900 men, which was unable
to resist or impede passage OF the
Federal gun boats and should never
have been fortified.
While the capitulation OF For
Donelson may have been a matter
of necessity, the garrison, consist
ing Of more than 20, 900 men, shoult
never have been subjected to thu
humiliation of surrender, but SHOULD
have been given the alternative o
fighting their way out, which would
have been gladly accepted by them
rather than to be immured within
the walls of Federal prisons
Fort Donelson capitulated on Feb
ruary 18th, 1862, and Fort Henri.
a few days earlier.
Gen. John B. Floyd, a Virginian
who was Secretary of War, undo
President James Bucbanan-bu
who was a civilian, and knew moth
ling of the art or science Of war
was in command of Fort Donelson
Gen. Gideon j. Pillow. who re
signed from the odd army" Il
accept service in the Confederacy
was second in command. : He. wa
a graduate Of West Point. and hat
seen service in the Mexican war
from which he retired at its termi
nation without any reputation 70
military brilliancy. He had beef
subjected to ridicule while in com
|mand at Columbus, Kv.. lrcAus
of a visionary scheme which be ha'
conceived, Of laying a cable acros
the Mississippi river from Colum
bus to the opposite shore. which b
believed would prevent the passag
LOT Federal gun boats down the riv
Ter, but which in reality had abou
as much effect in producing the ex
Ipected result-if / may be permit
ted the use Of a slang phrase "a
a drop Of water poured upon th
back of duck"
| Nevertheless, his chimerical schem
was ever after referred to as ''Pil
lows folly" and destroyed, it b
ever had any, his genius or capacit
as military commander.
Gen. Simon B. Buckner, who ha
also seen service in Mexico-bu
who had resigned and linked hi
fortunes with those of the Confed
eracy-had been sent to Fort Don
elson with reinforcements and upo
him, the junior commander, de
volved the surrender Of the fort an
the garrison. A council of war wa
held, at which Generals Floyd an
Pillow advised General Buckner tina
| ITO be